Aikan Sushi is Totally Awesome

Jonathan Pekar, Food Dude

I was reluctantly at the gas station again and noticed they sold sushi, among other things inside. Normally, I would take one for the team, however, sushi at a gas station? It is wrong on so many levels that the outcome of such a ridiculous combination can almost only lead to regret. Yet it did spark the idea of wanting really great sushi and Long Beach has quite a few great Japanese restaurants that deserve our attention.

Aikan Sushi at 4201 E. Willow is great sushi and more. The menu is huge! So many wonderful dishes to choose that it is shocking that they offer the “all-you-can-eat” option (lunch: regular $35.99, premium $40.99, dinner: regular $42.99, premium $47.99).

All you can eat? When the sushi is this fantastic? Are they crazy? To me, and all the people in my circle of friends, all-you-can-eat is nothing more than a call to arms!

Limitless wonderfully prepared sushi is a challenge not to be taken lightly. We stretch out and do calisthenics before such an event. The folks at Aikan Sushi are wise enough to have a two-hour dining limit or I would probably never leave. The sushi is that good.

Aikan Sushi goes to great lengths to visually impress you with their entire menu. Each dish is like a little piece of edible art.

The staff is friendly and work as one to insure that you have a fantastic time at their establishment. Sushi is a tricky business; it MUST be fresh because it is obvious when it is not. No issues at Aikan Sushi, they know how to do it right.

There is plenty of parking and kids really seem to enjoy this place too. Aikan’s dessert options are colorful, sweet and fun so it keeps them smiling, this place has everyone smiling. Premium sushi at a reasonable price is a fresh change that will keep you and your family coming back for more. Eating as it should be: fun and well prepared.

 The word ‘Sushi’ comes from a Japanese word meaning “sour rice”. And it’s the rice that’s at the heart of sushi even though most of us think of it as raw fish. Sushi was originally developed in Southeast Asia between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC as a way of preserving raw fish in fermented rice.

This practice spread to South China before being introduced to Japan around the 8th century. The dish has been around in one form or another for at least 2000 years. Food history is fun but it makes me really hungry.

Yes, I am a fan of Aikan Sushi and you will be too. Such a comfortable atmosphere with lots and lots of great dishes that will impress your out of town friends when you need that reliable ‘go-to’ restaurant.

Long Beach is blessed with so many unique eateries and dining out is truly one of our greatest American pastimes. Celebrate our time together and try to convince that family member or friend who “hates sushi and refuses to ever eat that stuff” by luring ‘em to Aikan Sushi. They have lots of ‘non-sushi stuff’ and they really know how to cook chicken, beef and vegetables in flavorful sauces that even appease the seemingly appeaseless.

Their jalapeno poppers are some of the best I have ever had, seriously. Get out there and live; Long Beach is rad.

Go eat for yourself.

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Beachcomber

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