The Best Sushi Deal In Portland

Wednesday I took a trip to my favorite sushi place at the moment, Bamboo at 310 SE 28th Ave. It is located in the same building as Ken's Artisan Pizza. If you go during happy hour it is hands down the best value for sushi in the Portland Metro Area. I would say the best on the whole west coast, but honestly I can't verify that. It used to be called Masu East and was part of the Masu family of sushi restaurants until it became Bamboo and splintered off. Their concept is sustainable sushi. So that means they only get fish that is in season and the fishing practices used to catch the fish is sustainable. Most if not all of their fish, for example, is line caught and they do not carry unagi because the fishing practices used to catch unagi are very destructive to their ecosystem. (I still eat unagi when I'm not at Bamboo...Sorry ecosystem) Their concept is good and makes you more conscious of what your eating, even though fish in general are not very sustainable because they are overfished which makes the concept ironic. One benefit of this concept is that it brings in higher quality fish as they need special distributors that can insure the fishing practices used to get their fish. When I spoke with one of the owners I found out that they have some exclusive fish dealers and an agent at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. This brings us to the food.

If you go during happy hour (5-6:30M-F) you can get ridiculously good sushi for real cheap. They also have a killer drink menu and the bar tenders are skilled. Another small perk is that they give you edamame right when you sit down at no extra charge and put cucumber slivers in the water which give it a different taste. To be honest, even if they didn't have these little perks it would still be the best deal possibly the best fish, but these just sweeten the pot. Anyways, the happy hour menu has a nigiri set for $5 which is one piece of shrimp, tuna, albacore, and salmon. The salmon and albacore are the best I have ever had. The salmon is not fishy at all and they both are like eating butter. They also have a NW Philly roll for $4. Its your standard salmon, cream cheese, veggie deal but with this one they tempura fry it and put unagi sauce on it. Its delicious and very large. Also on the happy hour is a California roll($3) and hand roll of the day($2) as well as some vegetarian options that I am not gonna waste time to explain, but they exist. When I went the hand roll was spicy tuna and it was awesome. The happy hour menu also offers half off some of the entrees and appetizers from their regular food menu including vegetable tempura, a salmon dish, some Kobe beef dishes, and salads. I have not had the chance to try many of the entrees as I get tunnel vision whenever I walk in to this place. Also off the regular sushi menu is this thing called the Hoke Poke Press Box($14). It is possibly the best single roll I've had in my life. I was told that the press box is a how sushi "rolls" were traditionally made. They have two options and this one has crab and is covered with tuna and avocado. Ponzu sauce is drizzled on it and some scallions. It is finished with a few spicy pepper flakes. It is super simple but is extremely delicious. I think that it can go head to head with any sushi roll I have had. Go during happy hour and you can leave full of high quality sushi and you can even try some of the stuff off the happy hour menu and still come in under what you would pay at a regular sushi place. Or if you want to go on the cheap you can grab a green tea and a few HH options- as you have to purchase a drink. I am sorry to say that my loyalty has shifted from Yoko's to Bamboo. Yoko's (2878 SE Gladstone St) still serves great sushi and it is still my first choice if it is not happy hour as I can't really afford Bamboo off happy hour. I love Yoko's but Bamboo is just on another level. I also have not been to Hiroshi(926 NW 10th Ave) much, which is rumored to be the best sushi in Portland. I have only been once and do not recall it being better than Bamboo. Either way get out there and judge for yourself. All you need is 20 bucks to eat at Bamboo and its good food for people on a diet... Top:Hoke Poke Press Box, Cali, Salmon Nigiri,
Middle: Spicy tuna handrolls, Cali
Bottom: Nigiri set