Good Better Best... Sushi

Good: Mikado in Sandy

The Mikado in Cottonwood Heights is always consistent and delicious. Give these guys time and they will get better. My dad said his sashimi was fresh and tasty, the presentation was beautiful, and check out the cool sink in the bathroom.

Better: Teru Sushi in Cottonwood Heights

Karl, who gets to eat out more than I do even though I am the one with the food obsession (not bitter, just jealous), went here and suggested I try it out. Kami, a sushi fan friend, ventured out with me for lunch while we each had one kid with us. This isn't the place to go for ambiance, but the food was pretty decent and the lunch special price was fair also. I got a bento/lunch combo with steak, salad, sashimi, soup and rice. My dad, the sushi rice expert, wasn't with me so I don't know how good the rice was. I do know it didn't offend me like Mikado's did. I wasn't blown away but everything was okay. The best part was the salad dressing. I don't really know what it was but Samuel and Isa devoured the lettuce triangles dipping them into the dressing like chips.

BEST: Kazoku in... Smithfield, UT?

I think we were going there expecting to be disappointed. I mean, how is a little diner turned sushi restaurant going to be? My dad's Chirashi Sushi (sashimi over sushi rice): the rice was a little hard but the fish was surpisingly fresh and natural (according to my dad, that is good). Karl's Bibimbap Chirashi Sushi (sashimi pieces, lettuce, and rice with a Korean kick) was so good. This was a first for us on this dish and the flavors were so light and refreshing. Loved it. I got some mega combo that had sashimi, California roll, salad, and bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef): it was all good... my kids loved the flavorful tender meat, the salad was crisp and the tangy dressing was delicious, and the sashimi was great. The kids shared a tempura udon: the noodles were cooked just right for me. My dad said that the noodles weren't supposed to be cooked in the broth so that they took on the color of the soup, but I like how they took on the flavor of the soup. The chef is from Korea and maybe that is why Karl's dish was so good.

Who knew that we would have such great food in such and unlikely little Japanese restaurant in Smithfield? We walked out stuffed because we didn't want the food to go to waste but it was all such great food that it wasn't the gross kind of stuffed... uh, makes sense to me. Make an effort to stop by and pass the word on about this place. Call me crazy, but I am afraid the palates Smith field are not going to keep her in business.

NOTE: If you are not a seafood fan, all three of these places have a great entree list with things like teriyaki chicken and vegetable tempura. Most probably already know, but sushi is not actually just raw fish. So, if you are freaked out by the idea of raw fish, know that these places still have something for you.