Whether you’re an experienced sushi connoisseur or a hesitant first-timer willing to try it to please your girlfriend or boyfriend, Provo has a surprisingly large selection for everyone.  And contrary to popular belief, sushi does not have to mean raw fish for exorbitant prices.  It doesn’t even have to mean raw fish.  In fact, every sushi restaurant I reviewed around the Provo area (a review of all four can be found online at byudailyuniverse.com/blog) offered plenty of options from cooked rolls to veggie rolls to just plain slabs of raw fish (Nigiri). The restaurant I found that provided the best overall sushi experience was Yamato at 1074 South State Street in Orem. 

Yamato gets the award for the most authentic experience of all the sushi restaurants.  Upon entering the restaurant, we were brightly greeted with a couple bows and a big smile from a beautiful little woman speaking with an Asian accent. My fiance and I had gone to this restaurant before and were greeted just as enthusiastically.  I can assure you that you will never feel more appreciated for coming to a restaurant than at Yamato.  They treat everyone like family and are some of the kindest people I’ve ever come across.  The atmosphere, as I mentioned, is the most authentic, but unlike many restaurants labeled “authentic” it’s also chic, classy and extremely clean. 

The first roll we tried was called the Mars roll, which is kind of the “advanced” version of the roll we usually order, the tempura shrimp roll.  The tempura shrimp roll has nothing raw in it.  It is shrimp, avocado, cucumber and sauce, and it is delicious — definitely worth trying.  The Mars roll is all of those ingredients with the addition of raw tuna on the top of the roll.  The rolls at Yamato definitely give Happy Sumo some competition for the title of the most beautifully presented.  The Mars roll, like the tempura shrimp roll, is also very good.  The fresh cooked shrimp and delightful crunch of the cucumbers combined perfectly. The tuna taste is quite light but the texture will take you by surprise if you are a first-timer. And they definitely do not skimp on the avocado here, as there are large slices of it with every bite.  

Another roll we tried was extremely unique as there was absolutely no fish in it.  It was the yam roll and contains, you guessed it: yams, along with other deep fried veggies, onions, carrots and spicy sauce.  This roll was my fiance’s favorite because it was so crunchy and the spicy sauce added the perfect amount of kick to the flavor.  

Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone with any budget, as the prices have a large enough range ($3.95 – $13.95 and rolls usually come with a side of miso soup) to accommodate anyone. The food is delicious and the service is delightful.  And make sure to wave goodbye to the man in the red chef’s outfit who will be bowing to you on your way out, thanking you for coming.

For the best of the best, try one of these places:

Best Overall Sushi Experience: Yamato

Best Tasting Rolls: Crystal Shrimp and Godzilla from Sushi Ya

Best Bargain: Sushi rolls for $3.50 every Tuesday and Thursday night at Demae.