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Restaurant Review: Bistro Wasabi

The+Maki+Special+with+the+California+Roll%2C+and+Cucumber+Roll.+All+at+Bistro+Wasabi+%28Courtesy+of+M.+Iqbal%29.
The Maki Special with the California Roll, and Cucumber Roll. All at Bistro Wasabi (Courtesy of M. Iqbal).

Huntley’s arsenal of restaurants is limited when it comes to the diversity of their food. With an abundance of pizza places and bars with grilled items, Huntley’s edible ammunition is somewhat lacking.

But not to fear my hungry Huntley-sapiens. Bistro Wasabi, which lies on the same strip as Dairy Queen on West Algonquin Road, gives your taste buds a sweet and sour escape from your average pizza night-out.

Ever since it opened in 2000, Bistro Wasabi has offered customers with cooked and uncooked Japanese delicacies with a little American twist to it. Their menu offers items ranging from New York Steak to a chef’s special Maki Sushi.

Aside from their creative menu options, the layout and themes of the restaurant itself have their own diversity to it, giving the restaurant its own unique style. The first thing you see when you walk in is a futuristic-style bar and dimly-lit candles on little table-for-twos, which are perfectly situated by the windows to give a cozy, romantic feel for couples

As you walk further into the restaurant, you will see a party room filled with large tables and colorful lights, perfect for special occasions and large family gatherings. Right behind the alcohol bar is a quaint sushi bar, where sushi enthusiasts can enjoy watching their meals being prepared right in front of them.

And no restaurant is complete without a little section for those families who just want to enjoy a nice family meal. But no family meal is complete without good food.

Although Bistro Wasabi offers both cooked and uncooked, their uncooked items may be the more popular amongst food goers out of the two. And it’s no doubt that Bistro Wasabi is known for it’s creative sushi, maki, and tempura entrees.

I was recommended by a friend to try the Bistro Wasabi Special roll, California roll, and a cucumber roll to give the meal a nice balance of light freshness and spicy teriyaki. The Bistro Wasabi special roll came with 5 pieces, the other two rolls came with 6 pieces each, so there was  definitely no need to worry about not having enough.

The Maki Special with the California Roll, and Cucumber Roll. All at Bistro Wasabi (Courtesy of M. Iqbal).
The Maki Special,with the California Roll, and Cucumber Roll. All at Bistro Wasabi (Courtesy of M. Iqbal).

I admit, my expectations of the cucumber roll were not very high. Since it’s only ingredients were seaweed, white rice, and cucumber, I was not expecting a somewhat bland taste if anything.

But oh was I wrong. The sesame seeds on the rice added the right amount of sweetness, while the cucumber and seaweed gave it a light, spring veggie freshness.

Next up was the california roll, which is arguably the most popular sushi roll in all of America. I have had my fair share of California rolls in the past, but I have never had one that tasted as good as this.

The avocado was fresh and added a Latino kick, while the imitation crab had the perfect tenderness for crab meat.

And the grand finale to my sushi extravaganza, was the chef’s take on a traditional sushi dish, the Bistro Wasabi Special roll. It was a sushi roll inside a sushi roll. One could even call it sushi-ception.

The outer roll had rice, cucumber, avocado, and orange Tobiko fish eggs all wrapped inside seaweed. The smaller roll was where the real party was at. It contained rice, imitation crab meat covered in teriyaki sauce, and cucumber, all wrapped in dark green seaweed.

It was my first time trying fish eggs, and when I first saw it I felt a little queasy. But I was so glad I decided to try it. The teriyaki sauce in the crab meat, the avocado, and the Tobiko eggs gave the sushi a spicy kick of oriental flavor. The colorful presentation was the icing on the raw seafood cake.

Whether it be a romantic date for two, a couple of drinks with friends, celebrating a graduation with friends and family, or just having a family night-out, Bistro Wasabi offers the most sensational food for all occasions.

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Mawa Iqbal, Author

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