As a result, I ended up eating (and paying for) the finest sushi in Los Angeles. I returned to Bellingham a sushi snob but was pleasantly surprised with the number of good (even by LA standards) sushi places that have sprung up in recent years.

There are a lot of so-so and bad sushi joints in Seattle. Bad is first clearly defined by the freshness of ingredients, ever so important when you’re dealing with raw fish. If you’re a sushi aficionado, you can power through some strong smelling/tasting salmon or yellowtail but if you’re a bit squeamish in the first place, you’d best go for the good stuff.

Good starts with freshness, but extends far beyond that. A good sushi restaurant offers some creativity and uniqueness with their rolls in combinations of ingredients and the use of sauces. You expect the old standbys like California or Spicy Tuna, but what are the house specialties? Presentation, although some would argue has nothing to do with the flavor of the food, starts pushing a sushi restaurant from good to great. This is Japanese food, after all, and one would expect some attention to detail. There is a certain amount of novelty watching plates pass by on a conveyor belt but that is fast food sushi without art or class.

Moshi moshi qualifies by anyone’s standards, Los Angeles or otherwise. Unique combinations with local names like "Alaska" or "Mt. Baker" offer the frequent sushi consumer a splash of something new and original. The use of macadamia nut in a sushi roll was refreshing, but also an observance of the yin and yang philosophy: complementary pairings of contrasting flavors and textures. Sauces are used lightly and complement the natural flavors of the dishes instead of compensating or covering up what they lack. Presentation was exceptional, with an arrangement of rolls with a salmon top facing the outside to make an "orange flower". Freshness goes without saying in this case, the fish being faultless.

Be aware that the quality of Moshi Moshi is no secret, and peak times can mean long waits. Quality sushi takes time to prepare and it will not come at the lightening speed one comes to expect, so bring your patience as well.

Written By: Glen Berry

Features
Dinner  |  Lunch

Comments
I was astounded by the prices and the amount of food that was served. I can't imagine how they could justify charging the prices that they do in a "cafe style" diner. Their decorations were 1 dying plant, and some seashells. The food was very mediocre. I have had better quality. However, they are do put very unconventional items in their sushi. Is that a good thing? Not when you want authentic Japanese cuisine. I will never go back again unless I felt my wallet was too full.
- L Lee on Fri, September 14, 2007

Mshi moshi has been wonderful, I grew up in Colorado, not a big fish eater except for cooked trout and our idea of seafood is red lobster...not fresh! so it has taken a while to get used to, but since moving to bellingham, nothing has been tastier than moshi moshi! the service has been decent at times and it has been wonderful at times. I have also many times gotten the chicken teriyaki, absolutely wonderful tatse! I am a frequent diner there(2 times a month) AND WILL KEEP COMING BACK!
- peter on Wed, August 22, 2007

Moshi Moshi is truely the best Sushi in town! I have tried them all and always come back to Moshi Moshi. Aaron is fantastic and so is Amy. I have never had bad service and always fantastic customer service. I am hooked and so are my children and we would not dream of eating sushi anywhere else.
- cindy riley on Sun, February 25, 2007

I have never tried the sushi here, but went in with a friend for teriyaki for lunch one day. I realize they are primarily a sushi bar, but when a restaurant offers cooked food on the menu it needs to actually be cooked. The rice was a pile of mush, the noodles in the yakisoba were still crunchy, and the chicken was so underdone that it was still tacky and somewhat translucent rather than tender and opaque. On top of this, it took literally over an hour to get our undercooked food and we were the only people in the place! We would have walked out, but we had no time to gamble on somewhere else. Our letter of customer complaint went unanswered as well, though we had requested some sort of contact from the owner or manager. I like sushi and this place has a couple of good reviews, but I will never return to try it due to poor customer service and the terrible quality of the cooked food we ultimately ordered but could not eat.
- Crystal on Fri, February 16, 2007

I'm really picky about my sushi, but I really do enjoy this place. They can be a bit on the slow side, but if it takes ages, they'll often bring you some free edamame (sp?). The Crispy Alaka is fantastic, and if you're a bit on the adventurous side, I would recommend the Uni-Temp. However, my all-time favorite is the Mt. Baker's. They've got plenty of terikai's, soups, and noodles for the non-sushi type as well, so it's a good place to bring a diverse group of people.
- Lillian Nelson on Wed, January 18, 2006

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