Okina
16209 SE McGillivray Blvd
Vancouver WA 98683
360-896-5731

Disclaimer: All reviews and original content Copyright © Mike Blackwell [remove "nospam." or it won't work] of Oregon Sushi -- All Rights Reserved.

Monday, June 9, 2003

Okina has a cozy atmosphere with three fish tanks atop the center partition, three semi-private dining booths, and Japanese music on the speakers. A television, speakers and microphone sit next to the sushi bar: every night at 9:00 pm is karaoke.

I dined with a friend and ordered the $14.95 Sushi Combo which, according to the menu, included sunomono, green salad, rice casserole, miso soup, and seven pieces of nigiri sushi.

The salad and sunomono were okay, but nothing special. The rice casserole was interesting, kind of a risotto topped with melted cheese. I don't see cheese in many Japanese dishes. The miso soup contained large slices of onion, which tended to overpower the soup base itself.

There were only six pieces of nigiri (not seven, as the menu suggested): maguro, sake, ebi, amaebi, hamachi, and unagi. The maguro, sake and hamachi were very fresh, but the sake wasn't cut cleanly, making it awkward to eat. The pair of cocktail shrimp used for amaebi kept falling off the rice and should have been bound to it with a band of nori. The unagi, despite being bound to the rice, fell apart as I lifted it.

My friend ordered three rolls: the $3.95 spicy tuna, $6.45 tempura shrimp, and $3.25 fresh salmon hand roll. I tried a piece of the first two rolls, and they were good. The hand roll seemed to have a decent amount of salmon in it.

Overall, I give Okina a "B." I was pleased with my meal, but not overwhelmed. It's the smallest $15 sushi combo I've ever had, but the sunomono, salad, casserole and soup help make it more filling.