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LIFE

Wasabi serves up impressive dishes

Thursday, August 11, 2011
(Updated Thursday, August 25 - 10:41 am)

— Younghoon Lim established Wasabi in 2007. Japanese style paper lanterns cast light. Dark green over gray tile walls flank an open kitchen. I have been impressed in previous years when I observed Japanese golfers who were participating in the Wyndham tournament eating here.

I began one meal with Wasabi Hot Combo ($9.50), which provides several appetizer samples (prices are cited for each item if ordered separately). Gyoza ($5.50) are fried pork dumplings, sweet, garlicky, and delicious. Shumai ($5.50) are steamed, sweetish shrimp dumplings. Tempura shrimp ($8.50) batter adds firm, crisp texture but does not obscure the flavor of large shrimp. Tempura Vegetables ($6.50) are especially attractive — sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, zucchini, onions, and asparagus — crisp, not greasy.

I would order any of these on a return trip.

Another starter, Dora Shrimp ($7.50), consists of small pieces, lightly battered and fried crisp but tender, with a slightly sweet coating, hosted by a bed of iceberg lettuce.

In Shrimp and Avocado Salad ($6.50), avocado slices reveal creamy texture, joined by five medium-large, tender, steamed shrimp, over iceberg lettuce decorated with long threads of carrot and radish. Wasabi vinaigrette dressing proved predictably intense.

Entrees include fried or steamed rice (brown rice $1), a choice of soup (house, chicken broth with crunchy dumplings, or miso, vegetable stock with seaweed and tofu) or house salad — iceberg lettuce and shredded carrot with ginger dressing.

Hibachi selections ($17.95/two) are seared on an iron griddle. We tried Teriyaki Chicken — real breast meat, a little chewy, but with good flavor. Teriyaki Salmon was sliced thin; the skin needs to be removed in order to avoid fishy flavor. Spicy Teriyaki Shrimp were medium-sized and deveined, spicy-hot. (Teriyaki preparations are marinated in sweetened soy sauce.) Grilled Snapper measured about ½ inch at the thickest section, with a tender, nicely browned exterior. All these had been cooked a little more than ideal.

Items from the sushi menu generated consistent approval.

Tekka Maki ($4.95) is a simple tuna roll wrapped in rice. Bright red tuna bore no gristle and tasted perfectly fresh. Wasabi Roll ($6.95) combines tuna, crab meat, avocado, cucumber, and flying fish roe (eggs). The roe colors the presentation vibrant green. Pacific Roll ($5.95) combines crab, salmon, avocado, and cucumber. I did not get much in the way of crab flavor from any of these, but the salmon tasted clean and pure.

Crispy Alaska ($10.95) surrounds cream cheese and avocado with smoked salmon — a particularly attractive blend, lightly fried, sprinkled with tobiko (flying fish eggs). Deep Fried Spicy Tuna Roll ($9.50) is wrapped in seaweed leaves, surrounded by rice and deep fried crisp, covered with sweet sauce.

“007” ($13.95) gains color from thin slices of lime over the top. The lime accents shrimp tempura, avocado, and spicy crab, plus white tuna. Flaming Shrimp ($14.95) is a little hokey — crisp shrimp tempura and spicy tuna under a layer of sliced, steamed shrimp along with avocado, wrapped in aluminum foil. This is served amid blue flames, hence the title. The treatment does nothing for flavor, although it warms the contents.

Most of the higher priced sushi selections are served over iceberg and spring mix lettuces with threads of carrot and white and red radish. This is visually impressive, but I would suggest asking for some kind of dressing, lest an otherwise quality salad be wasted.

Our server on one visit failed to remove used plates; she just moved them around the table to make room for each course. But both visits ended with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with frozen blueberries and strawberries, certainly worth the price (free).

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 25 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420, or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com. To find his recent columns, visit GoTriad.com..

Accompanying Photos

WASABI

Address: 4630 W. Market St., Greensboro

Phone:: 632-4567

Website: eatwasabisushi.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday

Reservations: Accepted

Sanitation grade: A (94)

Credit cards: Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover

ABC permits: All

Appetizers: $4.50 to $9.50

Salads: $3 to $7

Soups: $2.50 to $5.50

Entrees: $11.50 to $27.95

Desserts: $4 to $5.50

Theme: Japanese and sushi

Handicapped accessibility: All seating on entry level

Kid friendly: Children’s menu available

Healthy choices: Not identified on the menu

Most recent visit: July 30

THE RATINGS

Overall rating: 2 stars
A good solid choice for sushi and hibachi dishes.

Food: 2 stars
Hibachi items too done; sushi earned consistent praise.

Ambience: 2 stars
Japanese style paper lanterns overhead.

Service: 1 stars
Always pleasant with prompt initial delivery, but serious omissions on one visit.

Value: 2 stars
Several combinations plus sushi menu allow much flexibility.

Restaurants are assigned ratings of Not Recommended, Acceptable, or 1 star (satisfactory) to 5 stars (truly exceptional).

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