Restaurant of the Month: Fusion Sushi

South Bay Events presents its pick of the month for October 2011!

Try doing a Google search for “sushi” plus any one of the beach cities of the South Bay and a search list (in a very calibrated order) spills out onto a computer screen, usually with tripadvisor.com or Yelp leading the charge. The list is littered with web addresses that begin with phrases like “eat-sushi” or “best-sushi”, sites that act like opinion leaders but are just really large traffic nets for junkyard websites praying for a click. Next time, just type in the words “Fusion Sushi”, it’s probably not the most glamorous or hip sushi spot in the South Bay, but it has something that’s hard to find: fresh sushi and a diverse menu that won’t break the bank.

Fusion Sushi in Hermosa Beach is located in a tiny plaza near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Pier Avenue, parking can be scarce but that’s why there’s an overflow lot behind the plaza. Sit in a comfy, red colored booth, a table for four, or cozy up the sushi bar. Inside the tone is a bit dark with three big screen TVs dotting the walls (usually showing a game) and there’s always a lunch or dinner special. Take a minute to digest the menu, it features a large assortment of sushi & tempura roll creations that stay within the bounds of credible sushi experiments, various teriyaki style dishes, noodles, and BBQ beef ribs. Hence the name “Fusion”, it’s a menu that has something for everyone, even the person that hates the notion of raw fish.

The sushi pieces are consistently fresh, try the yellowtail, salmon, toro (fatty tuna), or mackerel for an affordable price of $2.99, even cheaper during happy hour Monday through Thursday (usually 5:00p-7:00p). Surprisingly, the most refreshing sushi roll on the menu is wrapped in cucumber, the Hawaiian Roll, with tuna, crab, and avocado in the middle, it goes down smooth. The tempura rolls are a touch on the heavy and sweet side but make for a good appetizer to share with others. The hand rolls are large enough to kill the last pang of hunger that sometimes go unfulfilled during a sushi meal.

Don’t expect to hear the “kerplunk” of sake bombs here, Fusion Sushi is a causal experience that caters to a host of flavors and family members looking for a simple but reasonably priced sushi experience. Fusion Sushi is located at 1200 P.C.H. in Hermosa Beach and the phone number is (310) 318-2781.