Bagu Sushi

Bagu Sushi is a wonderful selection of Japanese delicacies in search of a better restaurant. It's a hallway lined with a few tables along both walls, illuminated by strange, orange lights that makes every patron's complexion resemble that of an Oompa Loompa. The seating arrangement is vastly superior in the summer, since they finally open up their wonderful, spacious backyard patio, but even then you have to stand blocking the front door as you awkwardly wait for the hostess to finally find you a table, a process that takes far too long whether you have a reservation or not.

But perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh. Sure, the lighting and the décor are garish, the seating is awkward and cramped, and the service is usually really, really slow, but it's all worth it because the sushi is really, really good. Oh, and if you live in South Minneapolis like I do, it's the only game around if you don't want to drive into the city or to uptown. The restaurant's distance from the city probably explains why they don't have a happy hour of any kind.

To be honest, I go there for the sushi so I can't really comment on their regular Japanese fare, for which there is a full and complete menu. I've had a bit here and there from what other people I was with ordered, and it all seemed pretty good if not all together outstanding. But the sushi is usually fantastic. They have the usual rolls and sashimi, and a handful or more creative, special items that you might not find anywhere else. One of my favorites is the Three Wise Guys, which is a blend of tuna, and salmon wrapped in rice and coated with tempura flakes. It's crunchy on the outside and tender in the middle, offering a wonderful flavor and texture that you don't usually find from sushi. I also recommend the Sunrise, which is a roll filled with tuna and wrapped in mango. Also, Bagu has the best Philly roll I've had in the Twin Cities. The Philly is usually filled with too much cream cheese, but Bagu is the only place I know of that actually gives you more salmon to counter the flavor of the cream.

And while the rolls are creative and well put together and the fish is always fresh and succulent, the appetizers are a bit unappetizing in my opinion. Stay away from the Japanese Bagel Balls, which are deep-fried blobs of salmon and cream cheese. Then again, with a name like "Japanese Bagel Balls," they shouldn't be too hard to avoid ordering. The salad is the usual ginger dressing you get at most Japanese restaurants, but I thought it was filled with a bit too much broccoli and onions for my tastes. The miso soup is quite good, but come on. How do you screw up miso soup?

My last of complaint is about their lack of sake. I don't mean to imply that their selection of sake is too limiting, but that their selection of sake is nonexistent. The first time I tried to order sake from Bagu I was told that they were currently looking for a distributor. This was over a year ago, and still no sake. They have a rather impressive wine selection and the usual assortment of beers, but no sake. This is a sticking point for me because I love a nice hot sake with my sushi. It would be like going to a sports bar that doesn't serve beer. Just get your sake problems sorted out already, Mr. Bagu. Every other sushi joint in town has it.

It may sound like I'm giving Bagu a mixed review, but I'm actually quite fond of the place and recommend it highly. In fact, it's because I'm so fond of it that I'm being so critical. I go there a lot because I love the food, and I would love to see it taken to that next level of exceptional cuisine. For starters, they need to create some sort of waiting area so you don't feel like a complete jerk hovering over other peoples' tables while you wait for your own. Or, at the very least, speed up the service and learn to actually have reserved tables ready when you arrive. Oh, and get some sake already, but I don't want to harp on that point too much for fear you'll think I'm an alcoholic.

4 out of 5