By Debbie Moose
I'm waiting to see a sushi bar at a Carolina barbecue joint — no doubt it's coming, with the sweeping popularity of the little bites of fish. Now that sushi is no longer a rarity in these parts — and the first image upon encountering it isn't a hook and pole — there are notable nibbles around the state.
Here are our picks for two of the best Sushi spots in North Carolina:
The Triangle: The airy, light sushi bar area is the first thing you see when you enter An, an elegant Asian restaurant in Cary. If you're dining in the other part of the restaurant, you may be envious as you walk past the action at the tables and bar, where gem-like sushi is passed to eager hands. An pays homage to Japanese tradition but mixes it with elegance and creativity, and fish of impeccable quality. Try the unusual White Dragon roll with crab cake, torched white tuna, mango, and eel sauce. Or the Land & Sea, a sort of surf-and-turf roll that includes beef tenderloin. The sushi bar has become so popular that reservations are suggested for Friday and Saturday nights.
Asheville: I used to have one firm dining rule: Never eat seafood in the mountains — too far away from its home. But today, when fresh fish can fly across the country in a flash, there's no reason that there can't be a good sushi bar a chopstick's throw from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wasabi takes advantage of its location by offering both sushi classics and items designed for the sushi novice. In a nod to the counter-cultural nature of the city, there are several vegetarian options, such as the Tempura Sweet Potato Roll. On the wild side, the Wasabi Roll contains tempura-fried soft-shell crab in the center, with eel, tuna, and avocado on the outside. Yep, there's sushi in them thar hills.
Hungry for more? For our top sushi standouts in Wilmington and Charlotte, pick up a copy of North Carolina Signature magazine, available on newsstands or by calling (800) 948-1409.
