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LOCAL EATS: W&Z ASIAN BISTRO
Sushi-ing at Sunrise
THE WAIT IS OVER
The long-awaited W&Z Asian Bistro opened recently, and quietly, in Verrado but the online chatter has been buzzin’ oh so loud! So much so that I back-burnered the story planned for today, broke my rule of never writing about a place until they’ve been open at least a month, texted Kris, and scheduled lunch.
I was actually shocked she agreed to go with me. In all our past food discussions, Asian cuisine has never come up, probably because until now the options for that have been slim to none.
In fact, it’s been years since I’ve had sushi, opting instead for the much easier to eat and transport variety: poké bowls. I wrote about my love of those when I shared about Mom’s Poké back in the very first issue. (I do know that Kris does not care for poké because I invited her back then to go with me back then and she passed on that so fast.)
SUSHI-ING @ SUNRISE
W&Z is located at Sunrise Marketplace in Verrado. Because I like to avoid the lunch/dinner rush, we agreed to go on a Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
Once inside the doors, you’ll be quickly transported to Asia, complete with Japanese pop tunes playing overhead. There is plenty of seating, a mixture of tables and booths, and I’m sure at rush hour, this place is hopping.
We were seated at a booth by the window which gave me a bird’s eye view of people leaving neighboring DeGino’s with their delicious-looking coffee drinks. (After lunch, and after I dropped off Kris, I went back and got my own iced coffee to power me thru my afternoon writing sesh. And, yes, Kris, DeGino’s coffee is pesticide-free!)
Note: The parking lot at Sunrise is getting busier & busier as more shops open. I was just over there grabbing a menu and it was a mad dash for spots + lots of golf carts zooming around.
Their menu is extensive and unfortunately more than I can fit in the graphic space I have available here, but I’ll share a page so you can catch a glimpse. They have salads, sushi rolls, poké bowls, noodles, rice, party platters, dessert & so much more, along with gluten free options and lunch specials available Monday - Friday from 11 AM - 3 PM.
Our server helped us navigate the menu and was quick to point out what foods would be off-limits for me due to my gluten allergy. He quickly karate-chopped my request for fried rice (made with soy sauce) and also told me that I would need to avoid all tempura (fried) items. I’m pretty well versed in GF life, but it was nice to have someone so knowledgeable directing us to which items could be made GF even if they weren’t listed as such.
I was unable to find a link to their menu online, but they currently have a box of to-go menus sitting outside the front door if you want to swing by and grab one.
Bonus: They have gluten free soy sauce so you don’t have to bring your own, which I was planning to do. I must have soy sauce and plenty of wasabi!
WOK & ROLL
Of course before we even decided to go, both Kris & I had investigated the menu we found that a friend had posted online. Still, there’s a lot to look at so it took us a minute when we were there to decide.
Look at that presentation!
I finally settled on the 3-roll lunch special ($17) and selected these rolls:
Philly Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese, avocado): This is my all-time favorite sushi roll. This salmon however was not smoked but raw, so take note if you don’t like raw fish.
Peanut Roll (peanuts & avocado): I was intrigued by this and liked the first few bites. After that, it was just too many peanuts for me. Luckily Kris was there to share with. She liked both the philly & peanut rolls.
Veggie Roll (lettuce and asparagus): This was not what I was expecting. Iceburg lettuce as a sushi roll? I did not care for this and would not order it again. Kris didn’t want to try this one.
 | The lunch specials are also served with a salad, which Kris and I both tried. Miso Soup is also an option, which I probably would have preferred but cannot have because of the gluten factor. The dressing was quite thick and tasted like mayo + ginger. |
Kris ordered the mixed vegetables with chicken which they made gluten free by using a different sauce. It was also served with a side of white rice.
DOUBLE YOUR LUCK
I almost forget the best part of Asian dining: fortune cookies! Always good for a giggle, actually 2 giggles: these fortunes are double-sided:
(Sadly, fortune cookies are not GF, so none were had by me.)
CHA-CHING
I always like to include the receipt, since I know you all like seeing it. With the tip, my total for lunch was $24.
FIND THEM
While there is reference to being able to order online, that option is not yet available on their website.
UNTIL NEXT WEEK…
As always, if you go, please let them know The Buckeye Buzz sent ya!
Oh, and no, I don’t use chopsticks.
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Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.
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