Ahead of Schedule and Extra-Spicy, Sushi Zushi Delivers

Photos by Elizabeth Bair

​Each week in 'Knockers' we order from a different delivery restaurant, assessing their efficiency and keeping a running score.

Sushi Zushi
3858 Oak Lawn Ave.
Dallas, TX 75219
214-522-7253

Promised delivery time: 60 minutes
Actual delivery time: 40 minutes

Scoring summary:
Having my favorite food delivered: 25
Knowledgeable staff with good recommendations: 10
Fresh sashimi: 30
Five-alarm fire in my mouth: 20
Restaurant-worthy presentation in a takeout container: 10
Early delivery: 10
Breaking my mayo obsession: -13

Total Score: 92

Lately I haven't been in the mood to cook, so I've been ordering a lot of delivery and takeout. After eating sub-par pizzas and lukewarm Thai food all week, I was about to cook up a mean broiled chicken and some broccoli the other night just so I could say I ate something healthy this week. Alas, when I came home from work, I was exhausted, and the thought of trekking back out to Albertson's or Whole Foods was enough motivation to order another crappy pizza. I started to peruse the Internet when I remembered that a Sushi Zushi delivery guy had been at my apartment complex earlier this week. The mere thought of sashimi was enough to make me drool, so I found a menu online and planned my feast.

The Crawfish Dynamite appetizer

​The menu at Sushi Zushi can be overwhelming, especially if you're not in the mood to read a short novel. At seven pages--that's right, seven long pages--the menu offers something for everyone, even if you're too lazy like me to read it and choose to rely on their employees for recommendations. Their Web site has an option for online ordering, but I needed help picking from the extensive menu of both cooked and uncooked items.

The lady who took my order was polite and familiar with the bevy of menu options. Like me, she had a hard time pronouncing "Sushi Zushi," but who wouldn't sound inebriated trying to do so? I'm a fan of super spicy rolls, and she assured me that the Cristina roll--stuffed with spicy yellowtail and topped with escolar (my favorite sashimi), jalapeños, and sriracha sauce--was the spiciest thing on the menu.

Heeeere's dinner!

​ The delivery guy showed up 20 minutes early, and I quickly signed the receipt so I could dig into my sushi and appetizers. First, I delved into the Crawfish Dynamite appetizer, a baked concoction of crawfish and spicy mayo with a sprinkle of masago caviar on top. It was just what a mayo lover like me would have picked, but even I have to admit the dish was heavy on the mayo.

My other appetizer selection was the razor-thinly sliced octopus dressed with cilantro, serrano chiles, sriracha sauce, and yuzu sauce. It was delicate and robust at the same time, and the combination of yuzu, cilantro, and serrano flavors was bold and just what I was craving. Likewise, the Cristina roll had a punch of spicy flavor from the sriracha sauce and jalapeños. The salmon sashimi was fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It was a nice change from the usual delivery options in the area, and, with such an extensive menu, Sushi Zushi ensures I'll have plenty of options for my next order.

2010 Standings (So Far)
Tiff's Treats 97
Sushi Zushi 92
Hong Kong Express 82
Greenz 80
Sal's Pizza 74
Thai 2 Go 72
Chili's 68

See complete 2008-2010 standings here