My wife and I recently were out and about (doing some early Christmas shopping) and decided to try one of the newest restaurants to grace the Hub City, Sushi Bomb.  Located on Wesel Boulevard (in a renovated space formerly occupied by a now defunct ‘Ruby Tuesday’s’), I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical at first, as there are now three places to get sushi within a mile radius of this new sushi location.  Would ‘Sushi Bomb’ be able to stand out?

Upon entering, we found the interior space is nice and inviting, featuring dark wood tones with high-backed booths and the obligatory Asian-inspired light fixtures.  There is also a large flowered wall mural just behind the long sushi counter, which is central to the dining space.  A hostess explained the menu concept to us (as first time visitors), and we were escorted to a table within sight of the sushi counter.

The draw at ‘Sushi Bomb’ is of course, sushi, but the gimmick here is that the menu is all-you-can-eat.  At $20.99 (for dinner), patrons can order anything off the menu (with the exception of sashimi [raw fish pieces], which is offered at a slight up-charge) – as many times as the customer wants.  To keep diners from over-ordering (or hoarding for a slick take-out bundle at the end of their meal), leftovers are collected and charged by weight, so if you want to take it with you, be prepared to pay extra.  I actually like this idea, as it does temper the abuse (both intentional and unintentional) of an AYCE system.

We perused the menu as a server quickly took our drink orders (an extensive selection of wine, beer, sake, and soft drinks is offered – not included in the AYCE price).  The menu offers all of the “standard” sushi restaurant offerings (miso soup, edamame, etc.) as well as some tempura and dumpling offerings.  A small salad bar is located in one corner of the room, and patrons are invited to make their own selections from this station, as desired.  Sushi is ordered by the piece, and there is a large selection of classic rolls, specialty rolls, and hand-rolled sushi offerings to choose from.  I like that the menu clearly labels selections as containing raw fish, spicy choices, and even vegan options.  There is also a varied selection of “non-sushi” items such as fried rice, noodle dishes, and hibachi and teriyaki meats (for those not brave enough to test the sushi waters).  A small desert selection (ice creams) is also offered, as well as a limited children’s menu.

Once orders are taken (via I-Pad), they are transferred to the sushi counter and kitchen, where selections are prepared to order (i.e. nothing is sitting around in display cases or on buffet counters).  The server checks in frequently for diners to order more items (as requested).

My wife and I started with several different sushi pieces, such as yellowtail, tuna, eel, and fish roe.  The pieces were presented quickly – correctly to the person that ordered them – resting upon plain black dishware.  The selections were fresh, bright, and enjoyable.  We then moved on to ordering some specialty rolls.  I opted for the ‘Dynamite roll’ (shrimp tempura with eel and avocado) and the ‘Spider roll’ (soft-shelled crab, lettuce, and cucumber), while my wife chose the ‘Mango roll’ (salmon, mango, and avocado) as well as a ‘Crunchy roll’ (shrimp, cucumber, and crunchy tempura pieces).  The cooked seafood was served nice and hot, and overall we found all of our choices tasty and satisfying.

Again, I have to say that I like this type of ordering system, as we both found ourselves trying to temper our desire to over-order (a common problem in a sushi restaurant) so that we wouldn’t encounter a weight charge for leftovers on the back-end.  Ordering a small amount of items at a time also made sure everything was as fresh as possible.  Service was polite and efficient.

The well-marked menu and AYCE concept is a great way for newbies to dip their toes in the water and expand their sushi palates, and the wide variety of non-sushi items will ensure that even those who are not into raw or cooked sushi items can still enjoy a nice Asian-inspired lunch or dinner.

‘Sushi Bomb’ is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week (taking a slight break each day between the lunch and dinner service on week-days, when the location is closed).

If you’ve got a craving for sushi and want to satisfy your appetite (at a reasonable price), then give ‘Sushi Bomb’ a try.  We’ll definitely be back for a return visit in the future.

Ratings:

Food:                 7 (out of 10)

Atmosphere:     7 (out of 10)

Price:                 $$$ (out of 5)

The Rundown:

Restaurant Name: Sushi Bomb

Cuisine: Asian/Sushi

Address: 1645 Wesel Blvd, Hagerstown, MD  21740

Phone: (301) 913-8033

Hours: Mon-Thu : 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (lunch), 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM (dinner)

            Fridays:  11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (lunch), 4:30 PM – 10:30 PM (dinner)

            Saturdays: 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM

            Sundays: 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sushibombusa/

Parking: onsite