Like many Midwesterners, I consider myself more of a sushi fanatic than a sushi expert. When going out for sushi, I look for something that is cheap and tastes great, which isn’t always the easiest to find in Creighton’s dining halls.
Blue Sushi and Sake Grill in the Old Market definitely met my requirements in the search for Omaha’s best sushi
destination.
After a five-minute car ride downtown from campus, you will find Blue nestled in with the old brick buildings featured in the Old Market.
Once inside, you are immersed into multiple shades of blue in intricate, modern designs covering the walls and the backsplash of the bar.
For all of you romantics, the left side of Blue features ideal seating arrangements for date night. The rest of the restaurant sectioned to the right is a more open dining area where one can find multiple pictures of the Buddha and other East Asian images that transport you to another world.
The menu features starters commonly found at most Japanese restaurants. I tried the miso soup ($4), which was good, as well as the edamame ($4), which was decent.
Among many other dishes, Blue’s food establishes itself well over the average meal on campus, but it won’t leave your mouth watering for hours to come.
If there’s one thing Blue does right, it is understanding that its customers come
for sushi.
For that reason, all of the various rolls take up an entire side of the menu. At the top they offer special kinds of sushi like nigiri and sashimi dishes, which are served as two to three pieces of larger sushi, costing anywhere from $3-$11.
For those who aren’t scared off by the name, you can order the “Blue Balls” roll ($7) and get four pieces of tempura spicy crab and vegetables.
Next comes the Maki, which usually comes to mind when most people think of sushi. Here, you will find all of the classic sushi rolls such as the California roll, vegetable rolls, shrimp tempura, and other basics found in most sushi restaurants.
Blue offers many originals as well, such as the “Thriller” with its signature spicy thriller sauce, or my personal favorite, the “Hotel Cali,” which is a spinoff of the traditional California Roll.
Order the “Crunchy Red” roll ($10) or “Crunchy Blue” roll ($10), for a Blue-unique roll. They are shrimp tempura rolls coated in red beet crispies or blue
breadcrumbs.
Aside from the food, another great feature at the restaurant is its service.
The service at Blue was welcoming and employees were all smiling and eager to help. The table service was excellent and our sushi was brought to our table in less than 20 minutes.
If you are craving good sushi for a reasonable price, Blue is sure to deliver.
While the restaurant offers great sushi, a cool ambiance and reasonable prices, I felt some of its non sushi dishes fell short, and some rolls tasted bland.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this restaurant. For anyone looking for a break from Brandeis, it is worth making the trip into Old Market.