Bushido

No, not Bushido Blade-- this isn't a video game review. It is, in fact, a review of a wonderful little Japanese restaurant in Venice, Florida that I sincerely hope manages to stay in business.

When I'd first heard that a Japanese place was being opened up on Venice Avenue, I practically jumped for joy; if nothing else, it would at least save me a twenty-minute drive up to Taste of Tokyo, another excellent, similarly-themed restaurant in Sarasota. At the time, I had no idea whether or not the place would actually be any good; I had simply just discovered my love for sushi and wanted to try more.

The decor of Bushido seems to clash violently with everything that I've come to know Venice to be; in this case, a good thing, as I've come to know Venice as a town that is thoroughly stuck in its ways, as unchanging as the faces of Mt. Rushmore. The vibrant-yet-not-gaudy colors and subtle, Asian twist to everything from the furniture to the various ornaments hanging from the ceiling (including an initially alarming pufferfish) seem to advertise, if not a good time, at least a very different one from Venice's typical offerings.

Service was brisk yet friendly and inviting; our waitress promptly seated us, brought out drinks, and took our orders: I had the California, avocado, and tuna rolls, a bowl of edamame, and a bowl of chicken fried rice. (I didn't eat all of it; we were a party of six.) The edamame came first: warm, soft, and lightly salted soybeans. I also had a sampling of my aunt's gyoza (a sort of pork dumpling, drizzled in lemon) which was just as excellent, though I knew that the sushi was being prepped by the sushi chef; as such, I remained somewhat guarded even as I munched on the edamame and sipped away at my soda, which was always refilled right when I ran out.

Then, the wait.

The only truly negative thing I have to report about my experience at Bushido is that the sushi took an awfully long time to get to our table. Granted, we had ordered an awful lot of it, but all the same-- it seemed ages (and many refilled Coca Cola glasses) until the main course was finally set down in front of us.

I have eaten a lot of food in my life-- a lot of very good food. I practically grew up in the restaurant my father managed when we lived in New York City, and I've been gradually expanding my dining experiences ever since.

That said, Bushido was the first sushi I've ever eaten that made me audibly moan and shiver with pleasure. All the ingredients seemed to be perfectly proportioned and rolled, so that they seemed to become one single, delicious slice of Heaven in my mouth. The avocado was especially delicious; even now, days later, the sheer thought of it makes my mouth water. The ginger that came with the sushi seemed almost shockingly fresh, and it seemed that, no matter what proportions of soy sauce to wasabi paste I used, I could do no wrong-- the sushi was far too perfect to possibly be driven to imperfection by such petty nuances.

Midway through the sushi, my chicken fried rice arrived-- somehow, a perfect compliment to the rest of the meal. Succulent, well-seasoned chicken resting on a soft pillow of fluffy fried rice, just waiting to be devoured. By the time I had finished everything, I was so full that the thought of even getting up to drive home was a painful one. But it was so worth it.

If you happen to be in Venice, go to Bushido. Order whatever you want-- chances are it'll be a wonderful experience, and certainly something you never expected to find there.

The Rundown
Decor: 10/10. Beautiful, and very distinct.
Service: 8/10. The waitress was fine, but the food didn't quite get out as quickly as I'd have liked.
Food: 10/10. Oh my God. Go. Now.
Overall: 9.5. The sushi... the suuuushi...