This new revolving sushi restaurant is the unique date night idea you need

Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer

“Big night out at Hyde Park Plaza,” I joked to my wife, Amy, as we walked through a sun-baked parking lot toward Kawa Revolving Sushi, which is capitalizing on a concept that has been around for decades in Japan and the coastal United States before finally making its way to Cincinnati.

Neither of us had ever been to a revolving sushi restaurant. So when we found ourselves with a sitter and a rare date night, we figured we might as well give Kawa a shot. It opened in Symmes Township last year and opened a second location at the plaza in Oakley on June 1.

Sitting at our booth, we watched as an assortment of sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi passed by on a conveyor belt resembling a toy-sized version of those you would find at the baggage claim area of an airport. A touch screen lets you order specialty items such as ramen, teriyaki chicken or french fries, which arrive on a toy train or monorail that resembles something out of Mr. Roger’s neighborhood. A server adds up the bill based on the number of plates you've taken.

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Assorted rolls and nigiri at Kawa Revolving Sushi, in Oakley.
Assorted rolls and nigiri at Kawa Revolving Sushi, in Oakley.

I shamelessly grabbed everything that came by – tuna nigiri and tempura shrimp rolls, dragon rolls and sweet potato rolls. Disturbed by my gluttonous behavior, Amy put the kibosh on it, demanding that I take a breather.

I felt slightly ashamed. But as I digested my food, I realized Kawa was something different for us. While our date nights are usually focused on cocktails and big, expensive multi-course dinners in Over-the-Rhine or Northern Kentucky, here we were sitting in a strip mall and sipping club sodas (Kawa doesn't serve alcohol) among of sea of college students and 20-somethings looking for a cheap night out.

In my Gen X brain, it reminded me of the crowds I used to see at Perkins at 1 a.m. in the '80s or at the Anchor Grill in the '90s. Given that Kawa is open until 10:30 p.m., it almost feels like a late-night option in these post-COVID days when so few of those remain.

The conveyer belt at Kawa Revolving Sushi, in Oakley.
The conveyer belt at Kawa Revolving Sushi, in Oakley.

After posting a picture of my sushi haul, someone asked, "Novelty or worth it quality-wise?"

I guess it depends on how much of a stickler you are. No, this isn't Jiro Ono-level sushi. You won’t be dreaming about it afterward. But I think it’s as good and fresh as anything I’ve had at most local sushi spots. The point with Kawa is that it’s fun, it's affordable, and it's an experience well worth having. “I’m so happy,” Amy said as she sipped her green tea and watched the trains go by.

Kawa Revolving Sushi locations

  • 11381 Montgomery Road, Symmes Township

  • 3880 Paxton Ave., Oakley, inside Hyde Park Plaza, 513-818-8338.

Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi's favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Find more of his recent food writing here.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Revolving sushi restaurants have finally made their way to Cincinnati

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