To bridge the divide between the fast food drive-through and the sushi bar, Dimond restaurant Haru Sushi serves up dishes styled after popular American chain restaurants. Guests can order rolls themed after Taco Bell, Red Lobster and pizza.
"We came up with all the unique rolls so that they would be more familiar to Americans," manager John Bahn said, "So that they can get familiar with the Japanese culture at their own pace."
When I scoured the menu on my first visit, the selection included traditional rolls like the Vegas roll ($13.95) and crunch roll ($10.95) as well as a variety of salads, sashimi, fried rice and noodle dishes, tempura, katsu, yakisoba and donburi. Then there's the Haru Pizza ($11.95), pilot bread topped with marinated chicken breast, red snapper and mozzarella cheese. The Taco Bell ($12.95) is marinated taco salad and cucumber, topped with guacamole. The Red Lobster ($17.95) has New York steak, cucumber, charbroiled lobster, house-made salsa and butter sauce.
I ordered the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer ($11.95) and the Sexy Roll ($15.95). My appetizer arrived quickly, and the chicken wraps were tasty, but a little ordinary. They lack the spicy, peanut flavoring that accompanies most chicken wraps I've tried and leave something to be desired.
Before the appetizer had even settled, the waitress delivered the Sexy Roll, an appropriate title given the magnificent presentation. A simple concoction of spicy tuna and cucumber was topped with generous chunks of fresh tuna and finished off with fresh avocado. The simplicity of the roll was offset by artistic presentation. It was freckled with sesame seeds and drizzled with a sweet special sauce, along with a helping of chopped onions and red and yellow peppers. It was spicy -- just the way I like it -- and the tuna, which they didn't skimp on, tasted fresh.
On my next visit I picked off of the specials menu, ordering the fish and chips ($13.95). The roll included deep fried halibut, cucumber, avocado and cream cheese inside, with deep fried potato and crunch powder outside. It's all topped off with tartar and special sauces.
The roll arrived with another flawless presentation, and despite the massive size, I finish all but one piece.
The deep fried coating and tartar sauce somewhat mask the authentic halibut flavor, but the roll is true to its name. It genuinely tastes like fish and chips.
I'm impressed by the artistic consideration applied to each dish.
"Sushi is typically a fast-paced environment," Bahn said, "but the way we consider our customers with every roll or dish we make, makes us unique."
A combination of creativity and customer service have already garnered a loyal following for Haru Sushi and the menu's one-off creations are a fitting touch for a restaurant housed in what was once a Pizza Hut.
By Randi Jo Gause
Daily News correspondent