Monday, May 16, 2011

Sushi Kyo

Sushi Kyo is another local conveyor-belt sushi establishment in Salem, Oregon.

Photo courtesy of eatsalem.com
Aside from the conveyor belt, the two things I notice when walking in are the sushi prices (ranging from $1.25 to $2.35) and the menu items. Sushi Kyo has a fairly wide selection of sushi to choose from. In addition, Sushi Kyo has offerings such as baked mussels, baked mushrooms, fried octopus, Tobi Dama (smelt roe and quail egg), and a Salem Roll (deep-fried sushi with cream cheese inside and a sauce on the top). Being the adventurous eater that I am, I have tried virtually everything on the menu over a multiple-visit span.

Here is my take on several of the items:

I thought the mussels were decent, but there just may be too much of the cheesy/creamy topping, as that tends to mask the great mussel flavor.

The tobiko (flying fish roe, in orange or black colors) is good for what it is. I like the crunch the tobiko has against the sushi rice. I do like seeing some of my friends cringe when I eat this. The same goes for the Tobi Dama, since a raw quail egg is on the top of this one.

The unagi (eel) is wonderful, as usual. The sauce is what brings everything together. The sweet, salty nature of the sauce provides a nice enhancement for the eel taste to work off of.

The spicy tuna sushi here is not the best I've had (not by a long shot), but is good for a cheap sushi.

The Salem Roll is again for a more adventurous eater -- or someone who likes anything deep-fried. The cream cheese holds up well in the fried sushi. However, I feel like it needs something more to make me want to keep eating it.

The nigiri and maki sushi choices are pretty straightforward. Whenever I've gone, the seafood (especially the fish) has not tasted or looked as fresh as it could be. Perhaps the freshest one I've seen is the salmon (a nice pink/orange shine to the salmon is a welcome sight).

Finally, the potstickers and shrimp tempura can both be hit-or-miss items on the conveyor belt. When fresh out of the fryer, they are delicious. However, if the product has sat out for a while, the quality drastically decreases (as would any fried item).

Again, the setup is nothing fancy; a straightforward conveyor-belt setup for much of the restaurant (with chairs  around the belt), and a few booths for people that want that type of dining experience. The food can get a little pricier than that you could find at Sushi Topia, but there is more of a selection here. I personally would not pick Sushi Kyo or Sushi Topia to take your family or your date to, these are sushi joints that you may hit up with your college buddies. While I love sushi, I'll probably pass on this place as well. 3/10

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