Bourbon Beauty: Bento Asian Kitchen & Sushi Review





It's no surprise how much I love Asian food. Sushi, Boba, Lumpia, Pancit... I could go on and on with foods I adore! Whenever a new sushi place opens up, I get really excited, but once I compare it to my most favorite place in town, it just never really compares!

According to Wikipedia:

Bento (弁当, bentō) is a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento holds rice or noodles, fish or meat, with pickled and cooked vegetables, in a box.



You know my sushi expectations heighten, when there is a sign that literally supports my sushi habit.

   

 Here is the menu they have stacked as you wait in line. I loved the bento idea, but I was on a mission to try sushi and their Poke bowls.

Per Wikipedia:
Poke /poʊˈkeɪ is diced raw fish served as either an appetizer or as a main course and is one of the main dishes of Native Hawaiian cuisine.
It's interesting, I had always considered Poke to be a Hawaiian dish. I never correlated it with Japanese food. I wasn't aware of the Japanese influence in Hawaii, but apparently (according to a quick google search), Japanese people are the 2nd largest Ethnic group in Hawaii. You learn something new everyday! I'm still unsure how poke came to be, but its peaked my interest. (Back to the food...)


I forgot all of the ingredients I chose, but from what I can see on my picture it was everything but the kitchen sink haha. I chose 3 different types of proteins (Salmon, Spicy Salmon, & Hamachi (Yellow Tail). I also chose sticky rice, seaweed salad, avocado, green onion, daikon, cucumber, and pretty much every seasoning they allowed on it.


It was DELICIOUS! Now, I have to admit this was my first time trying Poke at a restaurant, so I don't have much to compare it to. Although I've never had poke, I challenge you to find someone that loves sushi more than I do LOL. I *know* my sushi, and for sushi grade fish, it was great!

  

While the Poke bowl was great, the nigiri was *okay*. It tasted good, but when I compare it to Oishii Sushi, meh. The tempura roll was edible, but I wasn't crazy about the mayo, and the shrimp tempura tasted more like breaded shrimp than legitimate tempura. It was okay. I'd eat the sushi again if my favorite places were closed, but I wouldn't make a special trip for the sushi.



This was why I made my trip to Bento, BOBA. The closest boba place to me is Nam Nam Cafe, but driving down busy Shelbyville Rd, isn't always ideal. Both places must use a mix, because it doesn't taste anything like the boba I get in Chicago. That being said, its okay! It fixes my craving, but I prefer the chewier boba pearls from Nam Nam if I'm being completely honest. I purchased Taro flavored (Purple Yams), but next time I may try the Litchi flavor! 

All in all, the Poke was great, everything else was okay! I'd eat there again, but I'll probably get some noodles or teriyaki instead of the sushi rolls. I would make a trip just for Poke.

What's your favorite place for sushi?


Bento Asian Kitchen & Sushi
12951 Shelbyville Rd
Ste 114
Louisville, KY 40243

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