A sushi roll from MJ Sushi. (Courtesy MJ Sushi via Facebook)
By Kate Bradshaw
MJ Sushi recently opened up at 2305 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, where Pizz'a Chicago was previously located.
Their other two locations are in Fremont and Danville, and there's a fourth spot in the works at 977 E. Hillsdale Blvd. in Foster City, according to owner Andy Fan.
Fan says he first learned about sushi roughly 30 years ago in San José, where he learned to prepare, cut and roll it. He's focused on offering a menu that's simple and straightforward.
Open for dinner and late-night eats with daily hours from 4:30 p.m. to midnight, he's envisioning the location as somewhere people can relax after work, eat sushi and talk.
MJ Sushi, located on El Camino Real in Palo Alto, offers a late-night sushi option. (Photo by Kate Bradshaw)
The menu's starter selection includes items like pan-fried gyoza, tai carpaccio and albacore tataki, seared with a citrus-based soy sauce, while the hand roll selection includes offerings like a deluxe roll made with sea urchin, toro, shiso leaf, salmon roe and fresh wasabi.
Meanwhile, the main selection of sushi rolls includes items like the Volcano Roll, made with spicy tuna, avocado, mango, seared bluefin tuna and crispy honey walnut, and the Warriors Roll, made with tempura shrimp, crab, seared salmon, crispy onion and a house special sauce.
MJ Sushi is a new Palo Alto sushi restaurant located at 2305 El Camino Real. (Photo by Kate Bradshaw)
There's also a set of six vegetarian sushi roll options, from the Mango Secret (tempura sweet potato, avocado, mango and a house special sauce) to the Veggie Tiger, made with tempura pumpkin, asparagus, avocado and crispy walnut.
Sushi prices range from $4 for select veggie rolls to $13 for most special rolls.
So far, there isn’t a single menu item that has been the most popular with customers, he says. On a cold day, hot rolls tend to be more popular, while on warmer days, items such as sashimi are ordered more, he says.
"At this location people try everything," he says.
MJ Sushi, 2305 El Camino Real Suite A, Palo Alto; 650-752-6649, Instagram: @mjsushipa.
