Fresh Sushi Better
Jen and I took Jake and Ari to Omaha. I had joked with Jake that I was going to make him eat sushi, and to my surprise he loved the idea. There was a restaurant downtown within walking distance of our day's destination and I thought we'd leave Norfolk early and have an early lunch. On our way in, though, we were running a little late. As we passed Yet Another Strip Mall, I saw a big "SUSHI" sign and asked Jen if she wanted to see if it was busy rather than getting all the way downtown and finding out we didn't have time to eat. She agreed and we pulled in.
What a surprise.
We ended up at Hiro Japanese Cuisine (on W. Maple, near Borders), and I state without exaggeration that it had the best sushi I've ever eaten. My nigiri plate was superb. Jake's California roll was far better than I knew one could be. Jen's tempura was fresh, crisp, and varied. Ari's teriyaki chicken was tender and delicious. The salad dressing was so good that I was only halfway joking about tipping my bowl up and drinking it. There's really not much more I can say; it was awe-inspiring.
The decor was elegantly cool, and I felt stylish simply for being there. Even the bathrooms were beautiful.
Our waiter was exceptionally good. He was funny but not annoying, and helpful without being condescending. For example, Jen poked her chopsticks into her rice bowl and left them there. Our waiter came by and whispered to her, and she blushed and started laughing: that's apparently a symbol of death. However, he told her this discreetly and politely, rather than making fun of us ignorant folk behind our backs (or at least hiding it well if he did). The service easily ranked among the best we've had.
If you like sushi or other Japanese fare, you must try Hiro Japanese Cuisine. We will definitely be eating there whenever we visit Omaha from now on.