Sarku Japan Express: Quickie sushi rolls into East Meadow
This bento box, at Sarku Japan Express in East Meadow, contains half a salmon roll, teriyaki chicken, noodles, edamame and a salad. (October 2012) Credit: Newsday/Joan Reminick
Mall sushi has broken out of the food court. The recently opened Sarku Japan Express in East Meadow is Long Island’s first freestanding version of the same Sarku franchise chain you’ll find at Roosevelt Field in Garden City, Green Acres in Valley Stream and South Shore Mall in Bay Shore.
On a recent visit to the counter-service spot, I ordered a bento box with teriyaki chicken, substituting a 4-piece half salmon roll for the same size California roll that's usually part of the deal ($7.99). About the roll: the fish was fresh, the rice was at proper room temperature, if a trifle sweet.
But the teriyaki was something else. The pieces of chicken, some hard, some soft, were encrusted with a sticky-sweet substance. Underneath were bland, mushy noodles coated with a brown sauce. Two bites and I'd had more than enough.
There was also an iceberg salad with orange French dressing on the side. And a generous pile of edamame. I ate the sushi and had a few pieces of edamame. A vegetarian avocado-cucumber roll ($3.99), ordered to go, came out as best of the bunch.
Sarku Japan Express is at 2565 Hempstead Tpke., East Meadow, 516-719-0602.
This bento box, at Sarku Japan Express in East Meadow, contains half a salmon roll, teriyaki chicken, noodles, edamame and a salad.
