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As a relative newbie to Southwest Missouri, I’ve been doing a lot of asking around for recommendations: good burgers, cheap martinis, the best pizza, fabulous sushi. I’ve been jonesing wicked bad for sushi for a while but was holding out to get a consensus on the best place and then and only then would I wage a one-woman war on hand rolls. But with all the build-up, infighting and bickering amongst opinion-givers, I one day just said, “Ahh screw it, we’re going someplace close by.” So my coworker Amy and I sauntered into Izumi Hatake to give their sushi a whirl.
It had not been ranked amongst Springfield’s ‘best’ according to anyone who had opined on the matter, but it had also come up often as being solid, reliable and great for the price.
Sold.
As it turns out, we didn’t get the sushi. Actually, we each got a roll, but it was supplementing our meals from the lunch menu. This was a great idea. The lunch deals are fantastic considering the amount and the quality of the food. Amy had a Bento of terriyaki chicken (you have your choice of meat), salad, rice and a cucumber roll for $7.95. I went with the similar Teppanyaki chicken with rice, stir fried vegetables and a salad for $6.95. Looking back, I should have gotten a different meat so as to contrast the two choices more but hey, what are you going to do.
I really liked my lunch. Everything was fresh, tasty, well-prepared and quick. I am looking forward to going back for the following reasons: to give their sushi an actual fair try and to dive face first into their Tempura Udon. When my fiancé and I were in Japan over the summer, the huge bowl of thick, chewy buckwheat noodles in broth topped with tempura shrimp was our go-to lunch of choice. I’ve been craving it ever since. Perhaps now I can enjoy the piping-hot and hearty soup when the weather merits it, not when it’s 100 degrees outside and we’re in an un-air conditioned Kyoto noodle shop. Izumi Hatake, you heard it here first, I’ll be back.
