Photos by Evie Carpenter
Grade: D+
Tucked in the Arizona Center, KoKoRo Sushi and Noodle Bar officially opened last week at an optimal location for Phoenix businesspeople and students.
I was eager to try this affordable Asian restaurant. The downtown Phoenix eatery offers an all-day menu comprised of salads ($2.50-$9), sushi ($4.50-$9), noodles ($7-$11), and sashimi ($8). The lunch combos served midday are an excellent deal at $8.50.
As I walked in with my fellow cuisine enthusiasts, we were inundated with radio commercials blasting from the sound-system. The high top tables gave a somewhat sleek appearance though the restaurant was otherwise bare. For being an Asian restaurant, the decoration was relatively nondescript.
When we approached the counter to order, I was a little distracted by the open storage area, which contained stacked food containers. I greeted the cashier and he muttered a response and backed away from the register. Because the place has just opened, the servers were hesitant, which is understandable.
While they say they serve green tea, they did not have any brewing for lunchtime. So instead, we opted for iced teas. However, there was no ice in the machine so I pointed this out to the server after we ordered and waited at the table for the ice dispenser to be refilled.
The sushi and noodle bar takes pride in quick service. Only having to wait for 10 minutes was convenient and appreciated, but this did not compensate for the lackluster meals that followed.
One of my restaurant companions ordered the Seaweed Salad and Tuna Roll. The salad was light and refreshing, but the sushi roll was simply just a tasteless chunk of fish. This was acceptable, though somewhat dissatisfying.
Because the head server recommended either the Pad Thai or Yakisoba, I ordered the latter. Yakisoba is a stir-fry noodle dish that comes with the choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp along with cabbage and onions. The shrimp was standard tasting, but could not be fully appreciated amongst the slimy noodles. The best part of the meal was the cup of water to wash out the taste.
Another person I dined with ordered the Chicken Teriyaki, one of the lunch combos offered. This is a hefty sized meal with four pieces of the California Roll, three pieces of mixed Tempura vegetables, a house salad and rice. The sushi was a disappointment as there was only a sliver of imitation crab, but the light teriyaki glaze on the chicken redeemed the flavor of the dish. Also, the squash tempura was crispy and tasty when coupled with the dipping sauce.
While we were waiting for our food, we were almost served the wrong plate. Similarly, I saw a woman next to me served a plate, and as she was getting ready to eat, the server came back to tell her she had served it to the wrong table. The waitress took the plate across the room and set in front of the correct person.
I had to get up and ask for ice two times during the meal. It wasn’t until we were getting close to finishing that we asked for our money back for the teas, instead of having to ask for a third time since the ice never came.
Though KoKoRo might appeal to those who want a laid back sushi experience, this was too negligent for me and too draining on my wallet. I was not impressed, and neither was my dining cohort.
“It was the Arby’s of sushi,” she said.
And that’s being generous.
Contact the critic at mgrichar@asu.edu
