JournalStar.com - Ground Zero Online

Sushi Ichiban becoming an Omaha tradition
By Jeff Korbelik
Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 - 06:26:45 pm CDT

Editor's note: Ground Zero is embarking on road trips this month to visit restaurants in nearby communities, but close enough for an evening meal on a hot summer night.

The new, hip Blue Sushi Sake Grill in west Omaha has generated quite a dining buzz.

Yet when people talk about eating sushi in the metro, it's Sushi Ichiban that tends to be mentioned most.

Open since 1986, the Japanese restaurant has become a mecca of sorts for sushi lovers such as myself.

Lincoln has three quality sushi restaurants Wasabi, Shogun and the new Kabuki but none of them has the tradition or history of Sushi Ichiban.

Here diners will find seasoned sushi chefs who take as much pride in preparing their dishes as serving them to guests that have included the likes of Matthew Broderick, his wife Sarah Jessica Parker, ZZ Top and the late John Denver.

Located at 80th and Dodge streets in the can't-miss steeple-like building, Sushi Ichiban is run by Ikuo "Tony" Asanuma, who took over in 1989.

Asanuma got his start at a Japanese restaurant in New York, where he discovered a passion for sushi.

And it shows.

Yes, there are traditional sushi and maki (rolls) offerings, but the eatery has added several unique twists to its menu, such as the Nebraska Roll (beef, scallions, spicy sauce) and the Tijuana Roll (tuna, avocado, jalapeno and cilantro).

Dining companions who joined me for a Friday lunch raved about the Tijuana Roll. The cilantro provided a nice complement to our wasabi-laced soy sauce.

For those who have never tried Japanese food, Asanuma suggests one of Sushi Ichiban's dinners in a box, which provides the inside-out California roll, tempura and choice of chicken, fish or salmon teriyaki. It's served with soup, salad, rice and fruit.

Sushi Ichiban has extensive lunch and dinner menus, with several appetizers, entrees and sushi combinations (for those who don't want to work too hard at ordering) to choose from.

Appetizers range from $6 to $8, while dinner entrees cost between $11 and $17. The box dinners are reasonably priced at around $13. The sushi combos start at $11.95.

We were more adventurous and went straight for the pencils to mark our orders from the large sushi menu, which includes a variety of fresh fish, ranging from shrimp to yellowtail to cooked octopus and sea eel.

We tried a variety, working our way from the basic California Roll (avocado and imitation crab, $3.95) to the more complex Tijuana Roll ($8.50).

Other rolls we enjoyed were the Dragon Roll (eel, avocado, $12.95), Manhattan Roll (yellowtail, tobiko, avocado, $8.95) and the Spider Roll (soft shell crab, avocado, $12.95).

We also sampled sushi orders of fresh tuna ($2.50 each) and salmon ($2.50 each).

My companions and I ventured to the restaurant during a busy Friday lunch and found our service to be great. Little things such as using hot hand towels to start the meal were nice touches.

As I mentioned before, Lincoln has several quality sushi places. But if you're planning an Omaha excursion, include Sushi Ichiban in the itinerary.

Those who have been there know what I'm talking about.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@;journalstar.com.

Dining Out

Sushi Ichiban

8035 W. Dodge Road

Omaha

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Japanese, sushi

Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards

Lunch hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday (closed Mondays in July)

Dinner hours: 5-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday (closed Mondays in July)

Notes: Parking, alcohol, tea rooms, sushi bar