Koi Fine Asian Cuisine and Lounge

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*** (3 stars)

I’ve never cared for places that try to do both Chinese and Japanese cuisines, because they tend to do neither all that well, and Koi is no exception. On a nice summer day it’s pleasant to sit in the front room with the floor to ceiling windows open, but don’t expect to get life changing sushi here. For the price I expect more.

Koi Fine Asian Cuisine and Lounge
624 Davis St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-6969
http://www.yelp.com/biz/koi-fine-asian-cuisine-and-lounge-evanston

Kafein

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**** (4 stars)

Dumpy old furniture, cave-like ambiance, everything you expect in a college-oriented coffee house. I love it. The food, whcih takes awhile since there’s often not much staff, is surprisingly good, the coffee drinks are Starbucks-killers, and the wifi is free. My favorite coffee house in Evanston.

Kafein
1621 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 491-1621
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kafein-evanston

Aji Sushi Teppan

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***** (5 stars)

I go here almost every weekend for lunch, and have never had anything but excellent sushi. Their Heaven Roll is perhaps my favorite sushi item anywhere, it’s sort of a California roll with salmon and a thin slice of lemon on top. Somehow the ingredients come together to create much more than you’d expect, as the tart lemon and bitter peel mesh with the richness of the mayo in the krab salad. The other great thing about Aji is that it’s open for lunch on Sunday.

Aji Sushi Teppan
3251 Daniels Rd
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 877-9888
http://www.yelp.com/biz/aji-sushi-teppan-winter-garden

Bonsai Sushi

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ChirashiBowl

***** (5 stars)

This is a charming little sushi place with very friendly service. I go often for lunch during the week, and the yellowtail sashimi is always excellent. The Chirashi Bowl is a favorite, with its generous assortment of two pieces each of 9 types of fish and shellfish.

The floor plan is traditional sushi restaurant, with a good size sushi bar dominating a small dining room. I like the sunny ambiance and super cheerful table service.

Bonsai Sushi
5174 Dr. Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 292-0333
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bonsai-sushi-orlando

Nagoya Sushi

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**** (4 stars)

This place has been around for ages under one name or another, and it must be pretty good, because it’s almost impossible to find! It’s way at the back of the corridor of shops (and closed storefronts) that separates two section of the Dr. Phillips Marketplace. The lunch combos are a great deal here.

Nagoya Sushi
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 248-8558
http://www.yelp.com/biz/nagoya-sushi-orlando

RanGetsu

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**** (4 stars)

We used to go to Rangetsu on International Drive every week, and were sad when it closed. Now, years later, this loosely affiliated version has opened in Maitland. It’s much trendier than the old one, but sadly the food isn’t quite as good. If you like sitting at a sushi bar, this isn’t the place to go, because the sushi bar is small and a wall of plywood blocks your view of the chefs’ work. But if you want sushi at your table, or like the idea that the place turns into a dance club late at night, then it’s a good bet. One of my favorite sushi rolls was the old Rangetsu’s mayo and wasabi laced dynamite roll, and happily they have that at this new location. Note that parking is mostly by valet, even at off hours.

RanGetsu
901 S Orlando Ave
Maitland, FL 32751
(407) 345-0044
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rangetsu-maitland