Akiko Sushi

I am an absolute sushi snob and do not mind dropping half a grand on the highest-​end sushi in New York (Kuruma) and Los Angeles (Mori or Shunji).
Akiko Sushi is also a five-​star experience, however, for what it is — delicious, straightforward, convenient sushi.
Shari (rice) — the most important element — they nail it here. Well seasoned with mirin, some sugar, probably sake. The owner says it’s a secret! The rice holds well together, is served slightly above room temperature, and edges toward the sweet side. Even the brown rice is moist and tasty, which is a rarity.
Neta (fish) — very straightforward, they have hirame (fluke), maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), unagi (freshwater eel), and tobiko (flying fish roe). Occasionally, they will have some different types of fish. I enjoy the salmon the most. Try their sashimi special if you’re low carb, or salmon set if you want a healthy dose of omega-​3s.
Wasabi /​ginger — pre-​prepared but not the cheap stuff. Fresh and clean
They have Japanese teas, and an assortment of more americanized rolls if you want something spicy. These are good as well.
It’s a mom, pop, and son place. The owners are SO nice, and will sometimes throw in a free miso soup or shumai. They always keep up a stock of fresh edamame, and go through veggies as if this were a veggie palace, so you’ll always have fresh avocado and veggie rolls. No brown spots here, baby!
Anyway, a great experience at the Newtown Farmer’s Market. Prices, of course, are very reasonable, something like $ 5-​$ 25 depending on how much you want to enter into beast mode.

Let me just start off with YUMMM! by far our fave was the yummy roll and dont ask roll! Everything was good but just to pinpoint 2 our favorites. Side of Miso soup was delish especially since it was warm instead of having to gulp down cold water. They also have party platters available and if they dont have your favorite rolls ready you can simply fill out a green sheet of what you’d like to order freshly made!

In evaluating Akiko Sushi it is difficult to separate its quality fish from the environment in which it is served, especially should you choose to eat in the cramped and dirty dining area of the Newtown Farmers’ Market. While it makes little difference for some of the other vendors’ products in the too small building, sushi is an art form as well as a food product. How it is prepared, presented and eaten makes a difference to the Zen experience that so enhances Sushi-​Do.
It is like watching a master at work when the sharp knives flash, the sticky rice is molded into seaweed wraps, and out of the efficient motions of the chef emerges a work of art that you hate to disturb by eating. It is quite a dilemma. How much better it would be if you could sit along side a gurgling stream and listen to the songbirds as each morsel was praised before eating. (Sounds a bit like Oishi).
But, that isn’t happening here, so the best you can do is take it home and devour it quickly to capture its fresh essence before it slips away, or just «damn the torpedoes,» and find a couple of empty chairs and enjoy it while everyone around you jostles for a place to sit, or scrape their tables and chairs to get in or out.
If you have a Zen mind none of this will matter as you just shut it all out while you contemplate the exchange of energy from fish to you, and back again.

I love this place! Their rolls are HUGE and the two people who work here are always very friendly. Everything I’ve ever had from here has been deeeeelish!

I have a lot to learn when it comes to sushi, sashimi and Maki (rolls), but I do love experimenting and I can honestly say I have not tried one that I did not like.
This is my dilemma, after having sushi, sashimi, dumplings and rolls at Yazmin, any place else seems to fail in comparison.
.
I am still impressed with the art, beauty and presentation of these bite sized delights, but to be honest, it is all about the wonderful sauces that accompany them which blows me away or has me saying, yeah it’s good.
I did not buy enough from here to really have a chance to try the different sauces, but what I did get all came with the same soy and ginger sauce.
I bought six pieces of the shrimp shumai, veggie dumplings, the Philly roll which is salmon, cream cheese and cucumber and the Boston roll with shrimp, lettuce, cucumber and mayo. Everything was good and I will definitely stop by to try some of their spicy offerings and sauces.
The Farmer’s Market is only open Thursday’s through Saturday’s and we did arrive mid afternoon on a Saturday, so selections were sparse. I’ll never make this mistake again, so another lesson has been learned. This little shop sells bottled sauces, Asian snacks and tofu.
There is something about that velvety texture hitting your tongue while the flavors of the sauce bounce from the roof of your mouth. It is a wow factor once it all comes together.
To this day, I have never had a raw clam or oyster, yet I am loving trying all the raw fish and shellfish, so who knows, one day soon you may see me sitting at a raw bar and giving them a run for their money.