|
��� One of Ocean City locals� most popular restaurants, OC-Wasabi, is now open every day. A family-centered establishment, it serves up the most delicious sushi in town, and OC visitors and residents simply can�t get enough. When you enter the quaint restaurant, located on the oceanside of 33rd Street, the small, friendly staff immediately greets you. After just one visit, they know your name and your favorite dish. In fact, many regulars order the same tempting items each time they dine at OC-Wasabi, and the loyal staff behind the raw bar begins preparing your preferred selections as soon as they recognize you walking through the door.
��� I was so excited to visit the restaurant for Best Bites because the food is mouth-watering, the staff consists of my close friends, and I always see familiar faces in the intimate dining room. I went there on Tuesday night with my date, Joe, who is a well-versed connoisseur of sushi. Our server, Jenny, greeted us with her beautiful smile and led us to a two-top table next to a bright, colorful aquarium. Barely able to contain our excitement, we immediately ordered an M&M; roll�avocado, cream cheese, eel, shrimp, and crabstick, wrapped in soy paper and deep-fried�and two Sapporos, Japan�s oldest brand of brew. Of course, Jenny, a year-round local who just graduated from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, with a degree in fashion merchandise and buying, also treated us to sake�a warm, alcoholic Japanese drink made from rice.
��� �The overriding theme here at OC-Wasabi is family,� explained Jenny. �Whether related or not, we treat our staff and customers with respect, and we are a close-knit group.� The owner, Kenny, a local celebrity in his own right, cooks up the most sensational recipes while still taking the time to visit and greet each and every table in his dining room. At the L-shaped raw bar, where diners sit and relax for hours, Yo and Alex share the responsibility of preparing some of the freshest ingredients you�ll find anywhere.� As Joe and I satisfied our appetites with the delectable M&M; roll, Jenny informed us that Kenny and Yo wanted to present us with some of their favorite dishes throughout our dining experience. Easy enough. Rather than cross-referencing the menu and selecting from an impressive list of soups, salads, appetizers, sushi a la carte, sushi maki, specialty rolls, noodles, and entrees, we just sat back, relaxed, and let the OC-Wasabi staff spoil us.
��� The first dish to land on our table was a hot fried rice cake with peas, carrots, shrimp, pineapple, and chicken. It was good to the very last bite. Other popular appetizers on the menu include edamame�green soy beans eaten like popcorn, shu mai dumplings (steamed shrimp), miso soup, any dish prepared tempura style, and the sashimi sampler�chef�s choice of raw fish slices. Before we finished our last chopstick-full, Kenny returned with his nightly creation�blackened Rockfish, served with a medley of peppers in a pineapple sauce. Although the menu overflows with items like sashimi, nigiri, and spicy rolls, on any given night the chef�s selections are the ideal treat. When you visit OC-Wasabi, ask your server about fresh specials that might not be featured on the menu.
��� Something about the laid back atmosphere in OC-Wasabi puts customers at ease. It wasn�t long at all before Joe and I were striking up conversations and cracking jokes with nearby tables. Jenny brought us our final dish of the night, a large plate featuring five fresh sushi rolls, plus slices of fresh tuna and salmon, and Roe. The most popular roll is the Ocean City Roll, which is a spicy combination of jumbo lump crabmeat, asparagus, and avocado. One of my favorites is the Chuck Webb Roll�named after a loyal customer and bartender at Seacrets�which consists of cucumber, cream cheese, crabstick, smoked salmon, and eel. Also on our plate was the Cowboy Roll�2 pieces of shrimp tempura and eel�and the Rainbow Roll�cucumber, avocado, crabstick, tuna, salmon, and flounder. The Yum Yum Roll, which is a well-kept secret that is not on the menu, rounded out our sensational meal.
��� OC-Wasabi is open 7 days per week, from noon until 10 p.m. Photographs of locals adorn the walls, along with Japanese d�cor. But OC-Wasabi is not gaudy or overly ornamented. Without reservations, guests stroll into the restaurant from the beach, wearing flip-flops, and feel comfortable in the casual atmosphere. When you leave, expect to have a full tummy and new friendships. For more information, please call (410) 524-7337.
|
