The Oklahoma City sushi scene has been growing a lot lately. As a long-time OKC resident, I remember the days when finding a good sushi bar was not a hard decision because there was only a handful of options. These days, it seems that there is a new high class sushi bar opening up around every corner, giving fierce competition to the currently established locations. In my mind, there is one that has continued to outshine all of the competitors: Sushi Neko.

Now, I know that Sushi Neko is one of those locations that you either love or hate. Many people talk about the quality of service, the pricing and other things that keep them from either absolutely adoring this place or running over to Okura, Tokyo, or Saii. I am one who is quite fond of Sushi Neko, but I will remain as fair and balanced as I can possibly be.

Sushi Neko has one of the most extensive sushi lists I have come across at any sushi bar, so how does one even begin to write a review over such a vast and comprehensive sushi list? With the appetizers of course. We usually forego the normal Edamame, and move straight to the Miso Soup when we are dining on sushi. Sushi Neko offers two types of Miso Soup, a traditional Miso Soup ($3) and a Spicy Miso Soup ($9). The traditional soup we found was a bit bland and nothing really stuck out about it. I would even dare to say that the Miso Soup from Buddha Tao is superior than the soup at Neko. The Spicy Miso Soup at Neko, however, is absolutely fantastic. Served with scallops and oysters and other things to give it flair, this soup is worth the difference in price — but buyer beware, this is definitely spicy.

Moving on to the feature presentation, the sushi. Between myself and the others I dine with when eating sushi, we have covered the menu very well. Some of the highlights include the Lady Love Roll ($5.80), a piece of fresh salmon rolled with lemon, masago and green onion); the Captain Crunch Roll ($8), eel and cucumber, drizzled in eel sauce and rolled in tempura flakes; and the Tootsie Roll ($6.50), tempura salmon and cream cheese. All three of those rolls are moderately priced from $5-8, with 6-8 pieces per roll. Another personal favorite of mine is the Dynamite Stick (crab meat and nuclear sauce). It’s priced at under $4, but will still bring a tear to your eye as your face feels like it is on fire from the spices.

There have been a few rolls I have tried that I have not liked, and at the top of that list is the Ninja Roll ($10). The Ninja Roll is a mixture of cooked fish, wrapped in the usual rice and nori (seaweed). It sounds delicious, but the unusual mixture of fish leaves a strange taste in your mouth. It’s one of the few rolls that we will never try again.

The service at Sushi Neko is hit or miss. Over the course of your meal, you will encounter 3-4 staff members (your hostess, waitress, chef and bussing staff). The bussing staff does a phenomenal job keeping unused plates, glasses and utensils from cluttering your table. The wait-staff, however, tends to be where Sushi Neko can miss the mark. Some nights they’ll be right on top of things, but on other nights, it seems like it’s a good 10-20 minutes before you can even place your order, and another long period of time before your meal arrives. We have also noticed that the quality of your rolls can vary, depending upon which sushi chefs are rolling that particular night.

Overall, my positive experiences have far outweighed my negative experiences, and Sushi Neko continues to draw me back on a regular basis. If it has been a while since you’ve been to Neko, I urge you to give it another shot. As for me and my house, we will dine at Sushi Neko. How about you?

Tell us what you think, good or bad, about Sushi Neko in the comments below.

This is part two of the Oklahoma City fro-yo smackdown where I review some of the upcoming frozen yogurt (fro-yo for all you cool people) establishments in Oklahoma City. In this post, we’ll take a look at Pink Swirls, which has recently opened up in Midwest City with plans to expand to other points in the metro.  Click here for part one in the series, covering Passionberri.

I think I’m going to start off by immediately declaring the smackdown winner.  *Drumroll please* … and the winner is … Pink Swirls! Now hurry up, pack up your significant other and/or your kids and go make a trip right now!

Alright, that may be a little premature. After all, we haven’t quite finished our fro-yo tour (many have been telling us that Orange Tree in Edmond is a definite contender), but I can at least say that, in my opinion, Pink Swirls beats Passionberri, which was featured in part one of this series.

My rationale for choosing Pink Swirls over Passionberri is simple — eight organic, healthy, nonfat, live culture fro-yo choices (such as chocolate, mixed fruit, banana berry, pomegranate, mango, passionfruit, regular and more), numerous choices of fruit, candy, and nut toppings, all available for self-service and in whatever mixture and combination your heart desires for just $0.39 per ounce (that means a very generous cup weighing a pound will cost you just over $6).  Plus, unlike some other fro-yo places, Pink Swirls uses real fruit puree to flavor their products (with the exception of the chocolate).

If you can’t decide which flavor to dump into your cup, grab a spoon and put a little taste of fro-yo into your cup to sample. They’ll even provide you with small sampling cups if you wish.  Just make sure you’re not pouring fro-yo straight into your mouth like a kid or sampling more than you really should. Obviously, it would really get costly for the owners if everyone did that. But otherwise, reasonable sampling is allowed and even encouraged.

My personal favorite flavor has to be the mango yogurt. I like it topped with mochi, kiwi and strawberries.  I’m not too sure if they’re going to be rotating other flavors into the mix, but a flavor I’d like to see is Taro (a root that actually tastes kind of like cookies n’ cream and is popular in many asian smoothie and boba shops).  Pink Swirls also offers shaved ice in three different sizes with up to five toppings.  A winning combination for this treat is mochi, strawberries, kiwi, frosted flakes, red bean (if they have it, but I didn’t see any when I visited), and a healthy squirt of condensed milk.  They also offer smoothies, waffles and hot/cold teas.

Plus, if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, just work your way down to the end of the counter to their sushi bar. Wait a second … did I just say sushi? At a fro-yo place? That’s right, Pink Swirls serves sushi, compliments of their joint venture with Mr. Sushi.  They have a total of 19 rolls with prices starting at $4.95 for the California Roll on up to $10.95 for the Oceanic Roll (spicy scallops and asparagus topped with salmon and scallions).  Though they don’t offer any fried food/tempura selections due to its incompatibility with a fro-yo environment, they do also offer nigiri.

The store itself has a very white and clean decor with bright colors typical of many fro-yo establishments.  It seems like there is a lot of under-utilized space and that’s because they’re currently awaiting word from the Fire Marshall to determine total allowed seating capacity, but once they get that number they will be able to legally accomodate more seating.

For the Tinker folks, they offer a 10% military discount.  For everyone else, make sure to ask for the frequent buyer’s card — eight stamps and you get a free cup.  I spoke with the owner (who also happens to own Asian Market and Golden Phoenix restaurant on Classen) and he plans on opening a few more stores in Edmond and OKC in the next few months so his fro-yo can be more conveniently enjoyed by the rest of the OKC community.  Until then, it’s worth it to make your way down to Midwest City to experience the goodness of Pink Swirl’s pay-by-the-ounce fro-yo.

My only real gripe about this place is the fact that I’m going to be coming here every other day and spending all my hard-earned money on fro-yo and sushi since it’s right next to my work.  Wait, I have one more complaint and it’s about the size of the sushi bar section.  The bar can only accommodate four people so the lunch crowd wanting to eat at the sushi bar will have a difficult time getting front row seating.  Smart people who read and heed the words of this review will call in an order 30 minutes ahead of time and then grab an open table once they arrive. By the way, images of the sushi menu can be found here on urbanspoon.

Our editor, Tim, tried Pink Swirls as well and loved it. For him and his kids, this is the place. He loves the pay-by-the-ounce model because he can get smaller quantities (closer to 4-6 oz.), and he loves the kid-friendly flavors and toppings as well. On the other hand, his one complaint is that they don’t have any small yogurt cups. Even the small size is pretty big. It’s good for business because it sort of tricks you into adding more yogurt to your cup, but it’s kind of annoying that you have to put your reasonable portion of yogurt into a giant, cavernous dish. If you want to get a small portion for you or your kids, you’ve got to force yourself to shut off that spout when it looks like there’s hardly anything in your huge cup. Buyer beware.

Pink Swirls offers greater selection, better freedom of choice and cheaper pricing than Passionberri, making them a strong competitor, especially if they ever expand down to Norman. They offer free wifi and, once they’re able to get more seating, they will provide a great option for your summer hang out.  Pink Swirls has a knockout business model and I’m just happy to have such convenient access to their delicious fro-yo!

Share your thoughts about Pink Swirls in the comments below. And, if you spot any other fro-yo places that need to be included in the smackdown, be sure to let us know.

When I sat down to write about Kang’s Asian Bistro, I found it hard to describe. Part of it, surely, was from food overload. We had so many dishes and sushi rolls that it’s hard to really separate them properly.

But part of it also is that Kang’s has such a broad reach — from Thai to Chinese to Japanese to American foods — that it can be a little schizophrenic. It’s very much like a locally-owned P.F. Chang’s, except with sushi — or maybe a less-expensive version of Buddha Tao.

For instance, we started the meal with summer rolls — the Vietnamese restaurant favorites with shrimp and vegetables stuffed inside sticky rice paper. These fresh, light rolls don’t boast as much punch as some I’ve had (there was much less mint than I’m used to) but the accompanying spicy garlic sauce and the peanut sauce more than made up for it. But at $7 for four pieces (two rolls cut in half), it is a pretty expensive start to the meal.

We also had lettuce wraps ($8.45), the kind you might find on the menu at Chili’s, but these were much better. The chicken was expertly cooked and flavorful and the spicy sauce they served with them had a real kick, full of nasal heat, that I appreciate.

The sushi, which came next, was good, but not quite what I like. Sushi is subjective. Some people like nothing in their roll but rice and a sliver of fish or vegetable all wrapped up in seaweed. Some like nigiri — where there’s a slab of fresh fish on a ball of rice. And some like those towering rolls, fish inside and out, plenty of sauces and creams and seasonings &mdash the kinds that look like works of art when done right.

At Kang’s, you can get a couple of nigiri at very reasonable prices — anywhere from $1.75 for quail egg or $5.95 for tuna or yellowtail — or sashimi for $9-$11. Sarah would like for me to point out that she tried sashimi for the first time here. Yes, we’re all very proud of her for eating raw salmon, but the majority of the sushi we tried were Kang’s special rolls. They were a bit too much. I am an equal-opportunity sushi lover. I take all kinds, but at some point, you just need to put the roll down and be done with it.

The Mountain Roll ($14.45) was filled with shrimp tempura, cucumber, salmon, tuna, yellow tail, masago, spicy mayo, eel sauce and green onions. It tasted fine, though a bit heavy, but my problem was picking out individual flavors. The same went for the Baby Gecko ($9.45) which had cream cheese, jalapeno, salmon, spicy mayo, eel sauce and green onion. Plus, that one was tempura fried. Tasty, but it all started to taste the same.

The Spicy Cowboy ($11.45) also had tempura shrimp in it, but was at least a bit lighter. It was Tim’s favorite, and a favorite of some we’ve heard from on Twitter. Even though most of the rolls we tried were heavy and complex, they do have plain-old tuna and cucumber and California rolls, too and the pricing is quite reasonable — along the lines of what you’d find at Tokyo.

One big selling point for Kang’s is that if you don’t like sushi, there’s plenty more to eat. My favorite was probably Kang’s Fiery Chicken ($11.95) which was basically a General Tso’s Chicken with a fresher, spicier sauce. I also enjoyed the Mongolian Beef ($11.45) which was tender and flavorful.

One disappointment was the Crispy Thai Fire Fish ($15.45). Everything about that dish was perfect, except for the fish. If they had just chosen something other than catfish, I’m sure it would have been my favorite. Catfish, as Andrew said, just tastes like catfish, and messing with that can create an odd flavor. It wasn’t bad, I just would have liked it a lot more if it had been rainbow trout or another lightly-flavored white fish.

A delicacy was the Five Spice Quail, which wasn’t too hot, but had a richer flavor than plain old chicken. At $16.95, it’s an expensive treat, but delicious.

One other let down was the Thai Steak Salad ($11.50), which tasted great, but was textured all wrong. The lettuce was crisp, the cherry tomatoes were fresh, the marinade/dressing on the steak was wonderful, but Sarah commented that the steak itself was tough and chewy.

All in all, I really enjoyed Kang’s. The restaurant in Nichols Hills is hidden away on Olie Street, and the decor inside is modern, but comfortable. The prices are reasonable — especially for nigiri — and the flavors are spot on. Despite a few texture issues, I would definitely go back.

And if you’re with someone who just doesn’t care of Asian food of any stripe, Kang’s does a grilled beef tenderloin to placate them. If you’re tired of the long waits and higher prices at P.F. Chang’s, you can get similar, locally-produced food at Kang’s Asian Bistro. Please let us know what you think about Kang’s in the comments.

Hailing from Los Angeles, I’ve been to my fair share of all-you-can eat sushi restaurants. Chain restaurants like Todai have certainly brought a bad name to all-you-can-eat sushi, and I avoid them like the plague. At the same time, it’s imperative that my friends and I get a sushi fix at least once a month. So, it was with great pleasure that I heard from a co-worker about Sumo, an all-you-can-eat sushi place in Edmond offering heavenly bliss for just $19.99. Most places I know have either stopped the all-you-can-eat  option (because of sushi gluttons like myself) or have started charging $30 or more. I had to find out for myself if Sumo would truly be able to satisfy my insatiable appetite for raw fish!

There’s nothing too extravagant about the exterior beyond the  signage outside. Inside is a rather large interior divided into two sections: regular dine-in / bar / sushi bar and the hibachi/dance floor areas. The restaurant is certainly big enough to host a wedding reception or dance party for those interested.  I like the fact that this restaurant can satisfy those Americans who like the whole hibachi / teppanyaki show, yet also caters to purist sushi eaters like myself. If you’re after sushi like me, ask the host to seat you in the sushi area.

Now this is important — you won’t find the all-you-can-eat sushi special on the menu. You need to ask for it. When you do, your waiter should bring you the all-you-can-eat order form and a pencil. Everything on the front and back of the list is fair game with the exception of the “Special Rolls.” These rolls should be crossed out on the list indicating you can’t order them in the all-you-can-eat special. That’s fine by me since I’d be happy consuming a slab of raw salmon with wasabi, soy sauce and ginger. You’ll also notice some handwritten notes on the bottom saying “$0.25 rice and $0.50 sushi roll pc.” This is outlining how much you’ll be charged for any leftover balls of rice or pieces of sushi rolls if you went in over your head and ordered too much food. My suggestion: don’t order all your food at once. Instead, order in phases. I usually order a whole bunch of nigiri (fish pieces on top of balls of sushi rice) and a few rolls like the spicy tuna rolls and salmon skin rolls (which are both excellent).

EDITOR’S NOTE: One of our readers, Andrea, sent us a scan of the All-You-Can-Eat menu as of April 26, 2009. Thanks, Andrea. Click here to view the menu for yourself.

Included with the meal is a small salad (iceberg lettuce, cucumber and tomato) topped with ginger dressing and a bowl of miso soup. The soup was a little bland and definitely not as good as the one offered by Tokyo, but hey, for $20 all-you-can-eat sushi, I can cut them a little slack in that department.

There are usually two sushi chefs preparing food and it took about 20 minutes to get our first batch. Our initial order amounted to about $65 in value from my quick calculations. Most subsequent orders took no more than ten minutes because we only ordered about $20-$30 worth. Remember to pace yourself and don’t leave any leftovers!

The salmon, scallops, red clam and tuna nigiri are excellent. I thought that the yellowtail tasted a day too old. I really wish they offered toro, which is the belly of the yellowtail and one of the tenderest cuts of fish, but it’s more expensive and not cost-effective for all-you-can-eat. The octopus seemed a little overcooked and the eel selections were a little too fishy for my taste. Overall, the quality was very good, but I must say that some of the rolls really start to taste the same after a few pieces, especially the ones that have the fish, cucumber and avocado in them. It would be nice to be able to order some of the special rolls since they offer a little more variety of flavors, but I guess I can’t get everything my way, right? Another thing I like is that Sumo doesn’t pad the sushi with excess rice to fill you up faster like many other all-you-can eat establishments try to do. In fact, the salmon nigiri I had took me extra time to chew because the cut was enormous and could have easily been a little thinner.

Sumo’s wait staff is prompt, friendly and, oddly enough, they seem very eager to make sure that the customer gets the most out of the all-you-can-eat special. By the end of the night, the job was done. The two of us easily consumed $100 worth of sushi for $40. You just can’t find a deal like that anywhere else, especially with the quality of sushi that Sumo has to offer. I usually like to end a meal like this with some hot green tea to cleanse the palate and aid in the enormous digestion that’s about to take place. I skip on the dessert since a well executed all-you-can-eat sushi night places full emphasis on fish and not filler. Plus, I’m usually too full to consume anything else.

If you’re a true sushi lover like me and have that insatiable appetite for fish, Sumo is the only place to go in OKC. They regularly offer 20% discounts for UCO students and they also have coupons for regular menu items in Entertainment Book if you decide to forego the all-you-can eat menu. But why would you, when all-you-can-eat sushi is so heavenly?

Let us know what you think of Sumo in the comments.

If you asked me my three favorite foods, in no particular order, two of the three would be satisfied right there in the title of Kabuki Steak & Sushi. I am of the belief that, while some steaks and some sushi are far superior to others, a decent steak and some decent sushi are better than 90 percent of what you’ll get elsewhere.

I visited Kabuki on a Sunday night and found the wait for a teppanyaki table — those big grill tables where they put on a show — to be nil. In fact, had my brother and his wife been there 5 minutes earlier, I think we would have walked right in and sat right down.

The teppanyaki table is a favorite for almost anybody, but I liken it to seeing a great movie. The first time I watched “Casablanca,” I was enthralled. I couldn’t wait to see it again. The second time, it was still good, though a little of the luster had faded. If I saw it again within a month or even a year, I might get bored.

Well, teppanyaki tables are fun the first time, kind of fun the second time, but if you don’t give it a rest for a while — maybe a year or so — the show gets boring. No offense to the chef, who does things with knives and forks I only wish I could muster, but it’s old hat. Spinning egg? Check. Whirling spatula? Check. Onion volcano? Check.

This is a great treat for a kid and for anybody who hasn’t been to a Japanese steakhouse before, but if you’re more interested in food, I’d find a table that doesn’t double as a grill. That said, the chef we had at Kabuki is one of the few who can do a medium-rare steak teppanyaki style. The chicken was flavorful. The shrimp were a bit overdone, but still delicious. My wife got the fried rice and raved about it.

There are a few point deductions for the salad, however. I know it’s traditional to serve wet iceberg lettuce with that pink / orange dressing, but I don’t know a person who enjoys it. I really wish they had taken the time to do something different, even if that’s a standard romaine mix.

Soup, salad, rice and your entree are one price on the teppanyaki. My wife and I opted for the Dinner for Two ($42) which included steak, shrimp and chicken. If you want to upgrade your white rice to fried rice, it costs an additional $2.95. We both ate well for the price.

The cheapest you can go on the grill is $13.95 for the teppanyaki chicken. For the food and the show, that’s a decent price.

The sushi was good, though there was a language problem with one waitress, who didn’t take down my sister-in-law’s nigiri order. I got the Sunset Roll ($9) which was filled with fried salmon, crab and cucumber. Pretty tasty and a nice, big roll. My brother got the Hot Night Roll ($12) filled with spicy tuna and salmon, topped with a spicy sauce and spicy crab meat. For all that spicy, it didn’t seem all that hot (then again, I willingly ate the Lucifer’s Folly roll at Buddha Tao, so I’m clinically insane). If anything, the Hot Night Roll looked like the love child of sushi and an enchilada plate.

Basically, the sushi was OK, but didn’t blow me away. I didn’t try any sashimi, so I can’t tell you where that falls on the sliding scale of fish.

What I will say is that Kabuki is a well-appointed restaurant with good teppenyaki and a pretty nice selection of sushi. It’s similar to Sumo, which is just up the road, but seems a little more inviting. If you’re looking for dinner and a show, this is my recommendation. If all you want is sushi, this isn’t a bad choice, but there are lots of options in the area to get the same or better.

Buddha Tao does a lot of things very well, but prices itself at the level where they really need to do everything extremely well. So, while Buddha Tao absolutely brings a unique and quality offering to the Oklahoma City restaurant landscape, we’re a little unsure on whether that offering is worth the price tag.

First off, let me explain that this review represents more than just my own perspective. All of our four regular writers dined together here and each offered their own thoughts which I am incorporating into this review. In addition, one of our readers, Chris Johnson, submitted his own full review of Buddha Tao, and I am working in some of his perspective as well. So, you are getting a wide range of opinions in this article. Now, let’s get to it.

Buddha Tao is very slick. Everything from the website to the building’s exterior and interior are polished to the level that I thought it had to be a chain the first time I saw it. But, rest assured, it is not a chain. Buddha Tao is related by ownership group to In the Raw Sushi in Tulsa, but there are no other Buddha Tao locations, at least at the time of this writing. Incidentally, Buddha’s owner, Tony Henry, told me that while he does co-own the Tulsa In the Raw, he is not a part of the group opening the new location in Bricktown.

Buddha Tao is also pricey. As Greg puts it, “Buddha Tao is the kind of sushi restaurant I would love if I was rich. The decor is simple, but cool. The menu is chock-full of great items. Too bad I’m not rich, though, because I couldn’t afford to eat there on any kind of regular basis.” Putting together a complete meal at Buddha Tao, even at lunch, is going to cost you $15-$25 per person easily, and much more if you really want to try out the sushi.

This fact, and just the general feel of the place, lead me to believe it might be more of a dinner and late night kind of place than a lunch place. The four of us went at lunch and the restaurant was nearly empty. Makes sense to me as I thought the menu offered little for the lunch crowd. The pricing is high for lunch and the service was slower than what you need to fit a lunch hour. We haven’t been at night, but I can imagine dinner is more of Buddha’s thing.

Ok, so let’s talk about the food. There is good food here. There’s interesting food to be tried. Like the Robata Grill, a unique technique of charcoaling that packs a great flavor. Sarah ordered the beef tenderloin and pineapple Robata ($11) and gave us her perspective, saying “this was probably some of the best steak I have ever tasted. It was beyond fork tender and practically falling off the kabob. The lunch portion was small, with four bites each of steak and pineapple. The guys were thinking they would have liked more meat, but for me, it was perfect.”

I have to confirm what Sarah has shared about portions. If you’ve read much of my writing you know I’m no fan of large portions, but this was decidedly too small. For $11 you get the single scewer. Rice is $3-$4 extra. Plus, you’re probably going to need something additional to really get a full meal, so you can see how the bill starts to add up.

Buddha Tao also offers some excellent sushi. We all had fun trying the Lucifer’s Folly roll ($10.50). Heed the warning offered by the menu, as this is one seriously spicy roll. Greg explains, “Stuffed with Chinese mustard and jalapeno, rolled in 7-spice and laying in wasabi aoili, it will clear out your sinuses in a burst of pain. But, unlike biting directly into an habanero pepper, the searing heat will be gone in a matter of seconds. What does it taste like? I couldn’t tell you. I was too busy trying not to rip my nose off my face.”

Greg describes our take on the rest of the sushi as follows:

“The most popular roll at the table was the very expensive lobster roll. At $23.50, it is an extravagance, but a tasty one. Plus, there’s an entire tail’s worth of lobster sitting on top of the thing, so at least you know where the money’s going. The Big Buddha roll ($14) was also a treat for the eyes. Beautifully crafted, the roll looked like one solid piece until you started pulling bites away. With a crab cake center and seared tuna on top, it was probably the easiest to eat (and look at) roll we had.

The vegan roll ($5) didn’t excite me, but that’s probably because its flavor was subdued next to the lobster, crab cake and other-wordly pain of the other rolls.

One glaring omission was a sashimi platter. There are sashimi selections ranging from $11-$14, but they are for one kind of seafood each. As much as I like my raw fish, I also like a little variety and I fear that paying $25+ for two kinds of fish might be a bit much.”

The menu also offers a lot of other options. Andrew had the Kobe beef burger ($11) and loved the fact that they prepared it perfectly to medium rare, as requested. As he says, “Most places cook to at least medium when you ask for this, but Buddha Tao didn’t shy away from it. It had a spicy mayo on it that really brought out the mild flavor of the Kobe beef. I thought it was fantastic.”

I was the only one who was dissatisfied with my order. I tried the noodle bowl, which I thought looked terrific on the menu. You can order it with your choice of meat and I chose Filet Mignon ($15). Unfortunately, the meat was not nearly as tender as what Sarah experienced. In fact, it was very, very tough. Plus, I just didn’t like the noodle bowl. The broth was very dark and overpowering and, I guess, I wasn’t expecting it to be so much like a soup as the menu described it as “tossed in a tangy-savory katsu sauce.”

On the other hand, our reader, Chris Johnson, really enjoyed the noodle bowl. He comments, “A mixture of vegetables accompanied a proportionate serving of chicken — and we all loved this dish. The flavors really shined through and it was the favorite entree of the evening.” So, this one is obviously a matter of taste, though I would avoid the steak when ordering this as it seems the chicken comes out better.

So, is Buddha Tao worth a try? Well, on the one hand, it’s definitely unique and there is definitely some good food here. On the other hand, it all comes down to value — is it worth the higher price tag? Personally, I’m glad I tried it, but I doubt I’ll be going back. But that’s just me, and I think the question of value is something that each person has to answer for themselves.

If you do go, I recommend going at night instead of at lunch (with the exception of a few lunch only items, the menu appears to be very similar between lunch and dinner), trying the Robata grill and some of the very special sushi rolls, and planning for the higher-end cost. Do that and you’ll likely have a great experience, then you can decide whether to make it a regular stop.

Have you been to Buddha Tao already? Let us know what you think in the comments.

PLEASE NOTE: Elephant Cafe has closed and a new restaurant with new ownership has opened up in its place. This review does not cover the new restaurant.

When I really need a break from work at lunchtime, I know I can get a quiet, relaxing meal and a variety of tastes at the Elephant Cafe, which just opened in September in downtown Bethany.  It was formerly known as Big! Rice and Noodle (read our review here), and that owner’s niece has taken over and given it a new name.  Lein Wu is half Thai and half Chinese, and the largely expanded menu provides many Thai, Japanese and other Asian choices.  She and her employees have the gift of hospitality that so many of my Asian friends possess.

My work girlfriends and I recently ate here during a working lunch, and everyone really enjoyed their entree choices.  Susan chose safely with the cashew chicken ($6.25).  She said it was good, but for her taste, just a tad too many onions and spices.  I went with a lunch combo ($6.25), which included my choice of a veggie roll (3) or a Bangkok roll (3); a choice of miso soup or clear soup (or hot and sour soup for $1 more); and a choice of lunch entree.  I chose the Bangkok rolls, the hot and sour soup and the spicy basil fried rice, which included chicken, onion, basil and bell pepper.  It also included a spicy Thai chili sauce, but I found myself needing to add extra red chili sauce from the side.  This dish did have a good flavor, but it just wasn’t quite spicy enough for me.  Beth, being a sushi lover, went with the orange chicken ($6.25) and a salmon roll ($4.25).

Side note to whoever dines with Beth — last time we ate here, I decided to venture out and try a bite of her sushi, as she promised me there would be nothing raw or “icky” on it.  She ordered a California roll, and when it arrived, I pointed out how cute the little shaved carrots on top were.  After I had consumed my portion, she said, “oh, by the way, the ‘carrots’ may have been roe.”

“MAY have been roe?  And just exactly what is roe?” I shrieked.  I was a first time sushi eater.

“Well … like … maybe salmon eggs,” she hedged.

I had been tricked and hoped I would live to see my next meal.  Which I did.  But not before she heard another thing or two about it.

Anyway, back to lunch, friend Ali had the “best decorated” lunch by choosing the steak teriyaki lunch box ($7.95), which included the steak, rice, salad and vegetable tempura.  It probably also tasted the best.

The previous time I dined here and had my first sushi experience, I tried the elephant combo appetizer ($7.95), which included crab rangoon, Bangkok rolls, chicken satay and vegetable rolls.  It was accompanied by a variety of dipping sauces, which were all tasty.  The chicken satay was especially nice smeared with the peanut sauce.

Dinner entrees run between $8.25 and $11.95, which isn’t bad, considering the amount of food you get.  I could have easily taken home half of my lunch for dinner again that evening.  And another nice thing is that they accept credit cards whereas Big! Rice and Noodle did not.  Miss Wu has done a nice job in creating a pleasant atmosphere.  We were the only patrons when we first arrived, but several others arrived during our meal.  She sent out two dessert entrees for us to try — the fried ice cream and the fried bananas.  The fried bananas won hands down!

I’ve said before that if one works in the Bethany area, one will be challenged for lunch and dinner choices.  That’s why I’m always excited to see somebody new giving it a “go” in this part of town.  So, try the Elephant Cafe and let me know what you think in the comments.  I hope Lien will be able to stick around for a long time.

PLEASE NOTE: This restaurant is now closed.

It wasn’t long ago that I noticed Gaijin Sushi’s bright awnings going up on a storefront at the Park Harvey building downtown. Naturally, this caught my attention every time I visited the downtown library. I was very excited to see this new eatery opening in the downtown space. As soon as it was open, I wanted to try it, but since I am personally a bit of a sushi novice, I invited Andrew and Greg along to provide their more experienced sushi insights. This article includes thoughts from all three of us.

We are all unanimously in favor of the atmosphere and the location. We got to sit right by the window, looking out at all the people shuffling around downtown at lunch time. The corner storefront space offers a great view. The interior decor is very hip yet soothing. Nothing wild or harsh but just great lighting, good colors and modern accents. Congrats to the owners for creating a brilliant, urban experience that truly adds to the downtown landscape.

Another unanimous winner was the crab cake appetizer we shared. Andrew claims that “they were possibly the best crab cakes I’ve had in OKC. The crab mousse really gave them a light and fluffy texture.” Greg adds, “The presentation was beautiful, and I was especially enamored with the stripes of sauces on the plates, which provided a delicious flourish on the already tasty dish.” I have to agree. They were very good and quite possibly worth the trip just by themselves.

Now, onto the sushi. Even though I am a sushi novice, I was able to pick up on the fact that this isn’t a very “traditional” sushi place. I think the name Gaijin (which, from what I can tell, is a slightly derogatory Japanese term meaning “outsider” or “non-Japanese person”) is an odd choice, but it did seem fairly appropriate as we noted that the people around us, including those who were preparing the dishes, were predominantly non-Asians. It seems that Gaijin aims to provide a more “American” spin on sushi or at least a non-traditional spin. This results in the creation of some very unusual rolls.

The rolls are very special, indeed. The Devil’s Advocate is the top-seller according to general manager, Cristian Clay, and it’s easy to see why. At $9.50 for 8 pieces, it packs a good punch with salmon, cucumber, avocado, masago, cream cheese, spicy pistachios and a spicy aioli drizzled on top. Also interesting was the upscale Geisha roll at $12.95 with lobster salad, avocado and cucumber inside and lobster claw, caviar and miso on top. Both of these were very complex rolls and like nothing we’d tasted before.

We were all less impressed with the Spider roll ($8.75) which was a bit fishy. It did have bits of kaiware, which is a radish sprout, to give it some spice. Usually, kaiware is more of a garnish so we thought putting it in the sushi was a cool use of the ingredient.

The favorite roll for all of us was the Rock and Roll ($8.25). At Gaijin, the rock and roll is an eel roll. The eel is laid across the top with a sweet sauce and toasted sesame seeds while cucumber and avocado are wrapped up inside. This was really tasty and we highly recommend it.

We also sampled some Nigiri sushi — rice balls topped with fresh fish — and we found them less appealing than the rolls. As Greg puts it, “I don’t know if the Nigiri lacked flavor or if the rolls were just so full of flavor that the fish paled in comparison. Regardless, I’d opt for the rolls.” I have to agree and I think that’s par for the course at this non-traditional sushi place. Their creativity and presentation serves them well. When you come here, look to try those unique items that really set them apart.

The pricing at Gaijin is on the higher end of Oklahoma City’s sushi offerings, though perhaps not quite as high as Sushi Neko or Kang’s. Given the location, the atmosphere and the experience, we all felt the prices were reasonable and as expected.

Overall, our experience was really positive and both Greg and Andrew claim they will be going back. Andrew says, “I’m particularly excited about the coming lunch additions such as duck breast. Can’t wait to try those. I also look forward to taking my wife there, without kids, and gorging on those delicious crab cakes.”

Greg adds, “I will likely go back for a Rock and Roll and maybe a chance to try their Veggie or Gringo rolls. But I would also like the chance to try the full flight of sake that Cristian recommended. I did have a few sips of the fruity Gekkeikan plum sake and sweet, milky Momokawa pearl sake.”

Will I go back, you ask? I would love to, but I’d have to find the right occasion and really do some convincing to my wife, who is not a sushi lover at all. Perhaps I can coax her with some crab cakes.

Gaijin Sushi is new to downtown, so give them a try if you’re in the area, and let us know what you think in the comments. Also, if you’ve been to the Norman location, we’d love to hear your thoughts on it as well.

You can’t deny the appeal of sushi, even if it doesn’t appeal to you. Recently, I’ve noticed that Oklahoma City has embraced sushi with both arms. If things go much further, we might even catch this city trying to grab sushi’s butt.

The proliferation of sushi restaurants means good things for those of us with a taste for the stuff. Suddenly you’re not stuck eating the same California roll or wondering if the fish is any fresher on the other side of the street. Maybe even more important is the ability to find more affordable food. With belts tightening across the country, it’s always nice to find good, quality food at prices that won’t break the bank. And for affordable, delicious sushi, it’s hard to beat Tokyo Japanese Restaurant.

The building doesn’t look like much from the outside. In fact, there’s a somewhat fishy smell that lingers in the too-small parking lot. If it’s any comfort, that smell doesn’t follow you indoors where a bevy of fine food awaits. If you’re alone, don’t be afraid to take a seat at the sushi bar where you can watch the chefs preparing maki (sushi rolls), nigiri (balled rice with fish on top) or sashimi (sliced, raw fish).

For appetizers, I’m a big fan of the gyoza – a pork dumpling which you can order fried or steamed. Also good is the shumai, a similar dumpling with a seafood filling. The ubiquitous edamame are just boiled and salted soybeans served in the shell. For dieters, they are a good low-calorie snack.

For the main course, I tend to choose sashimi, either picking individual fish from the menu or getting the sashimi lunch. The lunch costs a good bit more ($18.95), but gives you a ton of variety for the money. However, it also includes a few varieties of seafood that I’m not as wild about, like octopus. The pick-and-choose option usually runs between $7.50 and $11 for 5-6 pieces of fish, and it gives you more control over your selections. I like that.

Nigiri sushi comes in smaller portions, 2 pieces per order, and can range from $2.50 to $7.50 depending on what you choose. I’ve always loved the mackerel, either in nigiri or sashimi, because it’s a firmer, saltier white fish, but many people prefer the tuna or salmon.

Not everyone can get past the “yuck” factor of eating raw fish, but don’t worry. Tokyo offers plenty of cooked sushi options and other fare. I don’t recommend the California roll. Sure, it’s a sushi standard for beginners but Tokyo’s is fairly bland, even if you upgrade from “crabstick” – a processed fish product – to real crab.

Instead, give the Philadelphia roll a try. Smoked salmon, cream cheese, asparagus and avocado make this a tasty treat. Also, take a look at the vegetable roll which eschews fish entirely and consists of avocado, lettuce, Japanese carrots, cucumber, asparagus and kampyo (Japanese gourd). The pricing on rolls varies with single-ingredient items going for $3-5 and more complex rolls in the $7-12 range. That said, a $12 pressed sushi roll is much more filling than a $3 cucumber roll – though both are delicious.

My experience with the rest of Tokyo’s menu hasn’t been as great, since it seems like they focus more on sushi than on other items. I will say that the chicken katsu (a breaded chicken cutlet) is delicious and the cold soba noodles are filling, but the chicken teriyaki seemed fatty and over-sauced.

If you want to get an inexpensive sampling of all the restaurant offers, the Tokyo Lunch Box includes a pick-your-own combination of sushi and a cooked entrée, along with a small appetizer for $8.50.

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant may not be as fancy as nearby Sushi Neko, but it offers all the flavor and a bigger selection in a more relaxed and much more affordable package. It’s my pick for sushi in Oklahoma City. What’s yours?

Sushi is one of my favorite types of food. I have eaten at most places in town, probably more than once, but there is one place I always seem to back to — Shiki. Sure, there are fancier sushi bars. There are more unique sushi bars. There are more eclectic, chic, nuevo, hip, and gourmet sushi spots in town. Shiki, however, is consistent, affordable, and convenient.

Shiki is convenient. With locations near Quail Springs and on Reno near Meridian, Shiki is always close enough to satisfy that last minute sushi craving. If your wife seems to get pregnant as often as mine, this can be a lifesaver. Somewhere near the end of that first trimester, I always seem to have to make an eel roll run.

Both locations serve sushi and hibachi. I will not review the hibachi piece. Sure, hibachi is pretty good, but it’s basically meat and rice thrown on a big griddle and cooked in soy sauce. Not much to write about unless you have a really good performer for a chef, and I haven’t found a good hibachi chef in town yet. It never fails that they drop a knife, flip a shrimp over my head and onto the floor behind me, or do an unimpressive knife and spatula spin that amounts to a lot of drumming and clicking, but very little actual trickery. Believe it or not, the best hibachi performance I have ever seen was in Appleton, Wisconsin. I know, weird. That and Benihana, the worlds best-known hibachi restaurant. Benihana always has good performers. I hear you know how good your teppenyaki chef is by the size and color of his hat. That is unconfirmed though. Ok, enough of the hibachi sidebar … back to Shiki.

The inside of Shiki is nothing super-fancy. There are hibachi grills on one side with table seating for sushi enthusiasts on the other. I actually like the location on Reno that shares a building with City Bites the best. It is smaller, but I really like the atmosphere better. On the other hand, I have friends that swear by the Quail Springs location, especially for happy hour.

Shiki is consistent. Like I said, there are places in town with fancier rolls and more artsy or gourmet presentations. I have reviewed Saii, for instance, which outshines Shiki from a presentation standpoint. But after some of the comments by Oklahoma City’s sushi following, I’m not sure I want to go back. No one I’ve ever talked to, on the other hand, says bad things about Shiki (please feel free to be the first — we always love to hear your comments). It’s always good, has a big enough variety to please most sushi-lovers, and has always been fresh and flavorful.

I’m not going to describe the rolls in detail. They have your typical sushi rolls here, nothing out of the ordinary or crazy fancy. My favorite sushi ingredients are shrimp, eel, tuna, and octopus. I’m not a big salmon fan because I feel it has such a strong flavor that it overpowers the other ingredients. They also serve sashimi here correctly. Thin, raw slices of very fresh fish, without a bunch of “stuff” all around it. I have been to other places that want to decorate it with everything in the kitchen, but to me sashimi should be plain and simple. Just a little soy sauce for flavor.

Shiki is also affordable. Again, I know there will be comment after comment about ten other sushi bars in town and why they are the best, but Shiki gets you in and out without breaking the bank. Rolls range from $5 to $9 so if you go into it fiscally aware, you can easily fill yourself for $15 or so. I think some of the fancier places get away with charging a premium for plating and it doesn’t necessarily translate into flavor. If you want to stay under $10, order an affordable roll, soup, and a salad. It’s cost effective and healthy.

On a side note, I was disappointed one night at a different sushi place when I sat at the bar waiting for a roll to be prepared and asked for a bowl of miso soup while I waited. The chef simply scooped out a spoonful of dry mix, added some hot water, and gave it to me. Just like I would do at home from a mix. He said every place makes Miso Soup this way. I guess I always envisioned someone slaving away in the kitchen drying sardines and mushrooms, making a homemade miso paste, and hand-cutting little bits of tofu, but apparently that doesn’t happen. Just an FYI. Ok, enough of the miso soup sidebar … back to Shiki.

I’m still amazed at how many people are scared of sushi. Sushi doesn’t mean raw fish, sashimi means raw fish. In fact, probably half the rolls on the menu contain only cooked seafood. Shrimp, crab, and octopus are going to be cooked every time, at least in America. Next time you are at Shiki ruining a perfectly good fillet by having it cut up into little pieces, covered in soy sauce, and overcooked on a griddle, think again and have sushi. Your wait staff will happily tell you what each piece is, and if you are scared of raw food (you are missing out on great flavors, try to talk yourself out of this fear) get a roll without raw fish. Open up your taste buds to something fresh and flavorful. Shiki brings it to you consistently and affordably at either convenient location.

Please let us know your thoughts on Shiki, other sushi places, or sushi in general in the comments.

There has been a lot of local hype over the relatively new Saii Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar, so much so I had to experience it for myself. I have eaten at most sushi restaurants in the Oklahoma City area and have yet to really be impressed so I packed up the entire family, toddlers and all, and prepared for perhaps an above average tuna roll and some fried rice for the kids. What I found when we walked through the door was a trendy, hip, sophisticated place with a dynamic menu and upscale atmosphere.

My first thought was, “oh boy, my kids are really going to throw this feng shui out of balance”. While definitely not a kid friendly atmosphere, mine have been eating out since they were born and have learned how to behave in an adult environment. I did feel a bit guilty about all the rice on the floor around the youngest’s high chair when we left, but that’s why we leave a gracious tip right?

The first thing you notice when you walk into Saii is the decor. An Asian waterfall and rich red and yellow mood lighting relax you and make you forget that you are in an anything-but-trendy shopping center on North May. In fact, Saii feels like it would be more appropriately placed in the Skirvin Hotel downtown, or nestled in the arts district, but then again North May seems to be adding unique and inviting new eateries every week. Saii is definitely a welcome complement. Seating is lounge-style with large plush square dining areas, multiple bar seating areas, and regular table seating. I have been to other cutting-edge, trendy sushi bars in other cities and they are usually blasting rock music, have bright lighting, and the walls are covered with impressionist art forms. Saii is modern, yet traditional. Asian decor replaces the abstract art forms, and dark rich woods, mellow lighting, and soft music seem more accommodating to the digestive tract.

Saii has a full menu as well as a dynamic sushi selection. Appetizers of edamame, crab rangoon, calamari, or lobster shumai prepare the palate for more complex flavors ranging from your familiar Asian flare (pad thai, lo mein, fried rice, and curry dishes) to more unique offerings pairing seafood and steaks, and even a wide range of Asian influenced salads. The crab rangoon was surprisingly flavorful, nearly overstuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab meat. The sushi was the biggest surprise. Lots of very good varieties, unique from the other drab sushi eateries in the city. I tried several rolls that featured everything from calamari to tuna. Each roll was presented with thoughtful plating and unique flavors. Asparagus is an ever-present ingredient in many of the rolls which is new to me in most sushi I have eaten. The Saii ninja roll had a topping of crawfish and real crab meat (think really good chicken salad, but replace the chicken with various shellfish) that I could have spread on bread and made an amazing sandwich out of. For the most part, ingredients were fresh and presentation was phenomenal. The calamari was a bit tough, but it’s not like you can go pull squid out of the Oklahoma river. Actually….you probably can, I’ve seen strange things washed ashore on the banks of our dark brown waterway and bobbing along in Bricktown, but that’s another post.

Overall, it is a great experience and highly recommended. The nice thing about Saii is you can take a friend who is sushi-averse and still find a meal everyone can enjoy. You get a Manhattan atmosphere with an Oklahoma City price tag. I probably will not return with my 5 year old, 3 year old, and 1 year old, but I can promise I’ll be back to eat another round of tempting and unique culinary art.