Best Sushi restaurant in NoVA or DC? (Centreville, McLean: appointed, live)

[Nemesis16]

Originally Posted by finecognac

Sushi is Sushi ? Fishes that were dead for 30 days are fishes that were dead for 3 days ?

Buffet and good sushi don't go together. Buffet and good foods don't go together.

Did you not see me state for the OP to look for an establishment with fresh food?

I'm gonna have to disagree. Have you been to Phillips in DC? The notion that buffets offer less stellar food is usually unwarranted. These places get more volume of food so they can charge less of a price.

I've seen many famous restaurants use old food to make their dishes.

[AbandonAllShips]

there's a place in old town alexandria, at the end of king street, called Red Curry.
hands down, best sushi ive had in nova.

[Melbourne Family]

Friends of ours really enjoyed a recent meal at Sakura (think that's what it's called) on Route 7 in Tysons.

[Natthapol]

Try Tachibana in Mclean, VA. Go at lunch and get Chirachi for $10!

[RRBC]

I know they've already been mentioned, but Sakura is our favorite sushi place (non-buffet, but not terribly priced so you can get a variety to try), it's out in the Fair Lakes strip mall, Hee Been (buffet) & Yamazato (non-buffet, can get pricey quickly) are also very good.

Unless the quality has gone dramatically up I would steer you away from Todai, yes they have a variety of things but we went when they first opened, and about the best thing I can say about it is that it's slightly better than the terrible "sushi" they sell at Costco.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

As far as Sashimi is concerned, what determines quality is the freshness of the fish itself, the cut, the preparation and finally the presentation. A good Sashimi chef will take the time to select the freshest and the highest quality fish and cuts and will then painstakingly prepare and present it.

It sounds very simple, but it takes years of training and experience to do this kind of work well.

As for Sushi, an additional layer of complication is added -- the quality of rice and the quality of its preparation. You don't just take some random white rice cooked in a rice cooker, slather some vinegar on it and expect superlative Sushi rice, which can make or break the end product.

Sadly, as much as the ethnic dining quality has improved in this region, even the best Sashimi and Sushi here will fare badly to those in NYC and the West Coast. The reason is simple -- there is a huge proliferation of such restaurants and demand everywhere while the supply of well-trained and truly qualified chef is limited. All of this simply means that the vast majority of such restaurants offer bad food. Most aren't even staffed by Japanese (I've even seen "Chinese and Sushi" restaurants).

I am normally a big fan of hole-in-the-wall ethnic dining, but mass-produced Sashimi and Sushi make me almost sick. Sashimi and Sushi are truly artisanal food and cost a lot. Even in Japan, this is not something people eat routinely like Ramen or Udon or even Donkatsu or Kare, i.e. curry (although in right hands, those humble dishes, too, can be artisanal).

I am a foodie and have eaten all over this region and I have yet to find the kind of Sashimi and Sushi that I had in NYC and the West Coast (and one place in Florida). I don't think even Tyler Cowen has found one.

If someone finds one, please let us all know!

[buildinginva]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

I am a foodie and have eaten all over this region and I have yet to find the kind of Sashimi and Sushi that I had in NYC and the West Coast (and one place in Florida). I don't think even Tyler Cowen has found one.

If someone finds one, please let us all know!

Funny! Agreed on the NYC/West Coast thing. I have been to Akasaka on Van Dorn street (incidentally, with Tyler Cowen) and it's decent. My personal favorite is Tachibana.

[chariega]

OP I don't know about you, but when I go for sushi I like selection and freshness. So for me honestly the best places for sushi in NoVA are: Yamazoto on Little River Turnpike in Annandale (near 395), Koi Koi on Route 7 in Falls Church, and Sakana in Vienna. All 3 of these place offer fresh fish and excellent service. Yamazoto is a really nice restaurant inside, and bit more pricier. The other two restaurants offer great selection of rolls and fish and are pretty affordable for the quantity of food you get. Check them out! You will love them!

[Hesky]

There's a small place called Sweet Ginger in Vienna which is really good.

[brooklynborndad]

the places in annandale are all run by Koreans (as are most sushi places around here) and many have buffets, Sorak Garden isn't bad.

For a more authentic atmosphere, run by Japanese, try Blue Ocean near Fair City Mall.