Ro Sushi
Ro Sushi looked like a small low-end restaurant from the outside, so I didn't have high expectations for the food. The decor inside was actually not bad, and the food was fresh and reasonably priced. For example, 5 thick slices of toro sashimi was just $5.50. The fish was a bit too cold though, so we had to let it sit for a while before digging in. Aside from that detail, the toro was really fresh and not mushy at all like regular tuna sashimi.
I ordered a veggie roll called the passion fruit roll ($3.95) with papaya, yam, carrot, avocado, cucumber, and inari (which is sweet bean curd). I got it partly out of curiosity because I didn't think sushi without fish would taste good. Surprisingly the yam had a strong enough flavour which combined with the sweetness of the papaya to make a pretty decent roll. The 3 nigiri sushi served on the same plate were hamachi sushi ($2 each). They were quite pricey (although still cheaper than at most other Japanese restaurants), but they were well worth the price. The fish was a darker red than hamachi I've had elsewhere. It was fresh and soft with a little bit of fat. The taste of vinegar in the rice was a bit strong though, and I felt like it slightly overpowered the flavour of the fish.
We tried a number of "funky creations" which are rolls with unique combinations of ingredients invented by the chef. The Godzilla ($6.50) is a California roll with unagi and sauce on top. It was tasty but not very special since it was so similar to a regular California roll.
The Malibu roll ($5.50) and the phoenix roll ($6.95) had 8 pieces each and were both topped with smoked salmon. The Malibu on the left had crab, avocado, and papaya inside which made it slightly sweet and refreshing. The phoenix was a lot richer and more delicious in my opinion since it contained cream cheese and salmon in addition to crab and avocado.
My favourite "funky creation" would be the amber roll ($6.50) with mango and spicy tempura bits. The presentation was impressive enough with alternating slices of salmon and tuna on top. The mango gave it a nice tropical flavour, while the spicy tempura bits added a small kick that completed the roll.
Overall the food was great and I found it comparable to, if not better than, higher-end places like Shota. The prices here are a lot more reasonable too. Ro is going on my list of restaurants to revisit.
I ordered a veggie roll called the passion fruit roll ($3.95) with papaya, yam, carrot, avocado, cucumber, and inari (which is sweet bean curd). I got it partly out of curiosity because I didn't think sushi without fish would taste good. Surprisingly the yam had a strong enough flavour which combined with the sweetness of the papaya to make a pretty decent roll. The 3 nigiri sushi served on the same plate were hamachi sushi ($2 each). They were quite pricey (although still cheaper than at most other Japanese restaurants), but they were well worth the price. The fish was a darker red than hamachi I've had elsewhere. It was fresh and soft with a little bit of fat. The taste of vinegar in the rice was a bit strong though, and I felt like it slightly overpowered the flavour of the fish.
We tried a number of "funky creations" which are rolls with unique combinations of ingredients invented by the chef. The Godzilla ($6.50) is a California roll with unagi and sauce on top. It was tasty but not very special since it was so similar to a regular California roll.
The Malibu roll ($5.50) and the phoenix roll ($6.95) had 8 pieces each and were both topped with smoked salmon. The Malibu on the left had crab, avocado, and papaya inside which made it slightly sweet and refreshing. The phoenix was a lot richer and more delicious in my opinion since it contained cream cheese and salmon in addition to crab and avocado.
My favourite "funky creation" would be the amber roll ($6.50) with mango and spicy tempura bits. The presentation was impressive enough with alternating slices of salmon and tuna on top. The mango gave it a nice tropical flavour, while the spicy tempura bits added a small kick that completed the roll.
Overall the food was great and I found it comparable to, if not better than, higher-end places like Shota. The prices here are a lot more reasonable too. Ro is going on my list of restaurants to revisit.
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