Here we are, stuffing ourselves last night at Golden Bay. To the left is the family of social media maven Karen in Delano. They like it, too.
Last night, I ate until it hurt at Golden Bay Japanese Restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall sushi place at 3811 W. 13th St. that people have been telling me for months to check out. I’m glad I did, because it was delicious. I’m writing a review of the restaurant for this Friday’s Go! section.
But while visiting, I learned of a sushi deal that was so good, it’d be irresponsible of me to wait another second to share it.
When patrons at Golden Bay buy one special sushi roll — a fancy chef’s creation such as the Rainbow roll — they get a more basic roll for free. The special rolls tend to cost $9 0r $10 apiece, but each time a customer orders one, they can choose from one of four more basic rolls, such a California roll or a delicious sweet potato roll, and get it free.
And the basic rolls at Golden Bay aren’t that basic. They’re pretty substantial, and one of the choices — a deep-fried roll called the “Western” — is pretty complicated. Last night, we ordered three special rolls but had six rolls of sushi, and all of them were great.
Many thanks to the several readers who urged me to check this place out. I’m looking forward to writing the review.
Don't let this picture sway your answer. Just because I think Kanai is the star of the west side doesn't mean you have to agree.
The east side of Wichita has Bradley Fair and the Waterfront and the Plazzio, all of which are filled with fancy, popular restaurants that give west side diners an inferiority complex.
It’s well-earned, too. When I tell people that Wichita’s best sushi restaurant, Kanai, is at 119th and Maple, they often respond with a look of bewilderment. “On the WEST side?”
The west side, though, has gained its fair share of interesting, upscale restaurants over the past several years.
My question for this week: Which restaurants can the west side be most proud of? Help us out, Big Ditch neighbors. Perhaps we can teach those fancy Rock Roaders a thing or two.
Answer in the comments section below.
I couldn’t help but notice the big/huge/giant “for sale” sign planted in the lawn of Gindi Thai & Japanese Diner at 7010 W. 21st St. N. when I drove past today.
But owner Roungaroon “Lou” Kumgool said that Gindi is not for sale. The building that Gindi leases, however, is. And although Kumgool has considered moving the business, Gindi still has two years left on its lease, she said.
In other Gindi news, Kumgool is just a few weeks away from opening Dawn Thai Steakhouse & Sushi Bar at 1220 N. Rock Road, in the former Smashburger Space in Derby. The restaurant is 90 percent done, she said, and she plans to open on Feb. 6. Dawn Thai will serve hibachi-grilled steaks, sushi and other “fusion” Asian dishes. The restaurant’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The number of sushi restaurants in Wichita just keeps multiplying. The latest is a second location of Wasabi, which opened last week in the former Bossa Grill space at at 3242 N. Rock Road. It has essentially the same menu as its sister restaurant at 912 E. Douglas, though owners have added a few new appetizers, salads and rolls. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; noon to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and noon to 9:30 p.m. Sundays.
The opening inspires the question of the week: What’s your favorite sushi roll served in Wichita? Describe the roll, and tell us who makes it. To add my two sushi cents: I love love love the Flat Land Dream served at Kanai and featuring a creamy crab center plus scallops, shrimp and cream cheese with a topping of albacore, avocado, tataki sauce, mayo and sriracha.
Let me know you favorite in the comments section below.
Wichita became a much tastier place on Jan. 15, 2010.
That’s the day Kanai, a fabulous sushi restaurant improbably located way out west at 119th and Maple, opened its doors.
The restaurant is celebrating the birthday all month with special cocktails and rolls, including a red snapper rolled in panko, deep fried and topped with spicy tuna. Customers who visit through January also can register to win one of three $50 gift cards, which will be given away on Feb. 1.
In other Kanai news: The restaurant usually is closed on Mondays but will open on Valentine’s Day from 5 to 10 p.m.
If you’ve driven past the old Chi Chi’s building (that’s what longtime Wichitans call it) at 511 S. West St. recently, you might have noticed a bunch of ladders, construction trucks and a new sign promising sushi.
This morning on my way to work, I marched through the double doors and demanded to know the story. I met Liyong Chen, who was busy nailing tree branches to a post in the back of the giant space. The restaurant, called Hibachi Grill Sushi, is another mega-buffet, and it is quite a spectacle. Chen, who also owns Asia Town Buffet at 6160 E. Central, has added a giant fish pond in the middle of the restaurant and disco lights in the ceiling.
He’ll offer sushi, hibachi grilled food, Chinese, Mexican and American from a spread of all-you-can-eat buffet tables.
Chen plans to open Nov. 10, he said, and the restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner.
I’d start fasting now.
Gindi Thai & Japanese Diner at 7010 W. 21st St. is one of those restaurants that I love but never get to.
That’s going to have to change now that the restaurant is adding a Thai and sushi lunch buffet, which will be offered from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays starting on Tuesday.
The buffet will offer a rotating selection of items from the regular menu — about 10 Thai dishes per day, ranging from Pad Thai to drunken noodles. It’ll also include sushi.
The price will be $6.95. Owners are contemplating offering it all day Sundays, too, but haven’t yet decided.
WSU students sample sushi from the new Southern Tsunami Fresh Made Sushi kiosk in the Rhatigan Student Center.
The Rhatigan Student Center at Wichita State University has earned quite the rep on the Wichita food scene, mainly because (as of now) it contains Wichita’s ONLY Chick-fil-A restaurant.
This semester, the RSC (as it’s known among WSU students) added a new dining option to its Copperfield Food Court: Sushi. A kiosk in the center called Southern Tsunami Fresh Made Sushi now sells several varieties of sushi rolls distributed in plastic containers, sort of like what you’d get at Dillon’s.
Attachted to the sushi kiosk is an Indian spot called Masala Asian Grill. It’s not technically new — the center served Indian food from a different, title-less spot last year. But now it has a name and a prime location, right next to the sushi place. So far, both restaurants are proving quite popular with student diners.
Also available in the RSC: Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, made-to-order deli sandwiches, frozen yogurt, fancy coffee and more.
Toni and Danny Shadid of Toni D's
It’s sort of tucked away back near the intersection of Central and Edgemoor, but Carriage Parkway is a hotbed of restaurant deliciousness, from Thai Tradition to El Rodeo.
There’s also Toni D’s a deli and catering shop that turns 23 years old today. Owners Toni and Danny Shadid will celebrate the anniversary on Friday by offering its specials for the same price it did on Sept. 1, 1987, the day it opened. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Toni D’s homemade meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy and corn will sell for $3.99. (It’s $6.99 normally.) Sandwiches and salads also will be $3.99.
Carriage Parkway also was the site of Kobe Japanese Grill, a onetime popular dining destination (and original Carriage Crossing tentant) that closed earlier this year. Now, a new restaurant now is going in the space– Sake Hibachi Grill and Sushi Bar, which is owned by Hong Tao Zhang and Suhua Chen, the same people behind the Asia Town Buffet at 6160 E. Central. No word when it will open, but construction workers are sawing and hammering away as I type.
