Restaurant Review: Sushi Matsuri

My loss is your gain. After an eventful week, and a 5 hour wait in the emergency room, Shirley and I decided that going home to make dinner wasn't quite enough. We decided we needed some good food and a lot of it. We needed... a sushi boat.

My usual sushi haunt, Miya Sushi is our go-to place. So we went there, ready for that sushi boat we know and love. But... it was dark. Windows papered up. Shit. Luckily, a quick investigation revealed it was just a remodeling.

We still had the problem of needing a sushi boat to fill that hole in our hearts, so we went to Sushi Matsuri right down the street. And we were pleasantly surprised.

Location: In Butler Plaza, right next to Target Copy and Blockbuster.

Atmosphere: Good. It's small and a bit cramped, something I think is a bonus for a sushi place. Japanese lanterns, a lot of wood, and random decorations make for a comfortable atmosphere.

Menu: I'm not going to lie, I didn't examine it as close as I should have. There was only one thing I had my eye on when I walked in. I did notice they had a lot of options. Lots of entrees and appetizers to choose from. The sushi menu seemed about as extensive as any of the other places in Gainesville.

Service: Pretty good. The hostess seemed kind of confused when we walked in needing a table for two. I don't really know why. But the rest was friendly and quick enough that I'm gonna chalk it up to it being late at night and her being tired.

Food: Presentation was good. Very good. And that sushi boat... they pack it full. This is the most impressive boat I've found in Gainesville and at comparable price to the other places. Tons of sashimi and rolls, and huge hand rolls. It was really nice. It also came with wakame so huge props for that. We dove into it, really excited. Unfortunately, I started with the salmon. One piece was actually icy. And the cut really wasn't that good. Luckily, everything else was much better but starting with the salmon made me very critical and inspecting of the rest of the fish. Luckily, it didn't dissapoint and I ended up having a great dinner.

The miso was miso. Not great, just ok. The salad was kinda bleh. I like my ginger dressings to have a bit of sweetness to them, this one really didn't.

Price: Average. I paid 45$ for the sushi boat, which was probably enough food for 3-4. (It provided dinner to two starving people and lunch for one later.)

Overall: 7/10 This is a more than fitting replacement for Miya while it's being remodeled. I would definitely come back, but because of my previous experience with the salmon, I'll probably stick to tuna and other fish.

Restaurant Review: Guthrie's

So I'm drunk sometimes, what of it? There are times when you crave hot, greasy, fried food. And those times are when Guthrie's is damn near perfect.

Where: Corner of South 13th Street and SW 16th Avenue.

Atmosphere: Non-existent. They have booths and chairs. Just go through the drive-through.

Menu: They do one thing, and they do it very well. Chicken fingers. They fry chicken fingers, and will either put them in a box with fries, or put them on a bun and call it a sandwich. When you order, you can ask for a 'box' or a 'sandwich'. If you are morbidly obese, you can order a bucket. The box is six bucks and comes with the fingers, texas toast, fries, and cole slaw. It's what I always get, and it's what keeps me going some nights.

Service: It's fast food. They get the food to you pretty fast. They have not cursed at me so I consider that good service!

Food: Chicken fingers are so, so good. Seriously, they're straight up good chicken fingers. They're hot, moist, and tasty. This is the best fried chicken product in Gainesville.

Overall: It's fast food and drunk food. It serves only chicken fingers. But damn if it doesn't serve the best ones I've ever tasted. 8.5/10