Philadelphia Weekly

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Rollin’ with the homies.

There’s an American habit of taking signature food from another culture, rejecting it and replacing it with our own completely different version of the original. What is a hotdog but a watered-down version of bratwurst? Does Taco Bell strike anyone as authentically Mexican? And just look at what we initially did to beer.

Sushi is no exception. The sushi in Japan is simplistic and unobtrusive. Rolls of nori, single pieces of fish and hand-pressed pillows of rice are preferred. When sushi finally came to the States, we did what we do and flipped it inside out, snaked rolls of three or four different types of fish on our plates, piled them high with bonito flakes, soaked them in sweet soy sauce and even shaved truffles on top. While Americans might be insensitive to other cultures, at least this time it turned out deliciously.

If There Are Three Coins in the Fountain

Izumi (1601 E. Passyunk Ave 215.271.1222) means “fountain” in Japanese—as in the “singing fountain” it sits across from at the heart of Passyunk Avenue. Don’t think a Japanese restaurant in the center of a traditionally Italian neighborhood is a peculiar choice. The good people of Passyunk know quality and Izumi is it. The freshness of their fish is matched only by the sushi chef’s meticulous eye for detail. The Passyunk Ave. roll—spicy crab salad heaped on top of a tightly wrapped crispy tempura shrimp—is an ode to the neighborhood and just one of many highlights on their signature menu. F B S I

If Your Angel Is a Centerfold

Morimoto (723 Chestnut St. 215.885.2326) recently won a place on Playboy’s coveted list of “America’s 10 Best Sushi Spots” and for good reason: The sushi rolls, simply made and simply named (yellowtail-scallion, shitake mushroom or tuna) are of superior quality and freshness. They’re the reason you’ll need to put this Iron Chef at the top of one of your own personal lists. Believe us, Heff knows fresh. F S

If It’s Hip to Be Square

The duo of chefs at Zento (138 Chesnut St. 925.9998) in Old City both found their sushi stride under the tutelage of culinary rock star Masharu Morimoto. Their outside-the-box thinking was nourished at Morimoto’s and flourished after opening their own tiny sushi shop where they returned to the box with square sushi, Zento’s signature roll that includes sweet eel and buttery avocado with plum paste on the inside and your choice of tuna or salmon and a sweet and spicy glaze on top. F B S I

If You’re Fonzworth

One thing Pod (3636 Sansom St. 215.387.1803) desperately needs is some attention to design- maintenance detail. Scuffed chairs and stained walls don’t serve the sushi here well. Especially when serving something called the Bentley Roll, made of toro, seared Kobe beef and scallions topped with ponzu gelee and gold leaf for $29. And Pod’s rich signature lobster tempura roll with uni and a teriyaki-truffle sauce deserves a better setting. The sushi is superb, but if you’re pushing a Bentley, it better have a great paint job. F S I K

If People Are Strange

The breadbox-sized Shinju Sushi (930 Locust St. 215.351.6265) near Thomas Jefferson Hospital is a quirky little sushi counter. Eccentric rolls like the Dancing Vampire—made up of crunchy cucumber, asparagus, tuna, salmon and a spicy sweet chili sauce—or the vegetarian Old School roll of cucumber, avocado, fried onion, broiled shitake, scallions and a spicy sauce are just two of the many out-of-the-ordinary rolls you’ll find here. F B S I

If You’re Coming Down the Mountain

What’s great about Center City’s Fuji Mountain (2030 Chestnut St. 215.0939) is its reliability. The quality of the rolls like the Volcano (eel and cucumber with a spicy giant clam sauce) or the more typical Alaskan roll (salmon, avocado and cucumber) are excellent day in and day out. And their service always comes through in the clutch. We like to call them the Chase Utley of sushi bars. F S