Great taste, bargain with half-off sushi
High on the Hog
Robert Garner
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: Lifestyles
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When I asked for your recommendations for appetizing deals and eats in NWA, I struck a chord.
So, first of all, thank you for reading and sending me your suggestions.
This week's destination fits the criterion of offering great deals, and it's within a pleasant walking distance from campus.
When I saw the banner advertising 50 percent off of meals from WOW Japanese Bistro on Dickson, I knew I had to strike while the iron was hot. Turns out I'm not the only one with the same idea. That figures, though. Let's just say I've done more for less.
Now, I have to admit: offering someone raw fish at 50 percent off seems a little sketchy, especially for those who are already leery of eating sushi anyway.
Fortunately, though, unbelievable discounts on uncooked sea creatures don't scare me.
One difference you can immediately notice about WOW is the environment. Visually, it's right on par with what you would expect from a Japanese restaurant: beautiful designs and color motifs, etc.
And how does the sushi compare? Just look at the name of the restaurant.
Now, I'm sure the "sushi snobs" out there are calling for my head on a silver platter, or wrapped in seaweed and rice. But that's what I get for writing about sushi, and I accept it.
Between my ever-amusing Asian connoisseur and myself, we ordered four rolls.
Of course we got a California roll, or Sushi 101. The rest of our fishy repertoire consisted of a crab roll, a Las Vegas maki and, my general favorite, a spider roll. All four of the rolls were nicely packed and cohesive, which was convenient for my sloppy chopsticking.
The California roll was what it should have been, no more and no less.
I really enjoyed the crab roll quite a bit, as you could definitely taste the presence of the crab without being overwhelmed.
My spider roll was very good, although I generally like more of the sauce to dip it in. Plus, some places have fried sticks extending out of the roll to make it resemble a spider.
Without a side-by-side comparison, it's hard to say whose spider roll I prefer because they were both delicious, but my taste bud memory bank is telling me Fusion 5's was a little better (which has recently changed names to Ichiban).
In any case, WOW's was definitely good, and the price was better.
The Las Vegas maki came on fire, which is always a good thing. The list of things inside the roll was quite impressive, and I will spare you the details and just tell you that it was good. For me, the most notable features of the roll were its aesthetic beauty and the mustard sauce on top that tied everything together nicely with just a hint of tang.
To top things off, I tried the banana tempura for dessert. What that basically means is a fried banana covered with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Or, in other words, delicious.
For those of us old enough to remember, WOW is essentially what used to be Rice Village with a new name and on the other side of the railroad tracks. But really, it's right on track.
I can easily say this: WOW is the best sushi place on Dickson Street.
Even without the half off deal, the sushi is great.
Plus, the environment is fun and it's just a hop, skip and a jump from the corner of campus.
For those of you who are, for whatever reason, scared of sushi, try WOW. Order something simple like a California roll or a spicy yellowtail roll - you will like it.
The service is great there (a stark contrast to Wasabi), and they will help you navigate the waters.
If you don't like it (for some weird reason), you might need to be tested, which you can afford because you saved so much money on the food.
I'm still open to your suggestions and recommendations, although time constraints might prevent me from writing about them.
Send me your favorite eats and bargains at rtgarner@uark.edu.
Happy eating!
Robert Garner is a staff columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Friday.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
John Dow
posted 4/03/09 @ 1:29 AM CST
When WOW began the 50% off discounts early this year, I was really excited. Who would not want to have delicious lunch or dinner at reasonable price? However, after 3-4 visits I came to realize that for the kind of service they offer 50% off is not enough. (Continued…)
Amy Brown
posted 4/03/09 @ 4:29 PM CST
I have to agree. I went for lunch ,and though there were only two other tables, the service was very slow. When I asked to sit outside (on a sunny, warm day) the hostess was hesitant. (Continued…)
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