by Chloe Jordan | Editor-In-Chief
Do you like sushi? Do you like Korean cuisine? Well, now you can have both at the same restaurant. Sushi Express, located in Stone Oak Pkwy, offers a blend of fresh, flavorful Japanese dishes and kickin’ Korean dishes.
I have been going for a few years now, and every experience is a nice break from reality. Situated in the corner of a small shopping center, the restaurant has pleasant, cultural decorations throughout. There are adorable neon signs garnishing the walls, Asian paintings and art pieces adorning the room, and high ceilings that make the small space feel big.
Sushi Express is about a ten minute drive from school. If you are willing to drive to Canes for chicken strips and crinkle fries, you should be willing to drive to Sushi Express for high-quality food.
Seating-wise, you have the option between sitting at a minimalist, wooden table for two, four, or six, or directly behind the sushi bar, where you can watch the sushi chef prepare food before your eyes.
The waiters and waitresses are friendly and attentive to your needs. They gladly bring you refills of Korean side dishes and respond to your requests in a friendly manner. Drinks are served immediately and dishes are brought to the table quickly after ordering.
For drinks, you can order water, soda, or tea. To add to the authenticity of the restaurant, tea can be served hot in a kettle, with a choice between green or jasmine tea.
For appetizers, the tornado potato, avocano, crawfish dynamite, and gyoza are highlights. The tornado potato is a spiral potato, fried and seasoned, with a skewer stuck through. Although it seems off brand, it is delicious and cheap. The avocano is a bunch of sushi toppings wrapped up in sliced avocado. The flavors blend seamlessly. The crawfish dynamite is a bowl of crawfish mixed with mouthwatering spicy mayo. The gyoza, often referred to as pot stickers, is crispy and juicy, paired with a tangy sauce.
As far as Japanese entrees go, the restaurant serves a wide variety of sushi from raw sashimi to tempura fried. If you want a sweet, fruity sushi roll, the Hardy Oak is topped with strawberries and kiwi sauce. If you want a spicy roll, the Volcano or Sweet Heat will get your taste buds talking. If you want a warm roll, the Sushi Express and Princess are fried with cream cheese and avocado inside. If you want a more traditional roll, they also serve the San Antonio roll, the California roll, and the Philadelphia roll.
If you’ve never tried Korean food before, Sushi Express is a good place to start. Pork, chicken, and beef bulgogi are a safe option, as they have mild and spicy levels and are served with mixed veggies throughout. The dish is served with white rice and a plethora of Korean side dishes, which are an exciting way to expand your horizons. Another authentic meal is the stone pot bibimbap, served in a steaming hot bowl, which makes the rice crispy. It is served with mixed vegetables, beef, and an egg. Overall, eating Korean food at Sushi Express is such a pleasant experience if you like variety, because the dishes combine multiple flavors and are served with multiple unique sides. Some of the sides include kimchi, chili cucumbers, cold cubed potatoes, marinated broccoli, and fish cakes. The sides rotate each time you return, so be sure to ask!
You can’t forget about a sweet, cool treat to extinguish the heat. Mochi ice cream is definitely recommended. It comes in mango, green tea, strawberry, and chocolate. If you’re not a fan of chewy mochi, you might prefer banana or Oreo tempura.
Personally, I have tried their miso soup, Yakimeshi fried rice, Tteokbokki {ta-boh-kee}, Pork Bulgogi, and stone pot bibimbap, along with a variety of their sushis.
The miso soup is rich, but would be perfect for a sick day. It is warm and comforting and served with an Asian soup spoon. The tofu is silky, the seaweed is nutrient dense, and the miso broth is flavorful.
Additionally, the Tteokbokki is a must try! It is extremely spicy, but worth the burnt taste buds. Tteokbokki is a delicious blend of rice cakes, fish cakes, and noodles, seasoned with a hot, red chili sauce.
My ideal meal at Sushi Express would be an appetizer of miso soup and Tteokbokki, an entree of the Sushi Express roll, and a dessert of green tea and mango mochi ice cream.
To top off a tasty meal, Sushi Express has enticing lunch deals Wednesday to Friday from open to 2:30 p.m.. It offers sushi bar lunches with miso soup and lunch boxes, served with white rice, miso soup, salad, and California rolls. That is a deal, when you consider the lunch prices range from $9.95 to $16.95.
The restaurant is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m..
The average dish costs about $16. The prices do add up for an entire meal, but in my opinion, it’s worth it for food that no other place can compare to.
The verdict: Sushi Express is worth your time and money. I’d rank it a solid eight out of ten, as the restaurant gives off the vibes of a safe cafe on a rainy day, and the food is exceptional.
Check out their website at http://sushiexpresssa.com/index.html.
