Privacy and conversation over yellowtail sushi, shrimp hibachi and a miso soup are within reach of a bus line budget at Edo Japanese Restaurant, 534 S. Park St.
Sushi is an aesthetic art. Those who think that fish is fish and sushi is just raw fish have never had sushi. Actually, sashimi is the name given to a meal of raw fish; sushi is a wide spectrum of bite-sized edibles made of special vinegar rice tightly wrapped with toppings of fish, fruit or vegetables.
Sushi is tied with nori, a Japanese word for seaweed. Nori is the brainchild of Japanese fishermen. Fishermen set nori traps in the form of upright posts in areas washed by the sea tide. When the tide wanes, they strip the nori from the posts and roll it into sheets that are then sun-dried.
Miso soup takes its name from a soybean paste that has been a part of the samurai diet for over a thousand years. During that time, Japanese provinces developed their own distinctive miso-making processes and flavors. Misos are named after the provinces that made them popular and famous.
Madison's Edo begins the meal with a signature salad of lettuce topped with a sesame-ginger dressing. Miso soup also starts many of the combo dishes. The miso is a wee bit thin for a blustery winter day, but the green tea is hot and bottomless.
The Sushi Deluxe is 12 pieces of assorted sushi with a choice of an Alaskan or California roll. Expect generous portions of ahi (red) and yellowtail tuna, salmon, red snapper, octopus and fluke. Red snapper is lightly flavored and textured, the exact opposite of octopus' chewy crunch or a mackerel's sea brine fishy-ness. The ahi tuna pieces are the same size as the yellowtail and salmon. Tuna lovers, rejoice.
Hibachi is usually a barbecue grill turned into a showboating All-Star game. However, Edo turns the flaming onions and flying spatulas into a tasteful shrimp, chicken and beef dish layered with zucchini and red bell peppers. The veggies are fresh and crisp, the meat is marinated and melts in your mouth and over everything hangs the smoky flavor of a blazing mesquite fire.
Edo also serves bento box-style lunches. These include soup, salad, California roll and rice with teriyaki meats or tempura. Udon noodles are outrageously popular in Japan and may catch on over here. If a steaming bowl of Udon sounds intriguing, remember that they are hand-rolled and pan-fried at Edo.
While no meal can be complete without a scoop of green tea or ginger ice cream, perhaps a scoop of tempura ice cream will be even better. Guests leave with a satisfied yet comfortable feeling. One smiles happily as one leaves and reads Edo's proverb: \For those who will not brave the wind, there is free delivery.""
Where: Edo Japanese Restaurant
534 S. Park St.
When: Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
