Fuji Sushi is Stil One of Our Favorites

I have gotten in the habit of eating just average sushi. Sushi that is pretty good, but I only pick it up or eat out because it is close to home, such as Mikkado Sushi in Lake Mary. This is a fact I was reminded me of on our recent visit to Fuji Sushi Japanese Cuisine in Winter Park, Fla., with friends.

I savored each bite because I had not tasted sushi so fresh and delicious, with such unique flavors, for so long. I tried two rolls that were new to me: the Honolulu Roll, which featured crispy coconut shrimp, chopped peanuts and mango, with a sweet misco

sauce. It is one of my new favorites and the sauce paired perfectly with this roll. I also had the Louisiana Roll, which included cooked crawfish, avocado and sesame seed. I expected this to be spicier and more flavorful, but I still really liked it.

Friends tried the Alaska Roll, a delicous combination of raw salmon and cream cheese and the Black Widow Roll, which has soft shell crab, scallions, spicy mayo and eel sauce. This is another really tasty roll. The Volcano Roll is another one of our favorites - especially that delicous sauce on top. 

Let us know your favorite sushi spot in Central Florida!

Try Fast-Food Sushi. Really.

I was definitely skeptical as I walked up to the small restaurant located in a mini-mall near UCF. I had looked over Sus Hi's (pronounced High) web site and I could not tell whether the food would be good by the funny ninja anime character on the screen.

When I walked in the restaurant, though, it was clean and had a fun Ninja painting across one wall. I noticed that the food ingredients are set up like a Subway for sushi: you can see all of the proteins (including vegan options), veggies, and fun toppings that you would like to have made into a sushi roll, a rice bowl, or a wrap. We ordered the Spicy Chicken and Loaded Shrimp Sushi and the Fried Chicken and Fried Shrimp Wrap.

The sushi comes with a spicy sauce, but we kicked it up a notch with Sriracha sauce. The sushi was moist and flavorful, and really didn't taste like fast food-style sushi. The fried chicken and shrimp in my wrap had a light, crispy breading and I was surprised it was not greasy. I also opted to add lettuce, avocado, and asparagus, and everything came together to make a fresh, flavorful wrap. And the prices were reasonable at $5.99 for a roll (check out the photo for the size of one roll!), wrap, or bowl.

I love Sus Hi's Japanese sodas too. They may be somewhat sweeter than American sodas, but have a lot less carbonation. The only draw-back to this place? Making decisions. You can't just say, "I want the California Roll". The staff want you to pick what goes inside your roll. If you are indecisive, this is not the place for you.

Where: 4498 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando.

Orlando's Top Sushi Restaurants

This is a tough one. Everyone has their idea of what good sushi is. However, since coming to Orlando more than 15 years ago, I consistently hear friends recommend certain restaurants over and over. Fuji Sushi in Winter Park, Lake Mary, and Waterford Lakes, provides high-quality sushi and sashimi every time. I especially like their cooked rolls, such as the spicy Volcano Roll that has an overflowing topping of seafood sauce and conch, scallop, whitefish or octopus. Try some of their signature sushi, such as the Orlando Magic Roll, the Black Widow Roll, and the Louisiana Roll with crawfish.  

Fuji Sushi

Meanwhile, Bayridge Sushi in Longwood and Apopka provides sushi that is similar in quality to Fuji’s rolls, but with much lower prices. Try the “all you can eat” sushi special for $19.95. My friends also swear by Tokyo Japanese & Sushi Bar, which is near Orlando International Airport. It is one of those small places that do it right with fresh sushi and good-sized portions. Tokyo Japanese recently expanded to include a hibachi grill. Where are your favorite places to eat sushi in Orlando or other cities?

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