Mikimoto's - Wilmington Gets a Sushi Palace
Written: Apr 03 '05
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Pros: quality sushi and good atmosphere at a reasonable price; friendly staff
Cons: parking is a bit limited at times
The Bottom Line: If you are in the Wilmington area, Mikimoto's is definitely worth checking out for some good sushi.
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| martytdx's Full Review: Mikimotos |
Wilmington likes to think of itself as a mini-Philly at times, and prices itself accordingly. I guess all of the banks in town give the restaurant owners false impressions about just how viable a $9 martini is in a town that clears out significantly after 6 p.m. and clouds their judgement. Since Wilmington ISN'T Philly, many of these errant ventures - particularly restaurants - fail when their high expectations fall flat. This has been leaving a large gap in good dining in the city in recent years.
Mikimoto's, however, hasn't run into that problem. A trendy Japanese restaurant and the sister restaurant to the Washington Street Ale House next door, Mikimoto's manages to give upscale service and atmosphere but still offer reasonable prices - a combination that has it as one of the most popular restaurants in town.
I first discovered Mikimoto's when my boss suggested that we try it. I enjoyed it thoroughly and mentioned it to several other friends, as well as my mother whose love for fish is often squashed by my father's intense distrust of raw fish. So, she and I have a monthly lunch to catch up, and we always head to Mikimoto's - and you should, too.
[ • stylish pad, DANIEL-SON • ]
Mikimoto's takes Japanese cuisine and offers up a stylish atmosphere to surround it. A nicely-appointed bar done in black-painted wood sits to the left the entrance, and the sushi bar sits in the middle of the room welcoming and attractive. Tables fill the left-hand side of the room, while a combination of tables and booths seat diners on the right. Art from local artists line the walls, strange and yet fitting in the modern culture aesthetic.
When you arrive, friendly hostesses quickly greet and seat you - at least I've never had to wait more than 15 seconds to be seated at lunch. The dark tables are perhaps a little small for a full four-top, but still comfortable; larger and smaller tables are also available. From there, they leave you to investigate the expansive menu - there's lots to choose from, although I'm a creature of habit and tend to select from the short list.
[ • so much to CHOOSE FROM • ]
My mother and I usually get the same thing every time we are there - the Nigiri Sushi ($11) which includes an assortment of 6 pieces of sushi, a California Roll, a side seaweed salad and a miso soup to start. The sushi assortment is chef's choice, although it tends to have tuna, yellowtail, fluke, salmon, shrimp and eel. I don't like salmon, so I usually ask for a substitute, and they are only happy to oblige. The sushi is usually super fresh and delicious, particularly when they mix it up a bit. The miso is one of the better ones that I have had, and the seaweed salad is usually very good - unless it hasn't thawed completely, which has happened on a couple of occasions.
We also tend to get a special roll every time we come - either the Crunchy Yellowtail or Crunchy Spicy Tuna (both $7.50). The former has hamachi, masago (smelt roe), tempura fricks and a spicy sauce; the tuna is the same thing with maguro substituted for the hamachi. Both are served in 6 pieces and are delicious, although I wouldn't call them 'spicy' as much as flavored with their own mayonnaise sauce.
The last time I went, my boss ordered the Grilled Chicken Teriyahi ($11), which was served with a side of 'wrinkled green bean salad'. It looked fantastic, and she said that it is the best teriyaki in the area; as a fervent Asian food lover, I have to accept that she knows what she's talking about. They have a beef version made from New York Strip that tempted her as well, but she stuck with her old favorite.
When I've visited with friends, they've delved into other meals that have all looked almost as good as mine. The Lunch Bento Box comes with miso, steamed rice, a four-piece California roll, two pot stickers, seaweed salad and your choice of 'main dish'. Get the Shrimp and Mushroom Tempura ($12), the Pan-Seared Beef and Mushroom ($13) or Hunan Calamari ($13). From the reviews that I got from them, everything was perfect and delicious.
If none of that works for you, the lunch menu has a vast assortment of other choices. Choose from 25 types of sushi/sashimi including:
maguro ($6 for 2 pieces)
white tuna ($6.50)
swordfish ($5.50)
sea urchin ($8)
black-pepper seared tuna ($6.50)
Or choose from one of the 40 sushi rolls on the menu:
The Mikimoto ($11.75) has shrimp tempura, avocado and Japanese mayonnaise topped with eel, flying fish roe and wasabi roe
Tiger Roll ($9.50) with snow crab mixed with masago, Japanese mayo and wrapped in tiger skin seaweed
Wilmington Roll ($6.50) with fried fresh salmon with avocado, sweet onions and Japanese mayo
Treasure Island Roll ($12.50) containing chopped steamed lobster mixed with Japanese mayo, masago and wasabi, and topped with golden flying fish roe.
Or go with the simpler rolls like tekka maki ($5.50), cucumber ($3.50) or salmon avocado ($5.50). They also offer a variety of sushi combinations ranging in price from $9 to $14 for the Tuna Family (tuna roll, 2 pieces of tuna sushi and 2 pieces of white tuna sushi) to $15 for the sushi sashimi combo.
But as much as I've talked about the sushi, Mikimoto's does offer Japanese food outside of the sushi thing. A Chipotle Lime Rock Shrimp Salad ($9.50) comes with crispy rock shrimp, shaved roumaine, bean sprouts and chipotle lime dressing, while the Truffle Panko-Crusted Yellowfin Tuna ($12) is served over grilled shiitake caps, caramelized onions and wasabi pierogies and tobiko creme fraiche.
Hungry yet?
[ • come for the food but ENJOY THE SERVICE • ]
I've never had a negative experience here with the service. The staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful, from making sure that drinks are full to taking care of my special order. The staff smiles as they greet you and give you a warm good-bye that makes you want to go back. The sushi chefs are friendly as well, although I've never sat at the sushi bar itself to get a closer look.
[ • sayonara, but I'LL BE BACK • ]
I love sushi, and Mikimoto's gave me a place to get my fix on numerous occasions. I've only been there for lunch, but I know others that say that it's even better for dinner. One day, I'll try it out but for now I'm content to enjoy the best sushi in the Wilmington area during daylight hours. Unlike many of the other restaurants that have sprung up in the credit card capital of the world, Mikimoto's has found a niche and done its best to make it there own. The work they put in shows and makes this one of my favorite restaurants in the area.
[ • if you GO • ]
Mikimotos
1212 Washington St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
302-656-TOFU
http://www.mikimotos.com/
Hours » M-Th 11am - 11pm; F 11am - 12am; Sat 4pm -12am; Sun 4pm -10pm
Reservations » Recommended for 6 or more
Parking » Limited onsite, some street parking
Alcohol » Full Bar
Smoking » As with all Delaware restaurants, smoking is not permitted.
Payments » Visa, Mastercard
[ • related REVIEWS • ]
• Yanagi, Too - Very good sushi place in the Cherry Hill mall.
• Washington Street Ale House - A good pub and sister restaurant.
• The National Restaurant - A recent addition to the Wilmington retaurant scene.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Nigiri Sushi is a great lunch for $11.
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening
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Epinions.com ID:
martytdx
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Member: Marty
Location: New Jersey
Reviews written: 481
Trusted by: 179 members
About Me:
Doing what I can to try new places, restaurants, books and beers.
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