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Sakura enlivens Corner with authentic Asian delicacies

Raw fish. For some, these two words do not evoke images of artful, culinary masterpieces. Yet that is just what the fortunate diner who wanders into Sakura gets when he orders raw fish - a wondrous meal which succeeds in both taste and aesthetics.

Sakura, located just off the Corner on 14th Street, transforms raw fish into the Japanese culinary specialties sushi and sashimi. The flavors of individual fish - served atop the canvases of small serving tables - are enhanced and displayed with rice, seaweed paper, ginger, wasabi mustard and soy sauce. For those intimidated by the concept of raw fish, Sakura features cooked sushi along with vegetarian sushi and an extensive selection of Japanese noodle dishes for the sushi-shy diner.

Situated among boutiques and other restaurants, Sakura offers authentic, excellently prepared Japanese culinary traditions. The fortunate diner seated at the sushi bar even watches the food prepared before his or her eyes. With many a la carte possibilities offered at reasonable prices, the restaurant satisfies all appetites. And with an attentive, gracious staff and a soothing, lovely interior, the restaurant pleases its patrons in more ways than just taste.

The Sakura dining experience is unique not only in menu options and taste, but in the actual dining experience. Sakura's dining area, surrounded by walls of ecru, delicate paper lanterns and blonde wood tables and paneling, offers a variety of seating options. Others can sit at tables with window views, at the sushi bar, where they can see the art of compilation and presentation, or in the tearoom, where diners sit on the floor and enjoy their meals in an aura of authenticity.

Sushi is a must-try at Sakura. From tako (octopus) and ika (squid) to rolls featuring salmon, tuna and shrimp, the restaurant caters to the adventurous and timid eater alike. With so many options, it is hard to decide which ones to choose, but the helpful staff will explain the ingredients in any of the menu items and make recommendations to the novice sushi eater.

At the advice of the waitress, we tried the shrimp tempura roll, the cucumber roll, the New York roll with fish roe and the eel cucumber roll. All were sliced into six individual pieces, making them easier to grab with chopsticks.

The cucumber roll is a mild roll composed of cucumber surrounded by rice and sesame seeds and wrapped in seaweed. Both the shrimp tempura and the New York rolls meld shrimp with other tasty ingredients encased in seaweed and rice and adorned with dramatic, red fish roe. These combination rolls are artfully served with crystalline shrimp tails submerged in several of the pieces, effectively blending the crunchy with the smooth.

Also excellent is the eel cucumber roll, which blends cooked eel and fresh, crisp cucumber. Although the main ingredient in these rolls may intimidate squeamish diners, it is a delicious choice and adds a salty kick to every bite. Dipped in soy sauce or eaten alone, these rolls are all marvelous. Ranging from $3 for the cucumber roll to $5.95 for the New York roll, our roll choices were reasonable and filling.

Should one decide to experiment beyond the sushi dishes, Sakura also offers a wide variety of tasty noodle dishes. As the menu features reputedly excellent yaki udon (thick noodles) as well as delectable soba (thin, pan-fried noodles) dishes, we decided to try the chicken yaki udon for $7.50. Generous in portion, this meal was comprised of cooked chicken, mushrooms and onions amidst a bed of tender, flavorful noodles. Warmly comforting and pleasing to the palette, this dish was rich and satisfying to both the tongue and spirit.

In addition to such noodle-based dishes, Sakura presents its patrons a plethora of rice dishes such as beef, tofu steak or shrimp and scallop teriyaki (available for $13.95, $7.95 and $14.95, respectively) and the okayo don, an entree which combines chicken and egg over rice with sweet sauce for $8.95. All entrees come with the traditional Japanese starter, miso soup, composed of soy beans, tofu, seaweed and scallions. Should one choose not to order an entree, this soup can be ordered a la carte for $1.50.

Finishing our meals with complimentary oranges, we felt comfortably full and satisfied from our culinary adventure at Sakura. Still, the intriguing dessert selections drew our interest, and we brought our meal to a close with one last specialty. From offerings such as red bean, ginger or green tea ice cream ($2.95 each) and the tempura banana ($3.25), we selected "flaming" ice cream. This dish was composed of green tea ice cream, encircled by pound cake and a crisp shell set aflame upon a bed of caramelizing sugar. The dessert achieved dramatic contrasts between the cool, smooth ice cream, warm, flaky casing and sponginess of the cake. For $4.50, it is a wonderful way to conclude the special Sakura dining experience.

Although many must travel halfway around the world to find authentic Japanese cuisine, students need only journey a few steps off Grounds to the Sakura Restaurant where eating becomes a sensual, cultural adventure, and one's mind - not one's body - expands.

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