If you are like me, it’s not a matter of when you will go to sushi again but where. With multiple establishments vying for Thurston County’s raw fish dollars it seemed appropriate to visit a few and see how they stack up against each other.
This is not an article attempting to sway you, the reader, to visit one place over another. I am a layperson in the arena of food critiquing. This is merely an observation of multiple sushi joints, my experiences while patronizing them and the differences I see between each.
All of my meals were under $15 before tip. If miso soup was freely offered I gladly partook but otherwise I did not order it. My beverage of choice was water.
Koibito
Centrally located on Sleater Kinney in Lacey, my wife and I went to Koibito for dinner on a weekday. We’ve been there before so it seemed like the best starting point. The décor is traditional with a bar in the back and a large area for restaurant seating. With low lighting and friendly staff it was easy to get comfortable before the miso arrived. Well-prepared fish and rice were served in a professional setting.
Osaka
I attended alone for a quick meal after lunchtime and sat at a very small bar immediately to the left side of the entrance. The lighting at Osaka, on Martin Way, was bright due to large windows and a beautiful summer day. I was feeling indecisive and asked for recommendations but did not reveal that I was on assignment. The only answer I received was that everything is good. I attempted to ask in different ways and heard similar responses each time so I just ordered the same meal that was offered at Koibito. The chef was quick and smooth with his knife work and the fish was tasty. This is one of the few places that did not freely offer miso.
Trappers
Trappers, located on Galaxy Way in Lacey, was the third restaurant I went to and wow, what a difference. Again I attended with my wife. This was by far the most modern styled of all six sushi houses that I experienced. With exposed metal everywhere, rock music playing and no real barriers between sushi bar/actual bar/restaurant seating it felt to me more like a club. The wait staff is very young and ours was having difficulty getting around while carrying food. She was still learning the menu so we were on our own figuring out what to order. While we both enjoyed our sushi, we agreed that the sauces used were applied heavier than we had experienced in the past. The interesting difference was being given edamame (soybeans) instead of miso before our meal arrived.
Sushi Train
Lacey’s Sushi Train is a conveyer style restaurant where you either sit at a bar or in booths connected to the conveyer and pick out what you want to eat. We went for lunch and as soon as we decided what to grab we were eating. It felt like a fast food option compared to the other spots.
I used more wasabi and soy sauce at this restaurant to infuse flavor. It’s a good stop, if you don’t have a lot of time but want a bite of fish.
Aya Sushi
I went alone for an early lunch to West Olympia’s Aya Sushi and was met with very low lighting and extremely friendly staff. The restaurant seating area is large but similarly lit across the room with a bar in the very back. It felt like a fine dining option. The miso was the best I had during the writing of this article and the fish was up to the challenge as well.
Sushi House
My wife and I again used this opportunity to grab dinner at Sushi House, also in West Olympia. We were seated in a booth and while I quickly noticed the bar it took me a while to notice another interesting feature none of the other restaurants had – floor seating. There are only a couple of tables set that way. The ceiling is low and the restaurant is not very large but between the large windows and open space it seemed bigger than it actually is.
