Review: Takara

This is a Japanese/sushi place in the strip mall on Vets Highway in Islandia, just off Exit 57 of the Big L.I.E. It's usually packed for lunch. I've eaten in there a couple times, and it's nice inside--though pretty dim. But mostly we get take out. (I remember being in there for lunch a few years ago and not being thrilled with their lunch selections.)

The spicy calamari appetizer is spicy. Their tempura is average/good. The wife loves their red bean fried ice cream. But the ginger salad dressing is nothing to get excited about. Nor is the miso soup with tofu. Yuck.

The best thing about this place is that the sushi is generally pretty good (read: fresh) and is a decent price--for sushi, that is, which is always a rip off. Always. It's just one of those things you have to accept in life.

The hand roll special comes in big, long pieces of nori. So it's kind of a pain to eat. I've tried cutting them into individual pieces, and I have good, sharp knives, but apparently I have no idea what I'm doing. So it didn't work out.

The best sushi deal in town, though, is their sushi deluxe ($16). I get it each time we go there. It's a California roll, with another type of big roll, with something like 8 or 10 pieces of sashimi (I forget). It will fill you up. Other places (read: Kotobuki) would charge $30 for that.

Now the bad part...I got the take out last week (normally it's the wife). Inside were three or four waitresses, standing around, who were completely clueless and had rotten, shitty attitudes. And because they annoyed me, I am giving Takara 1 star. So suck on that, bitches.

1 star (that's right)

Takara

1708 Vets Highway

Islandia, NY 11749
(631) 348-9470