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Doing it raw in Princeton: A review of four of the local sushi restaurants

It is clear that supply is trying to keep up with demand in Princeton. With the growing popularity of sushi and Japanese food within the college community, restaurants suited to meet the craze have blossomed in the area.

But sushi is not a type of food to take lightly. There are several important factors to take into consideration when choosing the ideal spot for your next encounter with raw food or other Japanese cuisine.

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First, location, atmosphere and cleanliness must all be taken into consideration. No one wants to eat raw food from a restaurant that is not meeting health code standards. Second, the price of the food. Japanese food is notoriously more expensive than other ethnic fare, so whether you want to splurge or be penny-conscious should also factor in. Finally, the quality. In this era of health-consciousness, we must make certain that the quality of our raw food (and even cooked Japanese dishes) does not put us at risk for contracting a parasite or other diseases.

Look below for an assessment of four local Japanese/Sushi restaurants in town: Ichiban, Sakura Express, Soonja's and Ajihei — and hopefully it will help you better assess where you would next like to enjoy a Japanese treat.

ICHIBAN

Ichiban, located at 66 Witherspoon St., is the most traditional Japanese restaurant, both in décor and cuisine. Offering a variety of dishes, ranging from sashimi and sushi combination platters to teriyaki and tempura specialties to udon noodle bowls brimming with a medley of vegetables and your choice of shrimp, chicken or beef, Ichiban has an array of options to please any palate.

Both clean and roomy compared to most of the other restaurants sampled, Ichiban is a great place to enjoy with friends or take that special someone out on a date. That said, however, the prices are a little steep for many college students.

While the quality of food was found to be the most exceptional among the four restaurants tested, the prices rated second to highest.

But when you're paying for quality, Ichiban is the place to go. The sushi rolls, such as the American Dream roll, the Philadelphia roll, the Giant Eel roll, and the aptly named Princeton roll, are huge and well worth the expense. The udon bowls are large and are certainly plenty big to constitute a full meal, as do the combination dishes offered.

AJIHEI

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It was difficult to locate this small ground-floor restaurant at 11 Chambers St. Large groups of people would be advised from eating at this eatery, as the largest table could probably squeeze six people.

But the quaint size allowed for very friendly service and quality attention from the staff, who were able to offer personal advice on items to select from the menu.

The menu was, however, rather limited compared to its counterparts. Moreover, the prices were easily the most expensive of all the restaurants, with appetizers being the most notably expensive.

Though shrimp dumplings were $6, the rolls were reasonably priced, with the larger, more elaborate rolls costing around $13, and simple California rolls only $5. The spicy tuna roll was noted for the large chunks of fresh fish the chef put into the roll, as many sushi restaurants often skimp on the substantive insides of the roll and replace it with white rice.

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The highlight of the meal was the miso soup, which was hands-down the best soup offered among all the restaurants. Thick with both seaweed and tofu, and reasonably priced at only $2, you will not be disappointed with this quick appetizer to warm you from the cold.

SOONJA'S

While Soonja's would most likely be frequented by Forbsians looking for an alternative meal to PUDS, Soonja's would be a great place to host an event for a large group of people. Located at 244 Alexander St., Soonja's is spatially the largest restaurant surveyed.

However, after our hour and a half long wait for service one would highly recommend making sure that you are the only large group the restaurant has to serve, or that you are not dining at the same time as a large group, as the staff was preoccupied with one table. This type of wait for service is just not a luxury available to most Princeton students and their incredibly busy schedules.

That said, Soonja's can be highlighted for it's exceptionally vast menu. A large sign prominently displayed outside the rather dark exterior informs any passerby that Soonja's serves Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Thai cuisine.

While the items on the menu are principally Japanese-based cuisine, it is fair to say that the variety of options on the menu is likely to please anyone. The "Chef's Special" maki rolls, ranging in variety from the Dancing Shrimp Maki (tuna, avocado, tobiko and shrimp on the outside) to the Creamy Salmon Fashion Maki (crab, asparagus, avocado, Japanese mayo, tobiko, with salmon on the outside) cost between $7.95 and $13.95 an order.

The Screaming Spicy Maki II (consisting of salmon, chili sauce, crab, avocado and cucumber — $6.00), had the perfect hint of spice, but was definitely not too overwhelmingly spicy, while the Unagi Maki (grilled eel with cucumber and eel sauce — $5.50) was a wonderful choice as well.

For the less sushi-oriented types, the chicken teriyaki dish came with the choice of steamed or stir-fried vegetables and a generous amount of chicken for $12.95. Thus, despite the rather dark interior and limited lighting, and the unnecessarily long wait for the meal, Soonja's is an alternative to try — especially if you're taking someone from Forbes on a date . . .

SAKURA EXPRESS

Sakura Express, located at 43 Witherspoon St., is known for its cheap and fairly decent sushi. Sakura is perfect for that quick, on-the-go meal, takeout on a rainy night, or even for a fun date.

You can expect to see plenty of people that you know in Sakura, as Sakura is a Princeton students' staple for cheap sushi that satisfies a craving. While the rolls are definitely not as large as the other restaurants, the fact that it's cheap allows you to buy enough food within a budget that fully satisfies.

What's more, Sakura Express is serviced by Tiger Food, so you can even have the goods delivered to your dorm room. Heaping with food, the best deals for your buck are the Teriyaki/Sushi Combos (salmon, shrimp, chicken or beef teriyaki with California rolls), which come in around $10. Expect to pay around $5 for rolls. You can even order a Sushi/Sashimi party platter, for those late-night movie sessions, which range anywhere between $13 - $23.

Though rather small, and made even more so from the heavy crowds that flock to this eatery, Sakura had a fun and lively atmosphere. Orders were taken at a counter and there was self-seating, so don't expect any formalities of the other restaurants. Go to Sakura simply to enjoy the company and to eat the cheap Japanese food.

So depending on your budget, the alternatives available to you at restaurants, and the amount of time you may have to lounge around and enjoy dinner, there is a Japanese restaurant in the Princeton vicinity to suit your needs. No final verdict was reached as to the best sushi spot in town, so go out and experiment for yourself . . . enjoy!