When Sakura Japanese Steakhouse opened in the Parkway Plaza in Canandaigua in February, I was at first skeptical of it, as most sushi fanatics are when faced with a new place.
But the excitement of having a sushi bar so close to the office pushed me past my initial trepidation, and Sakura has proved to be a great place to cure a sushi craving.
I had ordered from the lunch menu many times, but I usually got it to go and ate in nearby Kershaw Park. Recently, Sports Editor Paul Gangarossa and I decided to see what the experience was like inside the restaurant’s doors.
The atmosphere
In the dimly lit dining area with a quiet vibe, your meal feels like a calm escape. The restaurant is decorated in Asian themes complete with bubbling fountain in the front lobby, and there is plenty to look at while you enjoy the cuisine.
The sushi bar is brightly lit, prominent at the back of the restaurant, and has plenty of seating.
When we seemed stumped on what to order (it’s a big menu, with a lot of good options) our waitress walked us through the different sections and suggested popular entrees. It turned out to be good advice.
The food
Since I couldn’t decide on just one dish, I went for a Shrimp Tempura Bento Box ($8.95/lunch only), which came with five different menu items. Paul was feeling adventurous and ordered the Super Spider Roll ($13.95), made with softshell crab, cucumber and cream cheese. Both entrees came with a bowl of miso soup and a green salad for starters.
I can’t deny that I was jealous when Paul’s Super Spider Roll came out. The presentation was impressive: bright green avocado with red and black tobiko (fish roe) blanketing the top of the roll, with a crescent of spicy sauce encircling the sushi.
The roll was much larger than your average spicy tuna kind (I struggled to eat a piece in one bite), and the portion of softshell crab was generous.
My Bento Box came loaded with food: a rice ball, shrimp tempura (with broccoli and pineapple tempura pieces), a four-piece California roll, a spring roll and two sushami.
I ate my way clockwise, starting with the sushi which was fresh albeit plain, as California rolls tend to be. I wasn’t familiar with sushami, but it tastes like a meatless pot sticker (dumpling) in a sweet and spicy sauce. The fried spring roll was crunchy and stuffed with vegetables.
