Dining Review

S.J. Cahn

There are a few good ways to judge a sushi restaurant: the stickiness

of the rice, the crispness of the table cloths, the liveliness of the

obligatory miso soup or, if you’re a little shy when it comes to raw

fish, how fresh the product is.

I prefer the simple wasabi test. Does it make you cry?

The wasabi at Sushi Laguna makes your eyes water wonderfully. It’s

fresh, green and hot. And it’s just the tip of what makes this Ocean

Avenue eatery a good stop, especially for a lunchtime bite to eat (after

all, sushi is best at lunch, when you know that once the meal leaves you

all at once as sushi, noodles and teriyaki does, you can still have

dinner).

Before going any further, for those nervous about diving into sushi,

Sushi Laguna has more than its name suggests. The diverse menu includes a

variety of teriyaki dishes -- the chicken at $6, the salmon at $7 and the

beef at $7.50 -- and a host of udon and soba noodles ranging in price

from $5 to $7.50. There’s also combinations with tempura from $8.50 to

$9.50. They’re all delightful, full plates of food that leave you both

wanting more and happily unable to satisfy that craving.

But, really, it’s the sushi and sashimi that’s key here. And the chefs

definitely have the key to presenting an eye- and tastebud-popping meal.

Both the sushi lunch ($8.50) or the chirashi ($9.50) showcase the

tuna, shrimp and salmon. The sushi is well-wrapped with a proper

stickiness to the rice that is easy to hoist up, not to mention perfect

for soaking up wasabi-infused soy sauce. The combination is a nice mix of

classic sushi choices that are both a good introduction to this acquired

taste and a nice reminder of why you fell in love with it in the first

place. The California rolls are crisp and light, making an excellent

compliment to the rich sushi.

For those who don’t want to fool around, the chirashi delivers strong,

full flavors that are never too much of the sea. It comes with a huge bed

of sushi rice that’s hidden away beneath the sashimi, so it’s nearly a

surprise that there’s so much lurking at the meal’s end. The meal, like

with the sushi dish, is complex and dramatic -- the very essence of what

good sushi is.

Importantly, the ginger -- an integral part of the meal, of course, to

help clear the palette so you can get the most out of each bite -- is

pale, not that food-colored stuff that tastes too much like candy.

Sushi Laguna offers the usual choice of seating you find at sushi

restaurants: a lengthy, horseshoe-shaped sushi bar; simple wooden tables;

and requisite patio dining along the street. Each provides a different

ambience, and collectively they are a nice fit for a variety of moods.

As long as that mood includes hunger.

* S.J. Cahn is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

494-4321 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .

FYI:

Sushi Laguna

WHERE: 231 Ocean Ave.

HOURS: Lunch, noon to 2 p.m.; dinner 5:45 to 10 p.m. Sunday through

Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

PHONE: (949) 376-8786