As the semester draws to a close, sometimes it feels there is an even more menacing foe than finals looming on the horizon: continuing to eat dining hall food. As a pescatarian who is also a picky eater, I feel like I exhaust all my options in the Sadler Center Court over the course of a day, let alone a semester. There are only so many lackluster salads (especially dressed with the false abomination that is light ranch) and bowls of unidentifiable lentil slop a girl can stomach. Commons Dining Hall is marginally better, offering vegetarian options in colors other than beige, but, as a One Tribe Place resident, my proximity to the Sadler Center means the other dining hall might as well be on the other side of the planet. Plus, at a point of true ravenousness, eating dining hall food feels like throwing a shoe at a bear. And when the craving strikes for a real, hearty non-dining hall meal, at this point in the semester, my dining dollars for other on-campus options are already long gone, thanks to the Bento Sushi poke bowls available in Sadler’s Student Exchange. For all of these reasons, last week I made a decision that I am slightly, though probably not sufficiently, ashamed of: Over the course of 8 days, I ate at Oishii Japanese Ramen & Hibachi Grill not once, not twice, but three times.
But wait; hear me out, O fading bank account balance of a broke, unemployed college student. Your sacrifice was not in vain; I had a good justification for every visit.
On my first trip to Oishii last week, my high school best friend was in town, and I had to show her what I believe to be the best dining establishment in Williamsburg for reasons I will get into later. The second time, I had dinner plans with an upperclassman friend whose dining dollars and swipes for the semester just so happened to be exhausted, leaving us with absolutely no other choice but to take a delicious step off campus.
The third time, I was hungry and wanted poke. All valid reasons. Dulce et decorum est to die for your sushi, little bank account balance.
Stepping into Oishii for the first time is an experience you will never forget. The shop on Prince George Street has a casual mom-and-pop feel with quirks that give it personality. You may be struck by the pet videos and Fail Army compilations playing nonstop on the two TV screens or the uncanny acoustic covers of songs you never thought needed an acoustic cover playing over the speakers. Customers order at the counter and seat themselves for a meal that will not disappoint.
I am always impressed by the wide range of dishes on Oishii’s menu. Whatever I may be craving, from ramen to poke to hibachi to sushi, they’ve got it. There are still plenty of menu items I’m keen to try in my inevitable future visits, including their cartoon character macarons and boba tea.
Now, I don’t venture to attest to the authenticity of this food. This is my obligatory disclaimer that I am a simple white woman who loves raw fish-derived Japanese dishes so much they’re the only thing keeping me pescatarian and not fully veggie. However, what I can do is dive into what I ordered on my three recent trips to Oishii and provide a few of my favorite recommendations to any potential diners, especially those of you who don’t eat land animals.
On my first visit to Oishii last week, I ordered a favorite for a well-rounded dinner: the salmon poke bowl. At $15, this bowl is the same price as, but twice the size of, the ones available at Bento (just sayin’). The vessel bigger than my head contains tantalizingly sticky white rice, salmon that is the perfect consistency (neither too tough nor too soft), greens that balance the bowl out with a light freshness and an optional drizzle of spicy mayo, which I add for a little zing. This bowl offers phenomenal bang for your buck and a meal of diverse flavors that varies with every bite.
On my next visit, I ordered what is, in my mind, Oishii’s main attraction: the sushi. My usual combo is a California and a salmon avocado roll. The salmon roll has that same delightfully tender fish and soft avocado your teeth can glide through. Meanwhile, the California roll provides a refreshing crunch of cucumber and delicate strings of crab. While these suit my personal taste, I don’t think you can go wrong with any sushi roll that strikes your fancy at Oishii.
For purposes of journalistic integrity, I am obligated to tell you that on my third visit I got the poke again. However, for the sake of this article’s tripartite structure, I’ll ask you to indulge the narrative that I ordered my final favorite menu item, the vegetable hibachi. This is the perfect dish for a colder day when you’re in the mood for hearty comfort food. Paired with starchy white rice, the vegetable offerings of zucchini, broccoli and onion are mouth-wateringly savory. With a drizzle of yum yum sauce (the nectar of the gods), this delectable plate goes down all too easily.
In the hellscape of finals, I highly encourage you to follow in my footsteps and treat yourself to some meals outside the dining hall. The psychology of the ‘little treat’ is sound: food can and should be more than sustenance. In a Sadler-induced stupor, it can be easy to forget how food with real flavor can put an instant smile on your face. Oishii is my pick for this break in routine due to the breadth of its menu and its accessibility as a casual spot in close proximity to campus. Whether you’re an intrigued first-timer or a regular like myself, give it a try — you might just see this author on her second or third scrumptious study break.
