Three Ways to Get Your Sushi Fix

Let me preface this article by noting how little I know about sushi. I was definitely a latecomer to the raw fish trend, having tried it for the first time less than three years ago. But since then, I've fairly regularly found myself trekking out for it with my wife, or bringing some back home to pair up with wine and a movie. While there are a number of respected sushi joints in Providence, I've found three that each meet a different need in my life, and these are the ones I'd recommend if you find yourself in a similar state.

A caveat: I usually eat maki (rolls), with a bit of the less adventurous nigiri or sashimi (a slice of fish, which in the case of nigiri comes on a ball of rice). So sushi purists who want to know the best place for the more exotic stuff should probably ignore everything I say.

The Atmospheric Choice: Sakura

There will always be a special place in my heart for Sakura because it counts as a romantic dinner out to my wife, yet costs a lot less than most other restaurants that get that designation, in large part because it is BYOB. You also can't escape the fact you're in a sushi restaurant, especially if you sit in the back room where you take your shoes off and sit at low tables. (If you've been sweating in your sneakers all day, there are regular tables in the front room.) The waitstaff is also dressed in traditional garb, adding to the feel that you've left Providence behind (at least, if you're not seated next to a bunch of college students passing a bunch of booze around, Sakura's only downfall.)

The assortment of sushi is pretty standard, and there are some combo plates for big groups. They also have tempura and a bunch of 'regular' food like beef, chicken and fried shrimp, but that seems mostly for sushi sissies. So, if you'd like to lose yourself for a few hours, grab a good bottle of wine and head to 231 Wickenden Street.

The Relaxed Choice: Ran Zan


View Larger MapI learned just now, from its web site, that Ran Zan is the name of a rural village in Japan. The name fits nicely with the simple atmosphere of this neighborhood restaurant at the junction of Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard.

Ran Zan, unlike Sakura, does offer alcohol, and has a nice selection of both sake and Japanese beers to go with their sushi. (I'm a big fan of Kirin Ichiban and Sapporo.) The food itself is very reasonably priced, and offers some twists on the traditional offerings. One of my favorites is a Philly Roll, which combines smoked salmon with cucumber and cream cheese to create a truly unique taste. Of course, they have all the classics, too. I am also quite partial to their fried shrimp and vegetable tempura appetizer, which is a great way to start a meal.

It is a relaxed place to have lunch or dinner, but also a good place to order takeout.

The Hearty Choice: Sushi Express

Like many people, I imagine, I was introduced to sushi as a sit-down meal, and only later began to think of it as a food to take home with me. At some point along the way, someone told me that in Japan, there are a lot of hole-in-the-wall places where you can get sushi quickly for lunch or a snack, without a lot of fuss or hassle. Sushi Express, as the name indicates, operates on that spirit. This small, narrow restaurant has a few stools if you'd like to eat in, but is primarily a takeout place. (If you've ever been into the original Spike's, just down a bit on Thayer Street from Sushi Express, you have a sense for how the space feels, though Sushi Express is, amazingly, even smaller.

One thing that impressed me right away was that the sushi rolls seem larger than the other restaurants in town. Normally, I'd be hungry after two orders of rolls (with is usually 12 of them) but that much completely fills me up at Sushi Express. And, depending on what you order, the cost will be a little over or under $10. Their selection is interesting, as in addition to the standard fare they have a few unique rolls with names taken from spots here in the Ocean State. I first went there while shopping on Thayer Street (they're at 281 Thayer), and it now coexists along with Spike's and East Side Pockets as a great place for a quick, tasty bite.

Bar Tabs: Local 121

For the second straight time, I'm writing a Bar Tabs entry about a spot that's at least as much restaurant as bar. And if you want to go to Local 121, at 121 Washington Street (and isn't that convenient?) in downtown Providence, for dinner, you'll be in good company. I've heard the food is good, and they seem to be getting a good crowd. But even if you're in for the meal, you might want to consider asking to be seated in the bar, because in my humble opinion, it is clearly the draw of the place.

The first thing you'll notice when you hang a right into the Tap Room, as they call it, is how amazing all the details are. The bar is filled with panelling that is out of this world in its ornateness, and the space is filled with stained glass windows that are (so I'm told) made out of bottle bottoms. The room is long and narrow, giving it a hole-in-the-wall feel that is accentuated by the minimal lighting, just enough to bring out the character in the space.

One thing I really like about the place is that they have a nice variety of beers on tap, from the local and cheap (aka Narragansett) to the exotic and tasty. I've tried a few beers there I'd never heard of before, which is getting rather hard to pull off, and I've been pleasantly surprised both times. And the prices are entirely in line with what you pay at the neighborhood bar: they haven't tried to institute a cool tax by charging $8 for a Stella Artois or something.

And this is a good thing, because Local 121 is undeniably a cool place. They routinely have DJs playing some cool/random/trippy music, and make sure the vibe is clean and modern without being snobby or off-putting. It is a place I go when I need my watering hole to make me feel a bit more hip, not just to help distract me from the lowlights of my day. Add to that the fact that I've had some of the best bar conversations ever there, and it all starts to add up to a pretty robust drinking experience.

If the fliers I saw the other day are true, there is a regular DJ gig at Local 121 on Monday, and I'm planning on checking it out. I'll let them surprise me with a new beer, order something tasty from the small plate menu (they serve their full dinner menu in the bar until midnight, another big plus) and try to get into an interesting conversation. There are much worse ways to start your week.

Your Weekend Agenda

Time to give up the revelry of the holidays and settle in to a long, cruel winter. Right? Of course we have more cold and misery on the way, but the weather this week, anyway, has been gorgeous, so let's enjoy a bit of revelry while we can.

Thursday: Get yourself in rhythm at Club Energy in downtown Providence, where Certified Bananas and Javelin will dish out beats at their regular Pop event. However, this is a little bit special, because this quality club night is going the way of the two martini lunch at the end of the month. So shell out the three bucks, get there at 10:00 or so, and dance the pain away.

Friday: I've spent my fair share of words pitching the Rhode Island Philharmonic in this space, despite a sneaking feeling that not many blog readers are also classical music fans. But if you are at all, you have the chance to catch some Brahms this weekend, which is always worth doing. You could go Saturday to the concert, but it might be more interesting to check out the open rehearsal from 5:30 to 8:00 on Friday. Tickets are $27 (and only $12 for students) and you'll both hear some great music and gain an understanding of what goes into putting together a classical concert.

Saturday: If you miss the fresh tastes of warmer weather, you could do worse than to check out AS220's winter farmer's market. It's from 12 to 3.

Can I admit that I'm a bad person and I've never been to the Stone Soup Coffee House, despite my recent man-crush on all things Pawtucket? I plan to remedy that this Saturday, and check out a folk concert they'll be having there. Tickets are $15, it starts at 8:00, and if you're a first timer like me, it's at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Park Place.

Sunday: If the warm weather holds, what better way to celebrate it than by taking in some raggae. After a couple of drinks, you may convince yourself you took that island vacation after all. So go to the Rhino Bar and Grille at 337 Thames St. in Newport and check out Hot Like Fire, from 10 pm-1 am. (I think it's a free show.)

Rhody Rocks Resolutions

Is there a more hackneyed post I could possibly make than to post my 'resolutions' as a cheap convention to preview the coming 12 months? Of course not, and that's why I love it. Although, this might be a little different, in that these aren't my resolutions, they're yours. If you've seen the state of our political system, you know choice is not a luxury Rhode Island has earned, so I'm telling you right here and now what's good for you. Fortunately, these should be about the most enjoyable resolutions you could possibly keep.

Resolution 1: See more live music

A few years ago, you had a perfectly legitimate reason for not going to see local live shows: there was no way to know if the band sucked (and around here, if you weren't into Noise and other heavy metal variants, you had know way to know if you were going to be deafened.) Now, though, every band that's been together ten minutes has a MySpace page or a site with some tracks posted, so you can try before you buy, even if buying means heading out to the local bar. Check out The Phoenix or lotsofnoise for the best listings.

Resolution 2: Buy some art

You've heard that Rhode Island is becoming a magnet for artists, but you haven't taken the plunge and walked into a gallery. Just do it, you'll feel good, pump some money back into the local scene, and get an artifact you will always remember and cherish. If you want to make a night of it, there's always Gallery Night, or you could go a bit further to the edge and check out the Pawtucket scene.

Resolution 3: Join something

Did you know you can try to be a skater with the Providence Roller Derby? (Well, as long as you have two X chromosomes, anyway.) Not every activity in the Ocean State might be that cool, but you could certainly find a sports league (Basketball in Charlestown? A volleyball league? Flag football?) or maybe volunteer for something. There's a lot out there.

Resolution 4: Get out of the city

I know Rhody Rocks, based on its current posts, could be renamed 'The Providence/Pawtucket Booster Blog'. First, though, that's a sucky name, and second, we guarantee there will be many posts coming in the coming year that will feature state-wide attractions. We'll tell you about fishing and dining in Chepachet, shopping in Bristol, theatergoing in Warren, tourist-dodging in Newport, and how to go to a beach in Narragansett without a steroid-fueled guido ruining your day. In the meantime, it can't hurt too much to go exploring on your own, at least as long as you avoid Coventry.

Resolution 5: Post some comments

Can I be honest with you? I have a dream for this blog, a dream that a community of like-minded folks will share their favorite night spots and activities, so the world and the bored masses will know all the great things about this state. So please, if you do something worth talking about, either post it up here or send me an email at reedmore1 (at) cox.net, and let us all know. Don't let my dream die in 2008.