As soon as you enter this hidden treasure, Sushi Eye is fresh and bright.
With little more than a handful of dark wood tables and bright green walls, the sushi bar and grill, located at 780 W. Elliot Road, may disappear into the strip mall of which it's part of, but will not be forgotten once found.
Sushi Eye is great for patrons new to this Japanese cuisine because it is perhaps the only sushi bar with a fully illustrated menu. If the description baffles you, simply study the colorful photos of sushi rolls to help you with your selection.
Sushi aficionados will surely find something new to whet their palettes here, too. The eatery offers many atypical sushi rolls, using ingredients like macadamia nuts and special house sauces, and wrapping rolls in cucumber (the Atkins Roll) or tempura batter.
Hop up to the sushi bar to watch your meal being prepared, or sit at one of the few tables for more intimate conversation.
Many of Sushi Eye's rolls have an Arizona theme, such as the ASU Roll and the Cardinal Roll.
Among the best, however, are out-of-towners like the Bay Island Roll, which is baked with spicy scallops; and the Las Vegas Roll, which shocks the senses by combining tuna, salmon, yellowtail, crab and avocado, drizzled with spicy wasabi and sweet unagi sauce and sprinkled with macadamia nuts and tobiko (fish roe).
It might be tempting to skip right to the sushi, but there is a long list of appetizers you may not want to miss.
Start with some complimentary hot green tea and an order of edamame (soybeans), a seaweed salad, or some thinly sliced Tuna Carpaccio.
Not a fan of fish? There are plenty of vegetarian rolls (the deep fried tofu roll is a winner) and even a spicy chicken roll, as well as noodle soups and dishes like teriyaki and short ribs.
Stop in for lunch, but beware: Lunch is when the business crowd hits. Sushi Eye has a great lunch combination deal though, in which you can combine up to three sushi, tempura, and/or cooked dishes with miso soup (a salty broth with tofu, seaweed and vegetables), a small salad with ginger dressing, and steamed rice for under $11.
The same combination is offered at dinnertime for just under $16 for three items.
For patrons 21 and over, there is a wide selection of sakes and wines to be enjoyed.
After enjoying a Climax Roll (with tuna) and maybe even a Second Climax Roll (with yellowtail), continue your adventurous evening by strolling across the street to Fascinations Sensual Shoppe.
This large store will have something for nearly everyone's interest, with merchandise ranging from apparel and books to candles and lotions, in addition to slightly spicier products.
Between fresh, tasty, and well-priced sushi and the scandalous aisles of Fascinations, an evening at Sushi Eye is bound to be exciting.
Reach the reporter at: jessica.kokal@asu.edu.
