Category: Sushi

Last Friday night, my boyfriend and I finally tried Arigato Sushi on State Street. After too many gasps of disbelief when we mentioned we had never been, we decided to cave and prepare for a hefty bill (or so we were told). Arigato definitely lived up to the hype and was actually much less expensive than we had expected.

The restaurant did not take reservations so we were a bit nervous at 7:00pm when we showed up to a full house. Luckily we got in right away at a cozy table right in the front. Our waitress was friendly, very attentive and the menu was huge. I don’t eat the actual fish at sushi places so I first noticed how vegetarian friendly their menu was. I then noticed all the crazy combinations they made with their rolls (including a Mexican inspired roll with jalapenos and habanero sauce). Prices range from $5 a roll to $14 (and a couple “at market” items).

I chose an amazing Magic Mushroom roll, a veggie roll and the Mediterraneaneo roll with artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and pesto sauce (definitely the highlight of my dinner). My boyfriend ordered the Dijon Ahi roll, the RockNRoll (their take on a rainbow roll) and the Manhattan roll – all of which he loved. Each roll came out on a different plate and arrangement so you knew they weren’t prepared too hastily. At first glance, we thought the rolls might be too small to fill us up. However, they were surprisingly generous and only seemed smaller because they use less rice filler and more good stuff inside. An hour later we were feeling full and healthy after spending less than $100 on a great dinner (drinks and appetizers included!).

Hot tip: There is apparently a “secret menu” with some pretty cool rolls. We heard about a “whatever” roll that is specially made by the sushi chefs on weekdays. Word on the street is that it’s loaded with the freshest ingredients and tastes amazing.

Last night, my group of friends and I visited a Santa Barbara Sushi joint called Edomasa. Located at 2710 De La Vina Street, this inconspicuous little restaurant really impressed me. From their extensive Sake list, to their many vegetarian options, it seemed this place had it covered. As soon as we walked through the door, a friendly hostess immediately greeted and showed us to a table next to a window. Unfortunately, the view was not so spectacular considering Santa Barbara's long list of beachside eateries. Nevertheless, the authentic look and feel of this restaurant made up for this.

Since Edomasa does not occupy a great amount of space, the seating area is somewhat dense and noisy. While the people next to us were wearing suits, my friends and I fit in perfectly wearing jeans and t-shirts. As with most Santa Barbara restaurants, there is no expected dress code.

As for their food, both the Sushi and the Sashimi were incredibly fresh and loaded with flavor. The menu provides a wide variety of different appetizers, rolls, entrees, and soups. All items are decently priced and some are actually lower then what you would expect for Edomasa's level of quality. The Buffalo Volcano roll is one of my personal favorites as it is pretty hard to come by. While I really enjoyed the Miso soup that came with my dinner, my girlfriend's experience with the Udon was not so positive, as it was a bit salty for her palate.

With all of that being said, my dinning experience at Edomasa was one I would like to repeat and share with others.