Cuisine: Sushi / Japanese
There is something about eating sushi in an aging restaurant next to the Garden State Parkway the feels a bit like a dare. Or Russian roulette. The birds nesting in the facade also don’t give you a ton of confidence about the state of the raw fish inside, but I suppose we shouldn’t judge an eating establishment by the wildlife living in its signage. Aki is also next to the shadiest Krauszer’s this side of Newark. I know because I once got scammed out of $12 in the parking lot there trying to help a guy who was either out of gas or needed a transplant or something. And a couple doors down from our former video rental store where the owner’s adult daughter was always telling us about the time she slept with Meatloaf’s road manager. Or the guitar tech. I don’t remember.
What does this all have to do with sushi, you may ask? Absolutely nothing, honestly, but I hear nostalgia can have a powerful effect on the palate. Even if it’s a memory of being bilked for cash and inappropriate stories from a feather-haired video store clerk. What is more relevant is the space as it currently exists. It would generously be called cozy. But, in reality, it’s really, really dark. The only light coming in through the front windows that are partially blocked by high booths and that Honda Civic, fat tailpipe tint that every other dude scooting south on TGS parkway is rocking. The dark furniture and Pullman-car-like booths give a heaviness to everything and pretty much suck any remaining light out of the place. Which is fine at night. In fact, it gives it some moodiness that your typical open-concept Japanese joint might not. But coming in for lunch or an early dinner during daylight savings time make it feel like you’re there to plot the downfall of a Marvel hero with the cartoon-ish Yakuza. It doesn’t help that the parking lot out back is definitely a dumping ground for used oil cans and the occasional Gambino associate.
Again, all of this is preamble; we’re here for the fish. And it is surprisingly decent. Hipster Jr. Jr., who has become somewhat of a sushi aficionado in the past couple years, is a fan. Fan being a strong term for what she is, I suppose. But she hasn’t rejected it out of hand the way she has some places. Honestly, though, we’re a pretty traditional set of orderers. We get your Alaskan rolls and your dragon and rainbow rolls. Your eel avocado rolls and, in Ms. Hipster’s case, your boring-ass California roll. I’m from that state and even I don’t even bother ordering those. The point is, we don’t go too far afield when it comes to sushi. No sashimi. No deep fried nonsense. Nothing with cream cheese or fruit. The wackiest we get is Ms. Hipster’s spicy tuna, which has — gulp — mayonnaise in it. All of it seems fresh and is well presented. Certainly comparable with the joints we typically order from in Montclair. The prices compared with others in the area are actually quite decent. And the servers are very sweet and attentive, as they pirouette around each other in the tight space. All in all it’s a solid choice for locals and even people in the surrounding area.
1273 Broad St. – Bloomfield
973/338-5030
akisushius.com