Clayton Sushi Crawl

| Scene Columnist

You may think a “Wash. U. Roll” satiates your sushi cravings, but you shouldn’t settle for it. Just a few minutes’ drive away in Clayton are three decidedly different takes on raw fish.
Tani, a sushi bistro with accompanying lounge, Wasabi, a sushi bar, and Miso Lounge, a pan-Asian restaurant, all offer distinctive sushi experiences, varying in atmosphere and specialized menus.

TANI | 16 S. Bemiston Ave.
The general entrance to the restaurant seems fairly standard, with the usual hostess stand and view of the busy bar and tabled seating along the wall. If you choose to dine in the lounge, prepare yourself to be directed “two doors down” to a long hallway, which leads toward a set of mysterious unmarked doors.
The lounge itself, however, is impressive both in atmosphere and mood. The décor consists of mirrors, simple white furniture and silver accessories. While the lounge looks chic, the atmosphere still manages to be inviting.
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The lounge and restaurant share a sushi menu, which includes 24 tantalizing specialty rolls. At the top of my list to try on future visits: “White House”—spicy tuna, asparagus, white tuna and sweet garlic sauce and “Miami Roll” —smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado, tamago and eel sauce (deep fried).
If you’re not one for spiciness, be wary of the “special sesame chili sauce” on the “Samba” and the “hot sexy sauce” on the “Sex and the City.” Even I, a self-proclaimed spicy tuna fanatic, had trouble with these sauces. The wide variety of rolls were artfully presented and original, providing for an enjoyable dining experience.

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WASABI | 16 S. Central Ave.
In comparison to Tani’s impressive décor, Wasabi’s ambiance is somewhat off-putting. The seating arrangement is quite narrow, causing crowding when the restaurant is full. Wasabi also features less chic artwork and is simply less “cool” than the others.
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What Wasabi lacks in decor, it makes up for in lower prices. While it may feel odd to eat sushi shaped like an ice-cream cone, a hand roll can be a delicious and satisfying complement to a specialty roll. Since a hand roll simply consists of fish, sauce and rice, there isn’t much that can go wrong with the dish.
The rolls, though tasty, were loosely wrapped and sometimes difficult to eat. Several pieces disintegrated after being dipped in soy sauce. The “Crazy” roll, with cucumber, avocado, tuna, salmon and yellowtail, offered a complementary combination of fish, but not much of a kick—despite its promise of “spicy sauce.”
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MISO | 16 N. Meramec Ave.
Miso is arguably the most traditional sushi restaurant of the trio. The lounge area offers hip, unique seating, while the restaurant has traditional indoor and outdoor eating options.
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Miso’s menu was the least intimidating, with a lot of familiar rolls and traditional options. I easily could have sprung for a standard Philadelphia Roll or Spider Roll, which consists of soft shell crab accompanied by avocado, cucumber, sprouts and yama gobo. Many of Miso’s rolls feature a basic California roll with interesting additions that are worth trying.
For the more adventurous, “The Miso Revolution” offers a smorgasbord of these specialty rolls. Unexpected ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, tropical fruit and mushrooms can be found in these rolls. My recommended roll? The “Red Torpedo,” which has spicy sesame tuna on the outside and tuna, wasabi aoli, cucumber and a pleasant crunch on the inside.
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THE LOWDOWN: For a trendy atmosphere, check out Tani. For a good all-around sushi restaurant, go to Miso. For standard and inexpensive sushi, Wasabi’s your place.

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