Updated 22:36, September the 7th, 2008
| Fugakyu Although the name sounds vaguely like the way you might say an insult if your mouth were full of sushi, the food and atmosphere here is anything but insulting. They have a ginormous menu, a ginormous amount of space and a ginormous amount of taste. The menu varies so widely (from curry dishes to rice noodles to sushi) that you could make your parents take you here or you could take a date here. They have private booths with closable doors, or if you’re more social, they have a sushi bar with a conveyor belt constantly offering varieties of tasty Japanese seafood. Japanese landscapes are projected on the wall, but when the food arrives that’s when you will truly arrive in a different place. 1280 Beacon St., Brookline. MBTA: Green C Line to Coolidge Corner. 617.738.1268. |
| Ma Soba Vegas Roll. Ninja Roll. T.N.T. Roll. Rock & Roll. The inauthentic but damn cool combos served at this sleek haunt are not for sushi snobs. Yet the pictures in the menu should win anyone over — the Gari Gari blends shrimp tempura with crab, avocado and cream cheese, and Soba will put “dynamite” (salmon flakes) in anything, per your request. 156 Cambridge St., Boston. MBTA: Red Line to Charles/MGH. 617.973.6680. |
| Privus No, not all sushi places are nesting in Brighton or dominating downtown. In fact, Privus moved into the digs next to The Kells this year. The hip eatery serves up sushi and sashimi in chic and secluded booths. While two pieces of sushi start at $3, the sashimi will run you upwards of $5 for three. If you’re dining with a maki novice, there are a lot of rolls that pack a punch and aren’t entirely fishy. Try the “Passion Maki” ($12) composed of shrimp tempura, lettuce, spicy scallop, black tobiko and scallions on the outside. Plus, there’s chicken and steak terriyaki if your friend needs a back-up plan. 165 Brighton Ave., Allston. MBTA: Green B Line to Harvard Ave. 617.787.7483. |
| Snappy Sushi Remember when we were talking about being social in the Fugakyu entry? Well everything about this place is social. The Davis Square location has one huge table around which everybody sits. And they pride themselves on serving brown rice sushi instead of white rice sushi, but if you really want, you can still get the white rice. 144 Newbury St., Boston. MBTA: Orange Line to Back Bay. 617.262.4530. 420 Highland Ave., Somerville. MBTA: Red Line to Davis. 617.625.0400. |