RESTAURANT-REVIEWS

Ai Japanese Restaurant satisfies sushi craving

Nikki Ross nikki.ross@news-jrnl.com
The Dragon Roll and the Philadelphia Roll at Ai Japanese Restaurant in Palm Coast. [News-Journal/Nikki Ross]

While working a quiet Friday at the Palm Coast office, staff writer Nikki Ross decided to take a walk across the street to try out Ai Japanese Restaurant for a quick lunch.

What’s the place like?

I went right at noon and was the only person in the place until I was almost done with my lunch. While I was there, five people came in for take-out so it was clear to me that the place was popular with people in the area. The restaurant itself is small but there are plenty of tables to accommodate a busy lunch or dinner. There was a sushi chef and a single server for lunch time.

What’s on the menu?

The menu is full of traditional Japanese appetizers including spring rolls, crab rangoons and fried calamari. Lunch entrees include tempura plates, katsu plates and teriyaki plates. There are also choices of fried rice plates, ramen and rice bowls with the customer’s choice of meat and toppings. For lunch they also have box lunch specials where you get to choose an appetizer, entrée, sushi roll and side item. There also is an extensive sushi menu for sushi lovers.

What did you have?

I decided to go the sushi route by ordering the Dragon Roll and the Philadelphia roll. The Dragon Roll is a tempura shrimp roll with avocado and fish eggs on top. It was nice and crunchy as expected from tempura shrimp and the avocado was fresh. The Philadelphia Roll is simple with salmon and cream cheese. Both rolls were a nice size and I didn’t feel skimped.

What did it cost?

The total was $18.24 before tax and included a soft drink.