Heeding the warnings of Chef Bourdain, we chose Tuesday evening for our fish experience. Usually I go to Yosaku for sushi — it’s close to home and I’m never disappointed. But that all changed when I arrived for a pre-derby practice dinner and was told they don’t open until 5 p.m. So I took my business up the street to King of the Roll, where I found even better sushi. And although it was only 4:15 p.m. and the venue opened at 4:30 p.m., they welcomed me and chef boyfriend in.
The amiable atmosphere continued with the itamae (that’s Japanese for sushi chef) asking how we were as he chopped away. Later, John Wayne himself (King of the Roll’s owner legally changed his name to John Wayne) came by the table to ensure we were having a good dining experience.
When asked if we’d like to sit inside or out, we eagerly took a seat on the patio. I pass that patio with the giant rainbow umbrellas everyday on my way home from work and had planned to visit for ages, but hesitated because of my loyalty to Yosaku.
Hesitate no more. King of the (Temaki) Roll’s sushi is divine. The rice in our maki and temaki rolls was still warm as if it had just been cooked, and the fish was fresh and warm too. Garnished with tobiko (the little orange fish eggs), my temaki was easily the best I’ve had in town. And the seaweed salad was so good I had to slap chef boyfriend’s chopsticks away. He ordered a caterpillar roll and a rainbow roll, which he raved about until I had a taste to confirm.
And no sushi dinner is complete without saké. We prefer to order the largest carafe of unfiltered saké in addition to a few glasses of plum wine and a beer or two. They serve four choices of Ozeki saké, along with the run-of-the-mill wine choices and Sapporo and Kirin beers.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, we were serenaded by the blasting of Motley Crue’s “Kickstart my Heart” from a giant Ford truck waiting for the traffic light, and later by Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” for which the newest diners joined in. Who said romance is dead?
I do have one eensy complaint — there were no plastic chopsticks. I don’t touch raw wood — I know it’s quirky and somewhat ridiculous. (It’s a phobia, leave me alone!) So until the King purchases non-wood chopsticks, I’ll continue to bring my plastic ones from home or use the dreaded fork.
King of the Roll is located at 675 Congress Street in Portland and open for lunch Monday-Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and for dinner Sunday-Thursday from 4:30-9:30 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from 4:30-10 p.m. Call 828-8880.