St. Louis is known for a lot of things. The arch, the Cardinals, toasted ravioli, Mardi Gras... but we're not typically known for our sushi. To be fair, I'm sure any non-coastal city can easily maintain a seafood industry. But for those of us St. Louisans who just can't wait for a summer trip to find fresh, delicious sushi, we've scoured the city for the best options. And thanks to some brave sampling and input from my true sushi-loving friends, I've arguably found the best spot in the Midwest.
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Tani is an authentic Japanese sushi bistro with a relaxed environment and passionate staff. While there's a lot to be said about the cultural transformation that occurs when you walk through the door, nothing can compare to the amazing maki sushi rolls on the menu. Those rolls are what makes this restaurant an absolute knockout. For the past year, I've been lucky enough to treat myself at Tani a handful of times - at least 10 visits throughout the year! Over that time, I've made note of my reviews on several maki rolls, with a few favorites to repeat each trip:
Carpenter Roll - this roll tastes like a sweet version of the classic California roll. It's a safe option, with a syrupy topping.
David (Adopt-A-Pet) Backes Roll - this one has a small spicy kick thanks to Sriracha, under several layers of flavors. This roll is a pile of many ingredients, including salmon, avocado and tuna. It's topped with colorful tobiko (small fish eggs), for extra texture. If you like California rolls, you've probably had and enjoyed tobiko in the past - I'm certainly a fan!
Stan-The-Man Roll - One of my favorites, this roll has a collection of juicy ingredients making a very flavorful roll. It's packed full with shrimp, cream cheese, mango, crab and a slightly spicy orange sauce. To top off perfection, a sprinkle of black tobiko adds very enjoyable texture.
Spicy Tuna Roll - no surprise by the name, this one has a kick! The Sriracha topping will really clear out the sinuses. What did surprise me about this one was the strong avocado flavor!
Oh My God Roll - While it makes a scene on the way out of the kitchen (I mean, it's on fire after all!) it wasn't my favorite flavor once the flames go out. Even thought it was delicious, there are juicer, more flavorful rolls I would choose first.
Sex and the City Roll - This one was a happy balance of crunch, spice and chewy scallops.
White House - Compared to all the other complex rolls, this one was a bit underwhelming. It's a good choice when you're looking for a safe, simple roll, with only 5 ingredients: spicy tuna, asparagus, white tuna, ponzu sauce and eel sauce.
Sassy Roll - Truly living up to the name, this roll has a fresh salmon piece topped off with that same sweet syrupy sauce I loved. It was also topped off with some fresh green sprouts that gave it a slightly bitter bite at the end.
Lobster Roll - As the most expensive roll on the menu (a whopping $28 for the one-roll platter), I was expecting to be really blown away. I didn't dislike the roll, but I was still a little disappointed. The lobster was a tough chew, and there was a crunch from the tempura.
David (Adopt-A-Pet) Backes Roll - this one has a small spicy kick thanks to Sriracha, under several layers of flavors. This roll is a pile of many ingredients, including salmon, avocado and tuna. It's topped with colorful tobiko (small fish eggs), for extra texture. If you like California rolls, you've probably had and enjoyed tobiko in the past - I'm certainly a fan!
Stan-The-Man Roll - One of my favorites, this roll has a collection of juicy ingredients making a very flavorful roll. It's packed full with shrimp, cream cheese, mango, crab and a slightly spicy orange sauce. To top off perfection, a sprinkle of black tobiko adds very enjoyable texture.
Spicy Tuna Roll - no surprise by the name, this one has a kick! The Sriracha topping will really clear out the sinuses. What did surprise me about this one was the strong avocado flavor!
Oh My God Roll - While it makes a scene on the way out of the kitchen (I mean, it's on fire after all!) it wasn't my favorite flavor once the flames go out. Even thought it was delicious, there are juicer, more flavorful rolls I would choose first.
Sex and the City Roll - This one was a happy balance of crunch, spice and chewy scallops.
White House - Compared to all the other complex rolls, this one was a bit underwhelming. It's a good choice when you're looking for a safe, simple roll, with only 5 ingredients: spicy tuna, asparagus, white tuna, ponzu sauce and eel sauce.
Sassy Roll - Truly living up to the name, this roll has a fresh salmon piece topped off with that same sweet syrupy sauce I loved. It was also topped off with some fresh green sprouts that gave it a slightly bitter bite at the end.
Lobster Roll - As the most expensive roll on the menu (a whopping $28 for the one-roll platter), I was expecting to be really blown away. I didn't dislike the roll, but I was still a little disappointed. The lobster was a tough chew, and there was a crunch from the tempura.
I've tried plenty of the other speciality and celebrity rolls worthy of an honorable mention, including Josh Brown roll, James Laurinaitis Roll, Geisha House Roll, Samba Roll and Pink Panther Roll. Not to mention the appetizers! The Gyoza order, a type of shrimp dumplings, was similar to pot stickers with spicy pepper soy sauce and a soft dough exterior. The bite had a nice crunch and soft shrimp taste.
Needless to say, we have never had to deal with leftovers at Tani.
Needless to say, we have never had to deal with leftovers at Tani.
