A couple of months ago, I let my daughter Ella pick the restaurant for dinner and I am glad I did. Our go-to when it’s just the two of us is sushi and she wanted to try a new-to-us place, Sushi Aroma, tucked into Argyll Plaza, a commercial strip in the light industrial area.
The day we went, part of the parking lot was cordoned off for nearby construction, but we still found a nearby parking spot easily. Inside, the restaurant was bright and tidy, and pretty modest: grey-tiled with white tables and black chairs, and a big mural on one wall. The front counter is overhung with a faux kayabuki Japanese-style thatched roof.
We ordered some tea and focused on the food.
The menu is extensive, but the first thing that caught our attention was the Blazing Salmon Roll. The middle of the uramaki (inside-out) roll is occupied by a thick layer of salmon and some avocado, surrounded by a sheet of nori and a uniform, not-too-thick layer of rice. The whole roll is then topped with more salmon, and torched to provide a taste and temperature combo that can’t be beat.
On a different trip, I ordered a Chop Chop Roll, which was unlike most others I have tried. Usually the scallops I find in these rolls are minced fine and made into a paste with lots of Japanese mayo. Sushi Aroma’s consist of big chunks of scallop, and the mayo is a compliment, rather than adding bulk. Also an uramaki roll, the Chop Chop is topped with tobiko, the orange fish roe that adds texture and saltiness. It adds up to a satisfying bite.
Had we known anything about the generosity of the portions at Sushi Aroma, we wouldn’t have ordered so much, but we got another roll and some yam tempura and nigiri.
The tempura coating was light and golden, and the yam had a slight bite to it, which is how I like it. To finish, we got a couple of pieces of nigiri: tuna and eel. Imagine the inverse and opposite of supermarket sushi. Sushi Aroma’s nigiri are made of soft ovoids of rice, barely visible under a thick blanket of fish.
We waited a bit longer for our food than we might have, but it was worth it. I can’t say enough about the portions and the value. It’s great to have a roll or a bite where the fish or other fillings and toppings are the stars of the show. And somehow the prices are so reasonable, with most of the eight-piece rolls running between about $9 to $14, with the Lobster Roll topping the price list at about $19.
We were there mainly for the sushi, but we saw plenty of hot food items on the menu, too. Maybe we’ll make a trip to explore that part of the menu once the weather turns cold.
Sushi Aroma
Rosedale Industrial | 6234 99 Street NW, Edmonton | 780.758.9329
