Sushi 101

Open daily but closed from 2:30-4:30 M-F

Located at 4480 23rd Ave. S #C, ‎101 Sushi Bar and Korean BBQ is the only table-top Korean BBQ restaurant in Fargo. I arrived at the restaurant at noon on a Monday and was surprised to see an empty parking lot. Upon walking into the entryway my ears were filled with upbeat Asian pop music.

Dining room

A friendly hostess greeted me and led me to a table near the Korean BBQ area. I started to chat with my server, and learned the owner, Lili, opened the restaurant in 2010. I asked about the empty dining room, and she said Mondays were typically the slowest lunch days.

My two old roommates, Alexis and Emily, arrived as I was quizzing her about customers' favorite sushi rolls. She informed us that the most popular roll is the Volcano for $13.95- tempura fried with tuna, white fish, and avocado, served with tobiko eel sauce, and mayo- or any of the other Chef's Special rolls. 

Having dined here only once before, I needed a refresher of their menu. Alexis, a sushi fan, suggested the lunch special: 2 regular rolls + miso soup or salad for $8.99. "They have the best sushi in Fargo and it's the cheapest," she added making me excited to try the Alaska and spicy yellowtail rolls. Emily ordered the chicken tempura because "The thought of eating raw fish grosses me out," she said. 

When the miso soup arrived, Alexis mentioned, "I like their miso, but it doesn't have seaweed in it." This was the only restaurant that didn't have seaweed in their miso, but it still tasted good. 

Spicy yellowtail and Alaska rolls 

Just after the waitress cleared away our soup bowls, she brought our sushi. 12 oversized pieces appeared on the plate before me. Alexis brought my attention to the ginger and mentioned, "It basically tastes the same, but it's pickled so it's not pink like most ginger."

After finishing our delicious meals,and paying the bill, I asked the waitress to thank the chefs for their outstanding sushi. She added that the two chefs have trained for over 12 years perfecting both the BBQ and sushi styles of preparation.

I would definitely recommend Sushi 101 to anyone looking for a great lunch under $10. I am hoping to try the Volcano Roll on my next visit and to eventually coax Emily into trying a California Roll.