Miyagi Sushi – McLean, VA

The modest entrance to Miyagi

Hey guys, Ali here. Don’t listen to RB when she goes off on her reviews, she’s quite the fool (even for a food f3wL). I pay exquisite attention to all the unique flavors in a dish, and make no mistake, I’m looking out for the consumer. (I hear RB gets paid to write positive reviews from some restaurants…I kid, I kid!) Anyway, in the last couple of days we decided to hit up Miyagi, a sushi restaurant in McLean, three times. Yes folks,  you heard me right, three times. We take our reviews very seriously, and we realize just how subject to variability a restaurant may be.

 The first time we went to Miyagi, it was dinner time. Right when you walk in the smell of fish penetrates your nostrils; whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you. The restaurant itself is quaint and rather ordinary, and presents itself modestly. As you walk in, you get a view of the kitchen where the sushi is prepared, so you know they aren’t hiding anything from you. Everything was very clean, and cleanliness is a very important factor when you consider the fact that you are eating something that is uncooked. The restaurant was quite busy, but we were seated quickly. Things seemed to be off to a good start until we were asked what we wanted to order; maybe it was just because the restaurant was full, but our order seemed to be rushed. She almost took away RB’s menu before she had even ordered what she wanted. Maybe it’s because RB is just really slow at a lot of things, but who knows. Anyway, I ended up ordering the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll and the Creamy Garlic Tuna Roll, which each ended up costing around 10 dollars each. Now I don’t know about you all, but for raw fish, that’s pretty damn expensive. This was exacerbated by the fact that I had just eaten at a cheap sushi place recently, albeit it was very mediocre.

            Every meal starts off with tofu and some sort of spicy sauce. It was alright, although I’m not a huge fan of tofu in the first place (rumor has it that it’s just chockfull of estrogen), but it tasted okay. It’s just not something I would shell out any money for, which explains why it’s a free appetizer. RB also received Miso soup with her meal, and I decided to take a few sips of it. It went well with the tofu, although it wasn’t amazing. I was starting to get a little worried about how good the food would be, even though RB said that it had been great when she came there with her dad for lunch. What made my worries even worse was the amount of time it was taking to get the food ready, my stomach was grumbling and it felt like years before the sushi finally arrived.

Spicy tofu, a fairly tasty appetizer

  Despite any negative sentiments expressed in the previous few paragraphs, the sushi turned out to be absolutely delicious. Hands down, the best sushi I’ve ever had. The Creamy Garlic Roll was so fresh I could almost taste the plankton the tuna had no doubt devoured that afternoon. And the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll, oh my lord. With my first bite, I knew I was in sushi heaven. The scallop and the sauce that covered it melted in my mouth, and permeated my taste buds. They were slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and oh so good. The only negative to this was that the Creamy Garlic Rolls didn’t compare, and I ended up savoring the Scallop Rolls and pushing the tuna aside. Before I knew it, my meal was over. I licked the sauce off the foil and any that had found it’s way to my fingers.

The main reason to go to Miyagi - The Spicy Baked Scallop Roll

The meal ended with another freebie, which turned out to be a great finish: orange fruit that you eat with a toothpick. It’s simple, but it goes a long way in ensuring that this place remains a favorite for me. Despite the heavy cost, the freebies, the cleanliness, and most importantly the freshness of the sushi makes this the perfect place to choose when you have a sushi craving. And trust me, when you pay a visit to Miyagi, you’ll be having sushi cravings a lot more often.

The perfect end to a delicious meal

Food: 9.5/10

Service: 8.5/10         

Décor: 9/10

Overall: 9.2/10

Important Notes: Do not be off put by the service at first. By the second time we had gone to the restaurant, the service had suddenly become much better. We were treated as regulars, and the servers even remembered what we had ordered before and joked around with us.

Try: Spicy Baked Scallop Roll, Volcano Roll

And now...it's time for RB's review (the real deal)!

            As a sushi lover, I’ve visited many sushi bars and restaurants in the DC area. I’m not particularly picky when it comes to sushi, either—I don’t think I’ve ever left one of my usual spots with any complaints. My first dinner trip to Miyagi definitely set my standards higher, though! 

            I had been into the restaurant for a quick lunch a few weeks back, but when I went in with Ali, I took time to take in the entire Miyagi experience. The restaurant is small, but it feels spacious. The place was packed when we sat down for dinner, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable, noisy, or cramped (as is usually the case at similar sushi bars in the region.) The atmosphere was busy, but relaxed—I really enjoyed that aspect of Miyagi. The décor of the restaurant is simple, with several woodblock prints lining the walls. The sushi bar itself appears very modest, looking almost like a tiny kitchen in your average apartment. For me, the effortlessness of Miyagi’s layout and design was one of its winning qualities, particularly considering the excellence of its food.

Disturbing

            I ordered the Sushi Regular dinner special—this consisted of seven pieces of sushi and six California rolls (along with a cup of miso soup and the restaurant’s spicy tofu appetizer). The miso soup was somewhat average, and the spicy tofu at any sushi joint has never been my favorite, but the main course of my meal was outstanding. The fish itself was the freshest I think I have ever tried, and certainly a notch above anything I’ve eaten. The unagi sushi (eel) was undoubtedly my favorite of the sushi pieces—cooked perfectly, with a softness but a good, flaky texture. I found myself wanting more of the eel and regretting ever having turned my nose up at this dish when I was younger. The California rolls were also remarkably fresh—they were cold, flavorful, and satisfying. I cleared my plate completely, down to the last bits of roe and rice that had fallen from the rolls. When our waitress brought us the check, she also left us with Miyagi’s signature dessert—two orange halves for me and Ali! The orange was sweet and cold—the perfect ending to an already wonderful dinner.

I would rather have the Baked Scallop Rolls 

            My only issues with Miyagi are somewhat petty ones. I tend to use a lot of wasabi when I’m eating sushi, and the water glasses that our waitress brought were small. The water was lukewarm and gone very, very quickly. (Our waitress also gave Ali a bigger glass than me, even though it was only filled half-way.) Our service wasn’t anything spectacular, but I haven’t seen much better at any sushi restaurant I’ve visited. The waitress didn’t talk to us, except to take our orders. She brought the food and the check without a word to me or Ali, but we ended up agreeing that the quality of what we ate made up for that. The major downside to Miyagi was its cost. I honestly didn’t mind paying $16.95 for my delicious combo, but the huge price gap between the lunch and dinner menus was surprising. I felt as though I had gotten more food when I came in for lunch, even though that meal had cost me a full five dollars less.

***UPDATE: Ali and I ended up returning to Miyagi two more times during the week of our first visit. We just couldn't get enough! In the words of food fool Ali Haq, Miyagi sushi "is what Heaven tastes like." I'd say that statement is pretty accurate.

On my second trip, I tried the Baked Scallop Roll that Ali had ordered the first time around. Delicious roll with even more delicious sauce. I was dipping pieces of sashimi in it to get more of the flavor once the rolls themselves were gone. The scallop on top of the roll was soft and succulent; paired with the warm avocado inside the roll, the whole thing just melted in your mouth. Heaven indeed.

 How could I not try the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll?

Third Miyagi stop, we went for the restaurant's Volcano Roll. This thing looked like some type of strange crustacean from another planet...weird comparison, but no other appropriate description comes to my mind (see photo below and try coming up with one yourself). Despite its odd appearance, the Volcano was fabulous. Under a few layers of fried noodles drizzled with sauce, there were about eight large rolls. These tasted somewhat fried, like tempura had been placed inside each piece and cushioned in creamy avocado. As with the Baked Scallop, this was a melt-in-your-mouth experience! The sauce on the dish was also spectacular. The top layer had a very spicy sauce, and the bottom of the plate was covered in a sort of teriyaki glaze. Yum!

 The Volcano Roll...a sight for the eyes for sure

For this trip, our service was a million times better than it was the first time. The waitress recognized us and mentioned multiple times how much she appreciated our return! She was very kind to us and paid much more attention to me and Ali. Thank you, waitress with the pink lipstick! Your service score is getting a boost from me.

SO NOW, for my rating!

Food: 9.7/10

Service: 8.5/10         

Décor: 9.2/10

Overall: 9.3/10

****I LOVE RB
*****Please note that Ali was responsible for the photo captions and the second update. Thank you for reading our blog, and look out for more reviews from your two favorite Food Fools!