Springfield's best sushi rolls

Las Vegas roll at Hinode

Here's a roll that is more than the sum of its parts. When the nice folks at Hinode recommended the Las Vegas roll citing its popularity, I looked at the menu and winced. Smoked salmon, huh? Blecch. I hate smoked salmon. But I smiled, took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. This isn't a round-up of Kerry's favorite sushi rolls, it's what you, the people, love. Suck it up, I told myself, and then waited patiently at the sushi bar, taking short breaths and thinking happy thoughts.

The Las Vegas roll comprises smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber and avocado, wrapped in rice and seaweed and deep fried. At best, the crunch would distract from the salmon. At worst, well, it wouldn't. When I received the roll, I paused — thinking of gravlax and suppressing a gag — and then dove in.

Here's the bad news if you're a big smoked salmon fan: it was incredibly subtle. Here's the good news if you're me: it was freaking delicious. The salmon was added with a light touch, and the creaminess of the avocado and cream cheese was a fantastic counterpart to the crunchy cucumber and fried coating. It was not the daintiest roll in the world, so this is definitely something to share. But the creaminess, the crunch, and the surprisingly delicate flavor of the salmon made this roll considerably more enjoyable than I expected.

Grade: A-
Price: $8.95