I love sushi. I can buy it at Mississippi Market in St. Paul where I do my regular grocery shopping, or at a SuperTarget in a pinch. However, sometimes, only the real stuff will do. In that case, I grab a friend and head out to a restaurant, willing to splurge on some of the best food around.
Origami has been around since 1990, and it is consistently praised as one of the best, if not the best, sushi restaurants in Minneapolis. The decor is comfortable enough so you can wear jeans, yet hip enough so you feel as if you're going out and not just grabbing a bite to eat on your way home from work. The service is amicable and laid-back, which is how I prefer it.
The last time I went, my friend and I started out with some ebi shumai (shrimp dumplings) that were delicious, if not exactly authentic, and an age dashi tofu (deep-fried) that was wonderfully crisp on the outside, but disappointingly bland on the inside. My friend had the Kariho sake (Devil's Mask) that she said was excellent while I opted for an organic jasmine peach ice tea that sounded better in theory than it tasted in execution.
We both love unagi (eel and avocado), so the Caterpillar Roll was a must as well as a Spider Roll (crab). We both got tamago (egg) sushi as our dessert (I wanted the green tea ice cream, but I was just too full), and I added Lobster Nigiri and gave one to my friend.
Everything was fresh, popping with flavors, and simply in a league of its own. There is a reason that Origami is called the best sushi in Minneapolis. Check it out. There is one in the Ridgedale Mall as well.
30 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401, (612) 333-8430