Roll into taste at Sushi Joint

In the middle of the gray, nondescript strip of San Fernando Road is the Clocktower Plaza, a bland little strip mall with a cool old clock, each face telling a different time. And sticking right out is a brightly colored oasis, Sushi Joint.

The high-ceilinged room has lots of personality. The very definition of shabby chic, the deeply hued walls of spinach green, mustard yellow and sunset orange are decorated with second-hand store paintings and objet d’art. Even the menu has photos of all sorts of paintings sprinkled throughout. Next to a Picasso is a photo of their dinner specials.

The owners are wonderfully friendly, and chatted and joked with us, making certain every question was answered and every need was met. We were offered seats at the marble sushi bar but chose a dark wood table and chairs at the window. We quickly decided what we’d try.

My daughter got the teriyaki chicken bowl ($7.90), grilled, moist chicken with a lightly sweet teriyaki sauce on a lettuce leaf over sticky rice. She enjoyed it so much, she made quick work of it, which is really saying something, except in the case of chicken fingers.

The rest of us got little house salads of baby herb greens, shredded carrots and cabbage and a fancy slice of cucumber topped with a thick orange dressing. The taste was cool, citrus-y with the slightest hint of garlic. We also got hot, earthy miso soup with a few cubes of tofu, and a thin slice of a small, wide mushroom.

Son Sam made his obvious choice: California Roll ($4.45). Containing cucumber, crab and avocado, it is considered to be made “inside out” since the rice is on the outside and rolled in sesame seeds. Angelenos did not take to the appearance and texture of the nori, the edible seaweed, when it was created. Sam said it was, “good. And sticky.” He recommends not using your chopsticks to eat them.

I learned that there is far more to sushi than just what I see in the Trader Joe’s refrigerated case. The word sushi refers to the vinegared rice. Sashimi is raw fish. What we normally see are cut rolls, various ingredients wrapped in rice and nori into a long roll that is then sliced into bite-size circles. My husband tried hand rolls, cones of nori filled and eaten like an ice cream cone.

Hubby ordered the Hand Roll Set ($9.95) so he could select three from a list of 14. Sampled were the mildly spicy Spicy Tuna Roll, tender Shrimp N Crab Roll, and the Vegetable Hand Roll with wonderful asparagus, avocado and little yellow pickle spears. He found them, “very tasty and remarkably convenient, great for a hot summer day,” and described them as cool, pleasant, delightful, crisp and fresh.

Under appetizers, I saw the Stuffed Mushrooms ($6.95) were stuffed with crab. The Specialty Rolls had unusual selections like Dynamite ($9.90) with scallops, mushroom, crab salad baked with Japanese mayonnaise and served on slices of cucumber.

The Midnight Fernando ($11.90) a tempura white fish with jalapeno inside wrapped with seared tuna on the outside and topped with Sushi Joint’s signature sauce. But I love bento boxes, those sectioned, deep red resin platters just right for combo meals.

From Column A, I chose beef teriyaki ($11.90), lots of thin strips of tender grilled beef in the light and sweet sauce with sesame seeds. It was really good. From Column B, I selected two little fresh and crispy vegetable egg rolls with a drizzle of a citrus sauce. A scoop of really sticky rice came on the upper right corner. I enjoyed using my chopsticks.

So, turn the page and find the coupon Sushi Joint prints weekly in this paper. It will remind you to look for the funky, colorful storefront on the corner of Grover and San Fernando. Look for the red windsocks and the sign with groovy lettering. You can’t miss it.

 JOANNA LINKCHORST is a lifelong resident of La Crescenta. She can be reached at NoTipForYou@aol.com.