Grade: A-
When I heard that a sushi restaurant was opening in downtown Phoenix, my heart skipped a beat. I am a sushi connoisseur and couldn’t wait to try this new treasure right down the street from where I live on campus, on McKinley and Third streets.
My initial dining attempt failed, due to the long wait-list on the grand opening night. I returned the next day around 5:30 p.m. — the perfect time because it had just opened, and we were the only diners in the restaurant. We were seated at a table that was immaculately set, complete with charming chopstick holders.
I went with a group of four people, but if I had gone with less, I definitely would have preferred to sit at the sushi bar. The sushi bar provides a great view of the kitchen and where the sushi is made. You also can chitchat with the sushi chefs, who are known to give sushi-bar diners free samples.
I was impressed with the menu. It had unexpected flavor combinations I had never seen before. According to their website, Moira pairs “traditional Japanese aesthetics with new refreshing flavors and textures to create a unique and vibrant dining experience with endless boundaries.”
The group I was with ordered the Jade roll, Philadelphia roll, Sunshine roll, Spicy Tuna roll and Aioki roll. I was familiar with the Philly and Spicy Tuna roll because they are fundamental sushi rolls. I also was familiar with the Sunshine roll because it is my favorite roll of all time. I had only seen it on the menu at one other sushi place, so I was excited to try it at Moira; I had high expectations for this roll in particular.
My sister ordered from the “Hot Kitchen” portion of the menu, which I had never seen offered at other sushi restaurants. The Hot Kitchen menu offers bowls for those who are not feeling sushi. Diners can choose from about a dozen bowl choices, each offering different vegetables and sauces. There is also the option of adding chicken, beef, shrimp or scallops to these bowls. My sister ordered the Hoisin Ginger bowl with scallops, and it was delicious.
As for the sushi, the Jade roll (soft shell crab, masago, cucumber, drizzled with Thai spice, eel sauce and avocado on top) and Philadelphia roll (salmon, cucumber and cream cheese) were at our table five minutes after we ordered them, so I appreciated the fast service. Before we were done with our first two rolls, the rest came out. The Spicy Tuna roll was just how I like it: spicy, but not too spicy. The Aioki roll (snow crab, lotus, avocado, cucumber, topped with ahi tataki and wasabi mayo) was good but not my favorite roll because I felt there were too many components. I also do not like wasabi, and it was a very pronounced flavor in this roll. The Sunshine roll (spicy salmon, cucumbers, lemon slices, topped with salmon) did not disappoint and exceeded my expectations.
The prices at Moira are reasonable, and the restaurant is very clean and organized. The atmosphere is chill, the service, fast and friendly. My only complaint about the service was that the waitress was not very familiar with the menu. When I am ordering sushi, I like to know what every component in a roll is. For example, when I asked her what the lotus was in many of the rolls, she did not know. She also did not know which bowls used spicy sauces as opposed to mild or sweet ones. I would have liked our waitress to be more familiar with the food on the menu because I had never heard of a lot of it.
Overall, I really liked Moira Sushi. I am sure that the time one chooses to go affects the overall dining experience, so I definitely suggest going early. I loved the sushi, and I definitely plan on returning.
Contact the critic at beth.wischnia@asu.edu
