Wok and Roll

Wok and Roll
604 H Street, NW
Washington, DC
phone: 202-347-4656 or 347-7688
fax: 202-783-2941
http://www.woknrolldc.com/
Map

Highly Recommended

Don't let appearances be deceiving. This unassuming little Chinese/Japanese restaurant is dishing out one of the best sushi experiences I have had in a long time. I see this place as sushi the way it is meant to be. A casual dining experience made more enjoyable by interaction with knowledgeable chefs and servers.

I sat down at the sushi bar to be greeted warmly by the chefs standing in from of me. Despite the crowded restaurant (I didn't know it was "sushi happy hour" at the time) the chef gave me his full attention. I ordered my usual starters of tomago (egg omelet) and hamachi (yellowtail) and a large hot sake. The four nigiri style sushi (oblong mound of sushi rice that is pressed between the palms of the hands, with a speck of wasabi and a slice of topping called neta draped over it) arrived quickly along with a free sample of the sweet shrimp special of the evening. My sake also arrived at this time. The large sake carafe was filled to the brim and delivered in a hot water bath, a very nice touch. The chef also told me that it was sushi happy hour, with a generous selection of sushi for $1.00 a piece. I took advantage of the offer and worked my way through a good portion of the happy hour menu. All of the neta (sushi toppings) were excellent quality, served artistically and none were "happy hour" sized.

I tried the tuna tartar which was prepared to order and topped with black tobiko. The fish had a soft, rich texture that was accentuated by the crisp fish eggs. I also tried the Sakura roll. A tear shaped maki roll of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with tobiko and avocado wrapped in pink "bean seaweed". This maki roll was excellent with just enough rice to hold all of the ingredients together. The chef also gave me a sample of the chu-toro (cut slightly to the rear of the tuna and is less fatty, therefore less expensive than O-toro, the premium tuna belly) which was excellent, served slightly seared to accentuate the fattiness of the fish.

The prices for the sushi at Wok and Roll are reasonable, ranging from 3 - 7 dollars for nigiri sushi and 3 - 10 dollars for maki rolls. The also have a full entree menu for folks not comfortable with the raw fish scene. Happy hour runs from 4 to 8 Monday through Friday...a must...seriously.

The website has their menu and specials and delivery is available for free (on orders over $15).

I have been back several times since my first visit and the chef still remembers me. Another plus for a tired traveler.