I’ve heard great things about Sushi Hai for years, and I have always liked the simple décor and dimly lit Asian den type of atmosphere.  The place is actually huge; the dining area is multi-level, and then there’s the HaiBar, entered next door and located down below street level, which is always noisy at night and during happy hour.  I was much happier to be seated in the dining area.

As for the food, I can sum it up fairly easily: delish.  For starters, we ordered short ribs with tempura-battered onion rings and gyoza dumplings.  The dumplings were crisp at the edges and soft ground pork on the inside, with a light, salty dipping sauce; perfectly done.  The short ribs fell right off the bone, with surprisingly large helpings of rib meat, cooked to perfection and glazed in a spicy-sweet sauce that leaves you licking your fingers while considering a second plate.  I loved the tempura onion rings – they’ve got to be the only ones I’ve ever had with crisp onion inside that did not come sliding out of the batter casing all in the first bite.

All of the sushi ordered was beautifully presented and rolled firmly so that it did not fall apart when picked up – the hallmark of an real sushi chef.  Delicate, thin-sliced veggies, sushi grade fish and artful preparation made the slightly steeper cost easy to swallow.  Our favorite was the Mile Hai Roll (Spicy salmon and cucumber topped with hamachi, avocado, green onion, sesame seeds and a yuzu soy dressing) for $14.  The veggie roll was also a refreshing take, with sweet pickled gourd and avocado.

All in all, it was worth it to be patient and finally try Sushi Hai.  I will go on those nights earlier in the week when it’s not so crowded, but I know I will always enjoy the food here.  It is clear that the cuisine is consistently yummy and the service is great.  Sushi Hai is definitely deserving of its popularity!