Yes, Virginia, there are good restaurants Upstate!

We may not always have authentic Japanese here in America and our wasabi may really be made from horseraddish, but it has become a staple in my life. Since I have moved out of the City there seem to be a shortage of good restaurants. Something as simple as Chinese is nonexistent. Most places we have been to, we have thought to be sub par. We are still searching. Last night, though, we stumbled upon a new Japanese restaurant that Le Mari's chiropractor suggested. The one we had previously been going to had been closed for renovations for a month and we had been going to a decent alternative, but not wonderful.

It was like any other Japanese restaurant in decor, bamboo mats on the wall with images of geisha and Japanese landscapes. A green wall sized waterfall was really the only set it apart, other than the food.

It took me years to get Le Mari to eat sushi and now he can't get enough. We have a habit of getting an appetizer or salad, usually edemame or maybe spring rolls. I always get green tea. We share five rolls almost always the same: spicy tuna, salmon avocado, eel cucumber, shrimp tempura and California if it's real crab. It is the perfect amount for us. My favorite is spicy tuna and it has become my way of judging quality. The intermediate place we were going to put too many scallions in their spicy tuna, the first place was pretty good, but not the best I've had. This restaurant, however, challenges even some sushi I was getting in the City. All of the rolls were fresh, just enough rice, lots of fish and excellent service. I am so glad to find a place that is up to my standards, which are pretty high.