There are many overlooked gems on the Cowley Road and Sushi Corner is definitely one of them. A bit scruffy and unremarkable from the outside, once inside the place is clean, bright and delightfully decorated, with appetising pictures of sushi adorning the walls and cheerfully tacky waving cats by the counter.
As can probably be expected, the place was practically empty on a Tuesday afternoon, and sitting down at a table, we were instantly provided with menus. The main thing to say about Sushi Corner is that the options are endless! The menu has everything you may want to order and then some, and is certainly the most extensive range of sushi I’ve ever seen provided in Oxford.
Enthused by the selection we went to town on our order. Edamame beans, eight California rolls, eight dark dragon rolls, two prawn hand rolls, mixed tempura and five pieces of tuna sashimi was perhaps a bit ambitious for two people, but because it was so tasty we got through almost all of it! The Japanese Green Tea certainly helped to digest it all and was served up to us at just the right temperature – piping hot.
The California rolls stole the show; the small orange fish eggs stuck around each one added extra flavour and texture. The prawn hand rolls came in a close second place; the seaweed nice and crunchy and the rice soft and sticky. The dark dragon rolls (a mixture of eel and avocado) were coated with a rich brown sauce, which for some might have the potential to be overpowering, but which I thought was delicious. The dark dragon rolls were definitely heavier on the avocado than the eel so you may want to consider your ratio preferences before ordering this dish. The only slight let-downs to the meal were the edamame, which I would have preferred saltier, and the mixed tempura, where the batter was quite bland.
Despite the tempura and edamame, I still think that this is the best sushi that I’ve had in Oxford and I will definitely be going again. In fact, I think I’ll go as many times as it takes to try everything on the menu!