The TallyCast
…all polite and classy.Sushi
Last year, I was, through some very good luck, judicious use of frequent flyer miles, and friends who claimed 
that they’d like me to visit, I spent a few weeks in Tokyo. I enjoyed sushi before I went but after that trip have become a devotee. In Tokyo, it seems that there is a sushi bar on every block and in every department store. They range from high end places with talented chef’s and the freshest highest quality offerings, to the more humble sushi kaiten. A sushi kaiten is sort of like the Japanese version of Morrisons’s cafeteria. Diners sit at tables or the bar with a conveyor belt running past each patron. Sushi chef’s are usually in the middle of the room, preparing sushi and placing it on the conveyor.
Tallahassee has two new sushi spots and each deserve a visit. Circa Sushi on East Mahan (just before Cap. Circle) is Tallahassee’s own version of converyer belt sushi. While the sushi is delicious (check out the baby octopus nigiri - it’s really really really tasty), the conveyor belt isn’t really integrated into the restaurant. The evening I went, I didn’t see anyone taking sushi off the belt, but instead were ordering off the menu. Chatting with the sushi chef is fun in some sushi bars. At Circa Sushi, the chef’s are off the back of the room. At Circa, you only catch a glimpse of the chef’s to and from your way to the bathroom.
Despite the akward design, the food is good and the staff and management are enthuiastic. I expect that Circa Sushi will quickly gain a loyal following on the east side of Tallahassee.
Mr Roboto’s Tokyo Grill is a whole different refrigerator of fish. This Pensacola Street sushi spot has only 
been open a week and is already very popular with the college student set. The cafe has a very limited menu, and sells good sushi (and some other Japanese and Thai standards) at very modest prices. A very yummy 8 piece eel roll cost me just $4.95. At Mr. Roboto, you stand in line, give your order to the nice lady behind the counter and get a number. Your orders are brought to the table.
Mr. Roboto has some creative art on the walls, and some creative sauces at the “sauce bar”. I’m excited about the outdoor seating and am looking forward to cooler fall days when I can actually sit outside and enjoy it.
Now if only we could get a restaurant in Tallahssee to serve takoyaki, life would be complete.
10 Responses to “Sushi”
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Thanks for the review. Tracy and I were at D-Lites and saw Circa. We wondered if it was any good. I will have go give it a try.
Good post. In your opinion, what’s the best sushi in Tallahassee? I haven’t anything I really like that much yet. Been to Dragonfly and Matsuri in Gainesville and really liked those.
Yum! Sounds like some decent sushi places have moved in. Hope they last.
@Mike
Just my opinion. I think Masa is pretty good. I go there for the dinner menu (Basil Beef, Awesome!!), but I always get a Dragon Roll for an appetizer.
Masa is my personal favorite. Their inside-out rolls are amazing, particularly the Spider, the Volcano and the Dirty Harry. I’ll definitely be checking these new places out. Has anyone been to the fairly new Nagasaki restaurant? It’s a new hibachi place that also serves sushi. I haven’t been yet.
I’m going to try Circa soon since it’s right near my house. Glad to see it got a good review.
When I was in Japan, I had the best sushi in my life at a small but expensive cafe in the outer market at Tsukiji Fish Market ( http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm ), an amazing place. This sushi was much different than what those of us in the US, and especially the Southeast think of as sushi.
The most amazing was a nigri sushi offering of small fillets of something like a sardine. It was served three ways; with a sprinkle of fresh grated ginger, with a sprinkle of sea salt and with a sprinkle of fresh grated wasabi root (not the fake green powder that we find here). All three were amazing.
So asking me which sushi I like best in Tallahassee is like asking someone who grew up eating fresh grouper at the coast what his/her favorite fish sandwich is; McDonalds or Burger King.
Some of my photos from Japan, including the Tsukiji market, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/radiomacguys/sets/72157600078842641/
Go try Sushilicious off of Kerry Forest Pkwy (northeast side of town), it worth the drive.
I recently went to Mr. Roboto and it was great!
Recently ,tried Sakura on n. monroe and it blew my mind. newest and trendiest sushi house in town!