It's been a long, long time since Boy and I stepped out for something other than bar food or takeout, but last night we hit Origami Sushi at Ridgedale, aka Origami West.
While I have enjoyed lunching and dining at Origami Minneapolis on numerous occasions, this was the first time I had ever been to the mall for sushi.
We both ordered the sushi platter entree, which is basically a slightly larger version of their sushi lunch, comprised of salad, miso soup, seven pieces of nigiri, two types of roll and some tamago, for $18.95.
The salad, as ususal, was simple and delicious. The miso soup was much better than I remember, delicately flavored but satisfying in a way that only Japanese soups seem to be able to be. The sushi was better than I was expecting, really, and probably better than a lot of what I've had at the original Origami location. I was a little dissapointed that our plates included tuna roll and nigiri tuna, as I would have liked to have had something different. And the shrimp? I have almost never had a well-cooked shrimp at any sushi bar and this one was no exception. It was rubbery and sad, reminding me of the plastic stand-in sushi in those displays they sometimes they sometimes put in restaurant windows. Not worth the rice it sat on, IMO.
On the other hand, the jasmine iced tea was delicious enough to make me forget about feeling sorry for myself that I wasn't having wine or a cocktail. (I'm wearing a few too many lemon drops and gin and tonics these days which causes certain very important clothing items to not fit and the only other thing I'm going to say about that is BOO!)
The restaurant itself is nice, and a real improvement over most of what you find in mall restaurant ambience. I would have forgotten I was in the mall entirely if it weren't for the obnoxious shopping-is-my-day-job-and-I'm-a-stripper-at-night girls on the banquette next to us abusing both their own dignity and that of the man who was sad enough to be their dining partner and, apparently, financier, and the couple behind us with the fussy infant. But hey, people gotta get their sushi fix, right? Besides, the fact that we could go in in jeans and flip flops for dinner and not feel underdressed (because hey, it IS the mall) makes up for a lot.

Overall, it was a nice impromptu weeknight dine out. I'd definitely go back.

Origami Sushi West
Ridgedale Mall, Minnetonka, MN

FYI: This post has been brought to you by the fact that I stayed up WAY too late last night reading Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires. If you're like me and the other five people who haven't already read it, this book is a fabulous, calorie-free dining adventure with Ruth and her alter egos, all on an expense account. It makes me want to dress up and experience life through a different set of eyes. Or to become more adept at experiencing life through a different set of eyes without dressing up.
And the eating. Oh man. I cannot even fathom the dining obscenity that must be the life of a restaurant critic. It kind of made me thankful I don't get to extravagantly dine out on a regular basis, actually.