A tuna roll from sushi vendor Fusian. Credit: Leah McClure / Lantern Reporter
Sushi is more than just rice-wrapped fish dunked in soy sauce. It’s an art form, and not everyone gets it right.
Fusian
Fusian is one of the restaurants that does. The customized sushi roll experience can be found at its closest location on 11th Avenue, just east of North High Street. At Fusian, the fate of the roll is entirely in the customer’s hands, who creates their own sushi by going down the line and choosing each ingredient individually from the type of wrap to the toppings.
Danny Yeager, a Fusian employee and a third-year in criminology, was a fan before he became a member of the team.
“I think it’s really cool that you can customize your sushi roll and it’s made right in front of you,” he said.
Even though sushi is served at food-food-level speeds and at inexpensive prices, Fusian doesn’t feel like a fast-food restaurant, Yeager said. He said this is because of the use of high-quality ingredients that have been prepared in-house.
“We make everything fresh, either that day or the day before,” he said.
Donned with signs with sayings like “do the right thing” and “call your mother,” the clean, well-lit and simple interior has a fresh feel. Fusian strives to create a friendly and modern atmosphere where everyone will feel welcome.
“We want to build an environment that’s conducive to creating a relationship with our customers and bringing people back,” Yeager said.
The option to make meals gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian further exemplifies Fusian’s efforts to cater to all customers. Even those with food allergies can feel assured that, as Yaeger put it, “their face won’t explode” because separate mats are used for people with shellfish or avocado allergies.
The staff itself also sets Fusian apart from other fast-food joints as well, Yeager said.
“All of us are pretty weird in one way or another,” he said.
Diaspora
Diaspora is another restaurant that knows how to do sushi. Located on High Street near Lane Avenue, the Korean restaurant is very convenient for students living on North Campus.
Although it has a large and bountiful menu that offers an abundance of both traditional and original rolls, one of the standouts is the Crazy Boy roll, a deep fried California roll.
The California roll is an option that even sushi-novices can get down with, not to mention that everything tastes better deep-fried. The Crazy Boy is also served in an informal way. Instead of the typical roll of bite-sized pieces, it’s cut down the center to make several sushi “boats.”
Kooma Sushi
For those looking to make an event out of eating sushi, Kooma Sushi, located in the Arena District on Vine Street, is the place. Sam Ko, the general manager, said the restaurant’s atmosphere is “hip” and “cozy,” adding that it’s “perfect for a first date.”
Kooma Sushi is definitely a restaurant where one could enjoy the setting as much as they enjoy the food. The food itself is always going to be made with fresh ingredients, Ko said.
“The freshness of our fish is something I pride myself on. I’m not above sending an order back if I think it’s sub-par,” he said
Ko added that Kooma Sushi has a variety of rolls. One of the most popular and Ko’s personal favorite is the Tammy roll, which has yellowtail tuna, cucumber and salmon and is topped with white tuna.
In the sea of sushi offered in Columbus, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by choice. Stick to places that offer fresh, high-quality ingredients, and everyone will be sure to find a place that appeals to their taste.
