Tucked in a corner of a business complex lies my go-to restaurant. The one I guiltlessly go to multiple times a week. The restaurant where when I see someone I know, I immediately want to defend my territory…but I also want them to stay so they can experience the savory flavors that I have loved since the doors to the restaurant opened.

Ju Sushi sits in tucked away on the East Beltline, closer to the Speedway gas station on Cascade road than the other end by 28th street. Ju has been open for years, but I can’t get over how good it is. So I will continue to praise it like I am the first critic to review it on their opening day.

Ju has a wide variety of oriental meals. They have hibachi, soups, salads drizzled with my favorite dressing, but they are most renowned for their sushi. I always get the same meal every time. My order consists of the side ginger salad, miso soup, cucumber and avocado roll and a side of fried rice.

I have tried a multitude of salads from Ju and they all taste and look very fresh, like they were just picked from a garden. But the ginger salad (which comes as a meal or a side), has a fresh crunch to it that I can’t get over. The lettuce is crisp and the vegetables on top are fresh. The best part about the salad is the ginger dressing. It is very sweet, but it has a small- but noticeable- amount of spice to it. The ginger dressing completes the salad, giving it the oriental flare that I go to Ju for.

The miso soup is a favorite dish of mine, especially as the temperatures start to cool with fall weather. And it is the perfect amount of soup before an entree. The miso soup isn’t anything spectacular; it’s simply average. I wish Ju would put their own twist on this classic dish, but maybe some things are best to be kept classic.

My favorite dish is the cucumber and avocado roll. Many people pity sushi with no source of meat in it, but this is by far the best sushi I have ever eaten. The flavor is unique on its own, with emphasis on the cucumber and avocado and support from other vegetables and spices rolled in with it. The best part about the sushi is that it is easy to eat with chopsticks and it doesn’t fall apart.

I complete my meal with fried rice. It is unique to any other rice I have ever had. Fried rice is normally obviously fried. It commonly has a crunch to it and looks as if it could come from a fast food restaurant. But the fried rice at Ju does not have the crunchiness or the hardness that is usually expected. The rice at Ju is light and fluffy, perfectly buttered with egg and chives to go on top. It is by far, the best rice I have ever eaten.

The restaurant is dimly lit with smooth jazz or Michael Buble usually playing in the background. The restaurant is divided into two sections. The lounge side has a romantic vibe to it. I normally see couples on dates or sophisticated adults there. But do not fear, Ju also has a regular dining area to sit in a more casual manner.

The cost varies at Ju. The dishes that I order are normally under six dollars on their own, but if one was to get larger portions or dishes that require more time and skill the price could go up.

Tucked in that little corner of the East Beltline sits my favorite restaurant. I hope you can go on an adventure and discover this place too.