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I'll go cheap on a lot of things: generic bologna, Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls instead of Hostess Ho Hos. If the situation demands, I'll even switch to store-brand cola, but sushi is one food where you've got to be careful about going with the lowest bidder. An iffy cut of wahoo and it's 48-72 hours drinking flat Sprite and catching up on that stack of old magazines.
Sushiology is right in the most touristy part of I-Drive, not far from one of those “Largest Gift Shops in the World.” Who'd expect to find a good bargain there? You know how people always say, “You know a Cuban restaurant is good because Cuban people eat there?” Well, you know an I-Drive restaurant is good if the locals who work in the hotels eat there. The name tags give them away.
Sushiology is actually in a decent little location, facing a parking lot but away from major traffic. If you sit outside and look to the right, there's a pretty lake/retention pond. Who knew? Inside, Sushiology is very, very orange. There's no paper menus. Instead, you've got big photos of each dish on the wall and smaller versions on the counter. Soda, cold tea, sake and Asian beers are available by the bottle.
Nigiri are the sushi where you get a fillet of fish atop a pressed mound of rice. Typically served in pairs, Sushiology sells them as singles. Tuna, salmon, snapper, shrimp and more are a dollar a pop. Vegetarians have multiple choices too, including avocado or inari (fried tofu) at 90 cents. Both the tuna and salmon left me disappointed. The fish certainly wasn't spoiled, but it lacked the fresh flavor demanded by such a simple presentation.
Sushi rolls fared much better. The basic California roll (artificial crab, cucumber and avocado with sesame seeds and roe) is only $3 for eight pieces. Made fresh to order, it's not Nobu, but well above supermarket sushi for the same price, if not cheaper. The $5 caterpillar roll wraps more avocado around the outside. The addition is creamier, but maybe not worth an extra $2.
Kamikaze roll ($4.50) is made with tuna, spicy mayo, roe and crunchy bits of tempura. I usually go purist and dread mayo in my sushi. It's too much like tuna fish salad, don't you know? In this case though, a hint of fresh peppers kept the roll light and bright. Same goes for the $4.50 bonito roll of salmon skin, cream cheese, salty shavings of the dried fish called bonito and eel sauce. Dairy in my sushi is typically a turnoff, but here, it mellows all the strong fishy flavors.
If you just aren't the fishy type, the $5 chicken teriyaki donburi (“don” for short) is a good choice. Chunks of chicken and mushrooms are grilled with sweet soy sauce and a few onions, and then spooned over a bowl of white rice. It's very basic, but also very filling and done to order.
For dessert, I tried the tempura banana with ice cream ($4.50). Topped with chocolate sauce, it's a nice contrast of flavors, textures and temperatures. I was disappointed that I couldn't taste vanilla in the ice cream, but globe trotting friends tell me I may have simply had “cream” flavored ice cream.
Dish: Kitchen and counter staff are friendly, but if you sit outside, keep one eye aimed in. On both visits, at least one dish sat at the counter because no one came out to tell me it was ready. Also know that you're expected to bus your own table and if you want extra eel sauce, you'll be paying fifty-five cents for it.
Damage: If you bring a friend in a sharing mood, you could mix and match a couple sushi rolls or split a roll and some teriyaki chicken -- and both stay just under five bucks for lunch.
Decision: Turns out it is possible to find sushi that's both cheap and satisfying. Now, I need to find a drinkable generic beer.
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