Located right on Main St. in Norwood, NC; this is a gem of a restaurant! It’s worth the trip to this small town to experience the great sushi, saki, and hibachi!
108 N Main St, Norwood, NC 28128
The Digs:
Lantern Sushi is such a pretty place with exposed brick walls, black tables, and fancy soy sauce containers. There are two really nice, multi-gender bathrooms with white tile, lit-up mirrors, and a nice hand dryer. Everything is very clean.
It is located directly on Main Street with a little parking on the street in the front, but a lot in the back beside their outdoor patio.
The Grub:
Wow! I was really surprised to have such great sushi in this little town. The rice was cooked wonderfully and everything had a lovely taste.
My friend wanted to try the calamari as an app and I never turn it down if it is offered, so we started there. The calamari was flawlessly cooked, with a delightful batter and yummy seasoning. Not a trace of rubberiness. In fact, with every bite, the flavors only intensified, making me want to keep eating!
The server suggested we look into the lunch special which was a soup/salad and 2 small rolls of sushi. I figured that was my best bet to try multiple things so I went for it.
Opting for the lunch special turned out to be a wise decision.
The salad, served in a super cool, deep-sided salad bowl, was beautiful. The lettuce and veggies were crisp and chilled, and perfectly complemented by the ginger dressing; which I must admit, was probably the best I’ve ever had.
Among the sushi rolls I tried, the spicy crunchy tuna roll was my favorite tasting roll. It had the perfect amount of heat. Though the texture of
it didn’t quite match my preferences, the taste compensated for it. Another standout was the salmon jalapeno roll, offering a crunch without the overwhelming spiciness.
Additionally, I had a sampling of my friend’s Philadelphia roll, which had a perfect mix of cream cheese, salmon, and avocado.
It’s impossible to go wrong here. I can’t wait to go back and try the octopus salad and the highly recommended firecracker roll.
The Service:
Our server was wonderful and another employee spent some time talking with us as well. Super helpful and attentive with a friendly attitude.
The Scratch (Per Person):
$16-$30
The Duds:
You could wear just about anything but you could also dress up nice for a date night here.
Take Note:
There is parking in the back with a well-marked entrance and also a cute boutique right next door with a coffee shop.