Taro Sushi Review

Taro Sushi Review

by Thelonious Frumkin

Flatbush Avenue near Bergen Street in Brooklyn, NY


Most Japanese restaurants are very similar. Taro Sushi was a little different. When I walked in the door, the smell of nori filled my nose. Taro was empty. Not a great start. They guys at the sushi bar were talking to the idle waitresses.

I sat down and looked at a menu. It seemed simple: sushi and specials. I ordered the sushi/sashimi combo, something I usually order. My dad ordered gyoza, and asparagus and shrimp tempura rolls.

The gyoza were good. They had a better than average shell and a less good than average filling. I saw the sushi bar slowly assemble my dish and out of the kitchen popped my dad’s dish.

The waitress explained my dish like she had some idea of what she was doing. The first thing I tasted was the California roll. It was good but not great. Then I tried a real crab and onion roll. It was very good and delicate. Next was the unagi (crispy eel). It was delicious. Then I tried assorted sushi: all good. Then the sashimi. The big eye tuna was great. The salmon was terrific. The scallop was tender. The fluke was a little knarly. Overall, the sushi/sashimi combo was a good choice.

The meal seemed over but I was still a little hungry so we ordered another tempura shirmp and another asparagus. It was about five miniutes of eating ginger and talking before the tempura arrived. It was freshly cooked so it was hot and crispy. The asparagus was cooked perfectly. The best part was the tail of the shrimp. Now usually, I throw the tail away. But this tail had it all: flavor, crisp crunch...it was amazing.

By then the restaurant was filling up and the kitchen was more frantic. We then payed the bill and tottered home. All in all, it was a great meal, better than any I’ve had at Geido. I would definitely go back to seaweed-smelling Taro Sushi.