Jade Chinese Cuisine
3704 N. I-35, 459-6001 Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm, 5-10pm; Saturday, 5-10pmClose to the university and priced with the student in mind, Jade is primarily a Chinese restaurant, but they do have a sushi bar with a limited selection. Best choice: the Eel Hand Roll.
Odaku
2501 W. Parmer #500, 834-9304 Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm, 5-10pm; Saturday, 11am-10pmWhat a pleasant surprise! Who would have thought a little, out-of-the-way restaurant would hold such treasures? When you walk in, you’ll see glass-covered, peach-colored tablecloths with comfortable chairs. The eight-seat sushi bar is intimate and inviting. We went straight for the hamachi and uni. Both were terrifically fresh and perfectly presented. In most things Japanese, it’s the little things that count. One of the most difficult and least understood aspects of sushi is the rice. Odaku had the best rice we’ve tried in Austin. The attention to detail carried over to the gorgeous presentations.
Midori
13435 Hwy. 183 N., 257-1411 Monday-Friday, 11am-2:30pm, 5-10pm; Saturday, noon-10pmMidori has a nice, 10-seat sushi bar. Given its location, expect lots of lunch traffic. Especially given the bargain lunch specials like their sushi combos with four to six pieces of sushi and a roll. A nice array of entrée choices is available for dinner and takeout.
Osaka
13492 Research #160, 918-8012 Monday-Friday, 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm; Saturday, 5:30-10pm; Sunday, 5-10pmOsaka is our choice when eating sushi in the outer regions of Northwest Austin. Here you’ll find friendly service in a folksy, neighborhood setting, large portions of impeccably fresh fish, and prices that won’t topple the average budget. The yellowtail and tuna (fatty and plain) have never failed to please, and the specialty rolls are a bargain, considering their size. We always get unagi, toro tuna, and a spider roll, regardless of our appetites. Osaka is unpretentious, economical, and always a sushi-dining pleasure.
Snow Pea
3706 Jefferson, 454-3228 Daily 11am-10pmWe love sushi and Chinese food together. The interior here is calming and restorative, stimulating the appetite for the sushi to follow. A couple of the standouts are the spider rolls (tempura soft-shell crab) and the spicy tuna rolls; the hamachi yellowtail has always been unfailingly fresh and succulent. A big plus is its central location and accessibility.
This article appears in February 13 • 2004.