SUSHI, SUSHI!

As most students know by now, the food served in IU's dining halls is not quite gourmet. Neither is the food that students who live off-campus try to cook for themselves. And no matter how hard the movie "Animal House" tries to convince you otherwise, pizza gets old really fast. So if you're looking for a colorful dinner alternative, try sushi. \nSushi can be traced back to the 4th century B.C. when rolling raw fish with fermented rice and seasoning was used as a way to preserve the fish. Since then, different types of fish have been rolled with a variety of vegetables and spices in order to create tasty combinations, and sushi rolls have become a favorite all over the world and in Bloomington.\nTo break away from your boring food routine and try some exotic sushi, check out:\nAsuka\nAsuka is a Japanese restaurant that Michelle Zhou, an employee, describes as "a good place to party" because it can accommodate large groups in the hibachi section, and the sushi bar and sake bombing attract lots of students. \nThe front part of the restaurant is a sushi bar and the back is for the hibachi; but no matter where you sit, you can still sample the sushi. \nSome of the most popular rolls are the California roll, which has crab meat, cucumber and avocado wrapped with rice; the shrimp and pepper roll, which has deep-fried shrimp wrapped with pepper and the spicy tuna roll, which has a special spicy sauce. They're also known for their specialty rolls, but those tend to be more expensive, Zhou said.\nNext month Asuka will be starting its All-You-Can-Eat sushi special, a deal they have only when the students are in town. The special allows you to order as much sushi as you want all day every Monday-Thursday for $15.95 per person. The restaurant also has carry-out. \nAsuka is located at 318 S. College Mall Rd.\nDomo\nDomo is one of campus' closest neighbors. Located on Third Street, the Japanese restaurant feeds lots of hungry students, especially during lunch time and exam weeks.\nThe restaurant's most popular sushi items include the Domo roll, which is a crab meat roll with a spicy sauce; the California roll and anything with eel. The more "Americanized" fried rolls, which usually contain shrimp, scallops or crab, are also popular, said Ava Orth, an employee at Domo.\nThe atmosphere in the restaurant is only somewhat formal and Domo is "catered more towards students," Orth said. In addition to sushi and a full menu of entrées, Domo gives students the opportunity to reserve their karaoke machine and has recently updated their menu with new mixed drinks containing sake and different fruit juices. They also have carry-out. \nDomo is located at 1500 E. Third St.\nMikado\nMikado is "best known for the variety and freshness of (its) sashimi," according to Dixon Hollis, the head server. For those who are not yet sushi connoisseurs, sashimi consists of raw filets of fish.\nThe restaurant particularly prides itself on the freshness of its fish, and the selection of sashimi on the menu depends on what is fresh. The menu offers 23 different kinds of nigiri, which is raw fish on rice, and 26 kinds of sushi rolls. \nWhile the sashimi is most popular with experienced diners, many of the rolls are favorites as well. The spider roll, which is made mainly of soft shell crab, and the sun roll, which is made of salmon, tuna and crab rolled together in soy paper and fried, are some of the best-loved.\nFor the "discriminating sushi person," Mikado serves uni, which is sea urchin. Since this dish is a delicacy, they are only able to serve it when they can get the special urchin.\nIn addition to the raw dishes, Mikado has a full menu of cooked entrées and appetizers.\nThe restaurant, which is located off of College Mall Road in The Shoppes, serves a wide range of clientele, and welcomes people of all ages to come try sushi.\n"We have lots of regulars," Hollis said. "We have professors, families and students come in."\nMikado is located at 895 S. College Mall Rd.\nSushi Bar\nSushi Bar, which is located at 2522 E. Tenth St., across from Tulip Tree Apartments, is another one of campus' neighbors. It has a wide variety of menu items as well.\n"Most people choose to order rolls or sashimi," Andy Chan, the manager, said. \nTheir most popular rolls are the spicy tuna and spicy shrimp rolls, the crazy roll, which consists of tuna, salmon and white fish rolled together, deep fried and served with a spicy sauce, and the rainbow roll, which has avocado, crab, cucumber and different types of fish. Chan recommends getting the combination plates of sushi and sashimi because you can get multiple rolls and filets for a cheaper price. They also offer cooked entrées.\nSushi Bar has a casual atmosphere that attracts students. Groups of five people or more can eat in a private room, and if you bring five people with you on your birthday, your dinner is free. \n-- Staff Writer Carrie Ritchie is a recent convert to the wonders of sushi (even though she's still a little picky). Get ahold of her at ccritchi@indiana.edu.