Superb sushi al a Sherwood

When my son and I get a hankering for sushi rolls, we often head off to our local big-chain grocery where they sell a reasonably priced selection that is tasty and fresh. It's made right there by real live people.

But when we feel like more of a splurge there's always Sakura Japanese Restaurant.

The Japanese restaurant, steakhouse and sushi bar anchors the end of an L-shaped strip center on Kiehl Avenue in Sherwood, where one can also buy comic books, paint, a cellphone or liquor. It's truly one-stop shopping.

Some might be surprised to hear that there is top-notch sushi in Sherwood, but they shouldn't be. We also have a two-story skyscraper and a huge carved Indian head to boast about.

My son and I recently had a hankering so we headed off to Sakura for a Saturday lunch. He's the family sushi aficionado, and is much more adventurous. But I am game to try just about anything -- once.

The restaurant's beige brick exterior is nondescript, but it's got visible signs from two angles. The dimly lighted interior is pleasant and attractive. The overall vibe is comfortable yet classy. There is seating at the bar area for those who want to watch the sushi being made.

We ordered drinks and appetizer -- crab wontons ($4.95) -- from our friendly server and then we set about perusing the menu. At first glance, it's a bit daunting, but that's due mostly to the long list of sushi selections. We knew we wanted to share a hibachi meal off the lunch menu, where the entrees range from about $8.95 to $14.95. The dinner portions are a bit bigger, with prices to match. They offer single entrees and combination meals with choices that include chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops and salmon. And for $12.95, one can order a lobster tail as a side.

As for sushi, Sakura offers two sushi roll deals at lunch. One can get two rolls for $9.95 or three for $13.95. Not a bad deal, really. Normally the regular sushi rolls cost $5.50 to $6.50 each.

I have to give the server credit; she didn't write our order down while we rattled it off, but she got it right. We went with the steak and scallop combination lunch ($13.95) to share. It comes with fried rice, soup or salad, and vegetables, and we selected a salad with a ginger dressing. Our sushi roll choices included the California roll, the shrimp tempura, two Alaska rolls, an eel avocado and a tuna avocado.

The crab wontons were delicious. They looked like the usual crab Rangoon we find in many Chinese restaurants, but they were a cut above. The thin wonton exterior was fried crunchy and golden brown. The filling, made with cream cheese, quasi-crab and scallions, was creamy and flavorful.

Our salad was made with what looked to be regular iceberg lettuce topped with a pale pink ginger dressing. It was flavorful, but it just seemed like an afterthought. Next time I'll have the soup.

Our entree came out first, which we figured would happen since it takes time to hand-make sushi rolls. The steak and scallop dish was attractive and thoughtfully plated.

The steak and scallops were cooked perfectly, and the vegetables, which included zucchini, onion, broccoli and very thinly sliced carrots were cooked just right. The tender scallops were the size of a quarter to a half dollar, and the hibachi-grilled steak was cut in bite-size cubes of goodness. There were two sauces available for dipping the meat, and both were tasty, but we enjoyed the flavor of the scallops and steak by themselves even more.

The fried rice, molded in an attractive dome shape, is some of the best I've ever tasted. It was lightly seasoned, and the grains were plump and soft. At $2.75 per a la carte order, I could even stop by for some to take home to serve with dinner.

Sakura serves its sushi artfully arranged on squat wooden blocks.

The eel avocado roll was one of my favorites. It was drizzled with a flavorful, somewhat sweet brown sauce and I actually really liked the flavor of the eel. Who'd have thought it? I also enjoyed the California roll, made with quasi-crab, avocado and cucumber. The shrimp tempura roll was another favorite, as it's made with crunchy fried shrimp, cucumber, lettuce, avocado and the flavorful eel sauce.

The Alaska roll, which is made with salmon, avocado and cucumber was flavorful, but raw fish throws me off for some reason. Maybe the texture? The same goes for the tuna avocado roll. It was good, but one piece was enough. I focused more on my favorites.

I will mention my favorite roll that Sakura makes -- peanut avocado ($4.25). I didn't choose it that day, but I've ordered it several times in the past. The roll is made with honey roasted peanuts and avocado. It may sound odd, but the combination of creamy avocado and the crunchy and slightly sweet peanuts is delicious.

For those who save room, Sakura offers several desserts: vanilla ice cream ($3), banana tempura ice cream ($5.50), cheesecake tempura ice cream ($5.95) and mochi ice cream ($4.95) in choice of mango or green tea flavors.

Weekend on 06/18/2015