Crazy Sushi

It had been over six months since I last went out for sushi; the two most recent experiences so lackluster that it put me off the stuff for a while and made me question why I liked it so much in the first place. So despite living within walking distance of Crazy Sushi (as walking-distance as it gets in Jacksonville), the place never really piqued my interest. Sure it was close but I had become jaded towards my past love for sushi. And even though I was fully aware that it is a consistent winner in Folio Weekly's "Best Of Jax" listings I couldn't bring myself to stop by.

This past weekend we'd seemingly run out of unexplored options so I begrudgingly agreed to travel the mere mile and see what the fuss was all about. First off, the innards of this place are far nicer than I was expecting based on its location. Definitely not fancy but not as haphazardly thrown together as some of the other local establishments. Don't get me wrong, I love holes in the wall but only if they have character. This restaurant takes the character and a bit of class as well making it a place suitable for dinner dates, casual affairs, or a lazy afternoon meal at the tables outside.

Our waitress also happened to be one of the nicest and most chipper individuals in the world. We wanted to take her home and keep her around just to cheer us up. But beyond just putting me in a good mood, our friendly waitress did something far more rewarding: she introduced me to what is now my favorite sushi roll. Being a bit neurotic about nutrition, the one facet of the sushi experience that makes me a little uneasy is the rice. I don't dislike the flavor of rice in the slightest but tend to avoid it in other circumstances when possible. As if sensing this, the waitress recommended the Cold Roll which was packed with tuna, crab meat, and avocado; all things I love. But instead of being wrapped in the typical rice and seaweed combination, the Cold Roll is held together by a long, coiled strip of cucumber; a perfect combination for health nuts and carb cutters.

Wanting to enjoy the authentic Crazy Sushi experience, I also opted for the Crazy Roll: a shrimp tempura roll with salmon on top. Not as healthy as the other roll but very flavorful. For those who don't like fish in the raw or at all, there are plenty of hibachi plates on offer that are stacked with the meat of your choice, vegetables, noodles, and rice.

Prices are comparable to the other sushi places around town. The two rolls with the accompanying complimentary soup and salad more than satisfied my hunger and there was plenty of the hibachi chicken dish left to take home. While I won't kick myself too hard for not going sooner, I'll be sure to make up for my egregious error by heading to Crazy Sushi the next time I have a craving for raw fish.

Crazy Sushi
4320 Deer Wood Lake Pkwy. #202
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 998-9797