Roll call: Five must-try sushi dishes at Blue Ginger
Opening in 2008 on the Northwest Side, Blue Ginger Asian Fusion Bistro explores Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and Chinese cuisines - some with modern touches.
"Four people go out," owner Zhong "Joe" Lin said. "Some people like sushi, some like Chinese. You can come in and try whatever you want."
Some might say the true gem at Blue Ginger, 6234 Sawmill Road, is the extensive inventory of sushi - 27 signature rolls, plus sashimi, nigiri and other popular combinations.
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These are the five must-try sushi rolls at Blue Ginger:
∙ Oh My God roll ($14.99) - It's certainly an eye-opener, with spicy kani salad and avocado inside, and kani on the outside as well. White tuna also is draped over the exterior and garnished with eel sauce, spicy mayo and thin slices of fresh jalapeno.
∙ Monster roll ($14.99) - The rolls are built around tempura shrimp, seaweed salad and avocado, with spicy kani, crunchy pieces of tempura batter, spicy mayo, fish roe and eel sauce.
∙ Perfect Naruto roll ($15.00) - Forgoing rice in this option, Blue Ginger wraps salmon, tuna and yellowtail with fresh, skinless cucumber, accented by fish roe and scallions, and zesty ponzu sauce for dipping.
∙ Tropical roll ($12.99) - Colorful, with interesting texture and flavor combination, this choice has shrimp, crabstick, mango, avocado, cucumber and fried tempura batter wrapped in pink soy paper and dotted with spicy mayo.
∙ Mars roll ($15.99) - It is a celebration of crunchy, spicy lobster, topped with salmon, spicy tuna and spicy mayo.
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There are many other attractions on the Blue Ginger menu.
Appetizers, such as the yellowtail samba ($11.99), draw plenty of attention. The thinly sliced tuna is garnished with serrano peppers, pureed garlic, yuzu and soy, and olive oil.
Vietnamese summer rolls ($4.99), served chilled, are refreshing with basil, avocado, shrimp and rice noodles, all wrapped in chewy rice paper.
Lunch options, including the grilled sesame salmon ($14.99), are many. The meal is served with white, brown or fried rice (the latter costing $3.99 extra plus a choice of hot and sour soup or miso soup).
It seems no Chinese menu would be complete without General Tso's chicken ($15.99), an actual American-Chinese dish.
Lin said Blue Ginger's version uses white instead of dark meat, which is crunchy and highlighted by ginger and a thick sweet and sour sauce.
"The sauce is different," he said. "We put in less sugar."
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Lin also has opened two locations of Cajun Boil Seafood Restaurant & Bar - 1748 E. Dublin-Granville Road and 2760 Brice Road in Reynoldsburg - in addition to Blue Ginger.
"It's a good life," he said. "I enjoy it."
Hours at Blue Ginger are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and closed Mondays.
For more information, visit bluegingersawmill.com, or call 614-792-3888.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Five sushi rolls diners must try at Blue Ginger Asian Fusion Bistro
