SUSHI.
This one word is more than just a noun. For some, it is comfort food that brings back a memory. For others, it is a chance to take a step outside of a boundary and try something new. For me, sushi is a new word that I haven’t explored much, until recently. Sushi is my newest crave food – tiny bites of amazing food, wrapped up in a small package! I was able to attend a tasting event at RA Sushi, one of the newest restaurants to open at Pointe Orlando on International Drive. Lets take a look at RA, what they have to offer, and how they have redefined the word sushi!
As soon as you enter RA Sushi, the first thing you notice is the sleek design, combining a natural open air feel with an intimate setting. The two main features of this restaurant for me were the massive indoor/outdoor bar and the sushi station. RA Sushi has a feel unlike any other sushi restaurant I have ever attended before! This place feels more like a stylish upscale bar than a sushi restaurant. I also love how large and inviting the bar is at this location. With a wide variety of sake, beer, wine, and cocktails, RA Sushi is going to be a major player in the game on I-Drive!
The tasting of the menu allowed me to get a good feel of what RA Sushi has to offer on a daily basis. I want to go ahead and wrap up some questions that most have about sushi and how RA deals with it! First off, yes RA Sushi has more than just raw sushi. RA Sushi has a ton of cooked sushi, cooked food, appetizers, desserts and more to satisfy the pickiest of eaters. Next, there is a certain attitude at some sushi restaurants that if you do not like an ingredient in the sushi roll then that roll is not for you. At RA Sushi, they will help you decide what roll is right for you based on what you like and don’t like in your rolls. Also, RA Sushi is not your “typical” restaurant with sushi. This place has a rock and roll attitude about it. They have an amazing happy hour, great music, and a vibrant attitude! Lastly, RA Sushi offers FREE Valet parking!!!!
Now that we’ve got the basics down, I wanted to share some of my favorites from the night and showcase the best of the best that RA Sushi has to offer! As you can see from the picture, we sampled a few of the wide variety of food at RA Sushi. For an appetizer, we started out with the Garlic Edamame! These beans are steamed and then sauteed in a mixture of garlic butter and asian seasons. At my table, this appetizer was a hit! So much flavor was mixed into these beans!
My favorite rolls of the night were the RA’lilpop and the Viva Las Vegas Roll! The RA’lilpop is a clever roll! It has tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna mix, lettuce, asparagus and cucumber wrapped in lobok and served on a skewer with a garlic ponzu sauce! How cool is this roll? Bite sized, already on a skewer and full of amazing fresh flavor!!! I loved the flavor of the wrap, how the sauce enhanced the flavor of the fish, and, of course, the presentation!
My other favorite is the Viva Las Vegas Roll! If there is one thing we love in America it would have to be fried food! RA Sushi has made a roll that even king Elvis would love! The Viva Las Vegas Roll has kani kama crab and cream cheese rolled in rice and seaweed then lightly tempura battered and fried. Then, the roll is topped with spicy unia, kani kama crab mix and sliced lotus root! The roll is finished with a sweet eel sauce and spinach tempura bits! I cannot say how much everyone at this event loved this roll! So much flavor in each and every bite! This was the winner of the night in my opinion!
Not a sushi fan? No worries! We also tried a ton of cooked food such as the Spicy Chicken Teriyaki Udon and the Chicken Katsu! The Spicy Chicken Teriyaki Udon was my favorite cooked dish! It is stir-fried Asian vegetables tossed with chicken and udon noodles in a spicy teriyaki sauce! The Chicken Katsu is also great for kids and others who do not like to venture much into the Asian cuisine.
Lastly, we enjoyed desserts and drinks! As for the drinks, we had a flight of sake. We had 2 oz pours of 3 different types of sake – dry, sweet and sparkling. This was a nice option for me since I do not have much experience with sake. For dessert, I had the Banana Split Maki. This is RA Sushi’s idea of sushi for dessert! A fried banana maki is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Once plated, this dessert is drizzled with raspberry and chocolate sauces! This dessert was very good with a ton of flavor! I loved how the sushi concept is maintained even into the desserts!!
RA Sushi is a restaurant that I will be attending again! The amazing atmosphere, great fresh food, and huge drink selection will help move RA Sushi to the top of the list for sushi here in the Orlando area! If you do want to see the menu, make sure to click here! If you do stop by, tell them Jason from Orlando Fun and Food sent you!!!
Have you ever been to RA Sushi? If so what did you think of the food? If you have never been here, do you think you will try it out soon? Comment below and let me know! As always, thanks for reading!
Jason Mayhew
My name is Jason Mayhew, and I am the owner of OFF On The Go. When not traveling with the website, I own my own marketing and PR company, J Mayhew Marketing. I have the best job where I get to travel the world and showcase the most amazing and unique experiences!
