Ami Sushi | dinner

I've been on a sushi kick recently. Perhaps it's because I keep eating mediocre or slightly-north-of-mediocre sushi. And I'm not trying to knock on Ami Sushi or anything (though maybe I do want to deliver just a light jab...but not a jungle punch), nor on Miru/Some Numbers from last week, but after dining at both...I'm still on my quest for cheap but stellar sushi, if it exists. That's probably because the last sushi I ate before them both was at Katsu-ya in Studio City. And just like travellers say eating in Italy will ruin food for you, Katsu-ya has probably effectively ruined sushi for me. It was so good, everything else is seeking--and failing--to compare.

Ami Sushi is located in the college-friendly neighborhood of a certain campus we'll call "U C Lots of Asians," which is probably why there are a number of Asian restaurants in the area (was that racist?). I haven't tried many of them, but Ami, I've had the pleasure of visiting twice (it was probably racist). The first time I went, back in December, I was new to Fire City and basking in its smoky haze of love (and flames), and too fresh at the feat of critiquing American food, I dismissed my meal to the bland category of "good." But that's just the thing with Ami. It is good. It's blandly good. It's basic and does the trick, if the trick is easy, but if you're wanting more, get thee to Studio City.

Nevertheless, one great appeal of Ami Sushi, besides their more-or-less college friendly prices (though they're no Crazy Fish), is the ambiance. You step off College Street Central into this restaurant decorated with black wood and red accents, and you almost feel like you're at a fancy place. The bright red staircase towering before you to a velvet-roped balcony level that makes your head go "must be VIP" (HA! As if) draws you away from your mundane, cheapfares.com life into a nice little evening. My little evening was slightly marred by the fact that they sat us by the window--in fact, both times I've come, they've sat us by the window--and that gave me both a mag view of the staircase and a mag view of Homeless Holmes outside, shouting to over-privileged passersby. But that didn't detract from the spicy tuna tempura roll I got to enjoy. The aptly titled Rose Roll tasted just like my surroundings: part wow...mostly whatever. But that's just because everything fried well gets a little wow.

food: The dinner combos offer a lot (two entree choices + rice + miso!) for a little (twelve dollars!).
mood: Geisha House on foodstamps.
in five: 3/5

tastes like fish: http://www.ami-restaurant.com/index.html