Restaurant review: Asahi Kaiten
Ballston Common Mall
Arlington, Va.
703-248-0777

Many mall restaurants aren't worth their square feet, but Asahi Kaiten breaks this mold. It pairs high-quality sushi with a fun atmosphere. Service is also particularly attentive.

The bulk of the restaurant is taken up by a huge conveyor belt surrounded by stools and booths. The sushi chefs stand in the middle slicing fish, with a kitchen lingering in the background for the cooked fare. There are tables available, but a seat at the conveyor is key.

The quality of sushi at Asahi Kaiten is relatively high, especially for what is essentially a buffet. Color-coded plates with plastic covers spin around room, with eat color pricing the plates contents, from $2 to $4.

After a small bowl of miso soup, diners can just start grabbing plates, though a more nuanced approach guarantees freshness. If you know what you have in mind, check off selections on the
nearby sushi list and hand it to the chef. He'll slice up fish fresh from the cooler, negating the chance that you'll grab a 15-minute old version. Then you can cherry pick from the conveyor to finish off the meal.

Winning dishes that are regulars on the belt include some of the best unagi, or grilled eel, in the area. It is best when served as nigiri, on a ball of rice, but is also good in the maki version, rolled with seaweed. Simpler fish is done very well here, especially mackerel and squid, both of which tend to the rubbery in other some other sushi joints. Past visits offered fresh toro, a high-quality fatty tuna, and uni, or sea urchin roe.

Beyond the everyday dishes, the chefs will prepare a wide range of other small plates depending on their whim and the ingredients available. Some conveyor dishes that stood out during past visits include an octopus and cucumber sunomono salad with a vinegary sauce; deep fried avocado rolls topped with spicy tuna; and marinated baby octopus.

You can order platters of sushi off the menu for sharing, the more expensive of which are presented in wooden boats. The menu also offers a variety of cooked dishes for those opposed
to raw fish. With the exception of a plate of gyoza, Japanese dumplings, you'll do best to stick with the fish.

Worried that your fish has been spinning for hours? Each plate has a computer chip on the bottom that alerts the kitchen when a plate has been in the game for too long.

Bottom line: Asahi Kaiten proves that high quality sushi isn't relegated to intimidating, dark sushi bars.