FOOD REVIEW: Sushi Hana Lutherville

Let’s face it, when it comes to sushi, the people of Lutherville have it pretty darn good. 

With solid sushi staples such as and right here in town, and another half dozen or so decent sushi stops just miles away in the surrounding area, the truth of the matter is that we really don’t need a new destination. 

Of course, if you’re a sushi lover like me the news of a new blip on the sushi radar popping up in town gets you excited whether it’s necessary or not.  Well this week I went ahead and indulged my curiosity by visiting Lutherville’s newest Japanese eatery, Sushi Hana.

With a great location in the Yorkridge Shopping Center, and a track record of quality sushi at it’s Towson and Baltimore branches, the new Sushi Hana has some big shoes to fill. 

As I entered and took a look around it was evident that while the customer base may not be at full force just yet, the folks at Sushi Hana are prepared to live up to the hype.  The dining room is not particularly large, but what space there is is strategically utilized to maximize capacity, and the interior is elegantly decorated with a modern yet simple touch.

I take my sushi seriously, so whenever possible (meaning whenever I’m alone) I try and find a seat at the sushi bar rather than a table.  There is something so much more personal about sitting just a few feet away from the chef as he carefully assembles your food that for me is the real essence of the sushi experience. 

After all, good sushi is composed of just a few great ingredients, each selected and handled carefully by someone trying their best to deliver another person a meaningful dining experience.  At Sushi Hana, the bar is not only comfortable and inviting, but the chefs are extremely personable and welcoming.

As I read over the menu I must say I was a tad disappointed.  That’s not to say the selections weren’t abundant and appealing, it’s just that there really weren’t any eye-openers for me.  Now to be fair, Sushi Hana does have several other established branches so to expect anything too extreme would be a bit on the optimistic side, but I was hoping to find something substantial to separate Sushi Hana from its many competitors. 

Unfortunately much like the American barfood scene in which every time someone introduces a Crab Pretzel or some Jalepeno Poppers it becomes almost mandatory for its local competitors to do the same, Sushi joints tend to take their cues from one another and so the menu at Sushi Hana is more or less a collection of the usual suspects.

To me the mark of a great sushi restaurant is twofold: good rice, and great sashimi. Spicy sauces and tempura fried treats are delicious, but they also are a dime a dozen whereas quality fish and perfectly prepared rice are much more rare. 

As I sampled the offerings at Sushi Hana I will say the rice was prepared just right with a firm texture yet a soft finish, however the actual sashimi offerings were simply okay. 

The whitefish was tender but had little flavor, the clam was visually stunning but lacked that oceanic briny flavor that I was hoping for, and the salmon was just a bit flat for my taste. 

Now to be fair, I did sample a few of those tempurafied fancy rolls, and each of them was satisfying and flavorful, and when I tasted the high-end sashimi offerings they were quite tasty as well.  Those of you who are sea urchin fans (and I realize we are few and far between) will be pleased to know the Uni is spot on at Sushi Hana, and so is the Otoro although at nearly $5 per bite I suppose it had better be.

So, after a meal at Sushi Hana I stand a bit perplexed. 

On the one hand I had a rather nice meal and I can’t in all honesty claim I wouldn’t return on a regular basis. On the other hand I find myself a bit underwhelmed. 

Good sushi is not hard to find, but great sushi is.  I can’t help but feel that Sushi Hana has landed somewhere in between the two.  So are there better stops to quell that aching sushi craving you’ve been having? Probably yes.  But if you end up at Sushi Hana don’t sweat it too much, you’ll likely still leave satisfied.

Sushi Hana is located at 6 West Ridgely Rd. in Lutherville.