StreetFoodJoe.com

Sushi seems to be one of the best contributions that Asian culture has made to America. With this some places are better than others. Some ingredients are fresher than others, while some have better flavor combinations than others. Just because a sushi bar advertises half-off Tuesdays doesn’t mean that the sushi present is worth the four dollars. Other times the rolls themselves are small and you need to buy two or three to get your fill. But there is a high-quality restaurant with reasonably priced sushi that just might be classified as the best in town.

Happy Sumo is a chic restaurant where the waitresses wear all black and mauve draperies hang around the secluded booths with candle light. Outdoor patio seating is also available. The menu comes in a wide variety of Japanese cuisines. Appetizers are elegant and flavorful, not to mention coming in large varieties. Edamame, steamed soy beans with sea salt, are the most requested starter. Salads are also optional.

The sushi itself comes in four different forms. Nigiri sushi comes in twenty varieties with different kinds of fish and seafood, including octopus. The maki sushi comes in eighteen different kinds and six to eight pieces. Sashimi sushi comes in eight varieties. Happy Sumo has even created special combination platters combining different maki rolls and nigiri pieces.

The fourth and most requested form of sushi at Happy Sumo is the special roll. Special rolls come in forty different varieties and mix various vegetable, fish, and seaweed combinations with signature sauces. Entrees are also available for the non-sushi lover, including stir fry, chicken, beef, and seafood. And of course there is dessert, of six different kinds. But the Japanese mocha ball is the specialty.

Happy Sumo combines elegance and the sophisticated tastes of the Eastern world and brings them to a table set for two or more.

Have you ever had a debate to which restaurant you and a friend should go to and cannot decide between Asian or Italian? One company has combined different cultures into one restaurant. Noodles and Company is a quaint little restaurant with a bistro atmosphere. And of course the main element of each meal is noodles, but these noodles are not just simple spaghetti or penne noodles—though these are options. Noodles and Company provides noodles from all over the world.

Chopsticks are a must and even come with small holders for beginners, though forks and spoons are provided. Noodles and Company offers four different cuisine types: Asian, Mediterranean, American, and Italian-inspired themes. The menu provides already-made choices, but mixing and matching is encouraged. Want to add protein to a dish? Just ask for meatballs, beef, chicken, or shrimp. Adding more vegetables is also encouraged.

Noodles and Company even offers odd food pairings, like adding Italian meatballs to the Wisconsin elbow macaroni or sautéed beef to pasta fresca. Noodles are not the only choice on the menu. Sandwiches, soups, and salads are also provided and in combo platters. This company even offers choices for all dieters. Need a meal that is gluten-free? Rice noodles are an option. Watching fat intake? Smaller portions of five noodle meals are available as well as different salads. Low sodium dishes are also available.

Vegans and vegetarians are also welcome as between six to eleven noodle meals are available. Now no compromise is needed for which ethnic food to choose. You can get Bangkok Curry with tomato bisque and your friend can get a Mediterranean salad with pesto cavatappi.

Not all restaurants need to be sophisticated and monochromatic to have a taste of elegance. It’s the little, comfy places that can have the best food. Mimi’s Café is just one of those places. This restaurant is unlike any other, especially when sandwiched beside a men’s clothing store and a burger joint. But it is the outside that sets the appeal. Without the signing reading “Mimi’s Café” the building could simply be a cozy little cottage on the side of a busy street. The inside takes the homey feel even further.

Each section of the restaurant is designed in a different theme with various colors. Some include ranch homes, others the South, and still others backyard gardens. The interior and exterior are reflections of the food. Mimi’s provides options for all three meals. Nearly each meal comes complete with a beverage, and quick breads and raised breads are provided at the table. The food itself tastes like home. From omelets to homefries, to steak and pasta, Mimi’s has nearly anything Mom would make, with a taste that doesn’t say is above ten dollars. The only difference is that Mom could be sitting right next to you without having to lift a finger.

Mimi’s Café’s are found all over the United States, with the exceptions of the Northwest, the northern Midwest, and the Northeast.