Review Detail

 

For years, I have driven McKnight road and zoomed or crept past Sushi Tomo, next to the Arby's across from North Hills Villiage shopping plaza, and always wanted to stop in and give it a shot. I had, after all, heard good things about this long-standing, family-owned restaurant. One day I said I would give it a try. That day arrived the other day when my son and the rest of our gang were more interested in going out for Japanese food to celebrate his birthday versus a pizza party for a kid in the fifth grade. Sushi Tomo seemed like a great option. 

 

We showed up earlier in the day, around 4:30 on a Wednesday, and the place was sparsely populated, likely because of the early hour just before dinner time. The service was amicable, and our young waiter was very approachable and conversational.

 

The menu offered a wide variety of sushi options, and my son likes sushi, and so did his friend. My wife did too. 

Highlights of the menu include Beef Shabu Shabu, a Japanese hot pot for two comprised of beef, vegetables, tofu, and Japanese noodles prepared tableside. The Japanese Teriyaki is served on a sizzling hotbed of onions and veggies and is served with soup or salad and white rice. New to the menu are Ramen selections, including Tonkotsu Ramen, roasted pork in bone broth, and Miso Ramen, roasted or miso broth.

Sushi Tomo sushi platters are available in options of A, B, C, D, E, and F, and include various configurations of California rolls, tuna rolls, yellowtails, eel, salmon, squid, mackerel, red snapper, flying fish roe, shrimp, crab, egg, and more. See the Sushi Tomo online menu for a full list of the options and what sushi configurations are available.   

Not being a huge fan of sushi, I decided to try some more traditional Japanese options such as beef teriyaki. We also ordered some Chinese American staples such as General Tso's chicken and Lo Mein noodles.

 

The food showed up fast, and it was fresh and delicious. The serving size was just right, and we shared all the food, and all left full. 

Because it was my son's birthday, they offered us a free dessert. Immediately my son went for the fried Oreo cookies. Yes, deep-fried Oreo cookies. So they brought a plate of those, and he is the sharing type. We all got to try. I would have to say an exciting and tasty treat, perfect for a birthday boy. The fried Oreos paired with refreshing vanilla ice cream; he was a happy kid.

 

Sushi Tomo includes a very nice sushi bar. I know it's always five o'clock somewhere, but it was four o'clock here in Ross Township, and so I decided to pass on having a drink at the bar, but my wife did order a Japanese plum wine from the menu, served with dinner, which was she enjoyed very much. I was tempted to order Sapporo Japanese beer, but because of the early hour, I figured I would save it for later. Next time for sure. 

 

It would be nice if Sushi Tomo's venues had windows. This place can seem unapproachable driving along McKnight Rd. You don't know what kind of crowd is inside. It is not as dapper as some of the more trendy Japanese restaurants you might find in parts farther north. Still, as for a neighborhood restaurant goes, locally owned and operated, this place is a solid option for Japanese cuisine in the North Hills.