Zooshi — Restaurant in Asheboro

On my way home from work I was contemplating what I was going to eat. I had a craving for sushi, started my usual lawless texting and driving action and came across Sushi by the Zoo. It sounded interesting and was slightly pricier than I wanted to spend, but that just increased my expectations. I arrived to find the building swarming with patrons sitting in the dining area. It looked rather unassuming from outside so imagine my surprise when the building was full. I knew I made the right choice.

I spoke with a nice lady behind the counter and she suggested some deep fried rolls along with the salmon roll I was itching for. After ordering I spend all of 10 minutes waiting and when I went to collect my food I was invited to say hello to the Chef. Everyone working there had a very diligent attitude and were very friendly. I stayed chatting with the staff, hearing stories of their origins and sharing my own, for more time than I'm willing to admit. The atmosphere was very nostalgic and felt like I had been there many times over. Thank you Chef Jasmine and Crew for everything!

The food exceeded my expectations, I didn't think fish that fresh would be served at an establishment in a place I'd never heard of before visiting, it was truly remarkable. This is definitely one of Asheboro's brightest gems. Often times when I eat sushi I can't finish it because the extra rice fills me up or the flavors don't inspire me to finish the roll. Thankfully, Sushi by the Zoo isn't trivial about craftsmanship and every roll was amazingly balance. When I started eating, not only was I able to completely devour 4 rolls in one sitting, but I was eager to consume the 5th and only stopped myself because I couldn't drive back for more and knew I wanted to experience this later in the night.

This is a place I will be bringing my friends to the next time I visit Asheboro. I will miss it until I return...

Potential, but some changes are needed.

The Good - All ingredients were very fresh! Many places fail on this which is the most important part of sushi. All rolls and poke bowl were well put together too. Well done! 10/10

The Bad - There were only about 20 rolls to pick from and half were just slight variations of others. I wanted the zooshi roll, but they were out of hamachi. I asked if they could put something else on top in it's place and the response was "it's really just a spicy tuna roll with more fish on top." Good job ignorning a customers request to compramise and brining to light what was already painfully obvious, your menu is tiny. It would be so easy to create more menu items without expanding the inventory. Lets get creative!

The Ugly - Half the rolls are over $15 with $20 being the peak. This is 30% too expensive for what is pretty basic sushi, even if it was fresh and taste good. $14 @ US Sushi in greensboro gets you anything you can dream of and the quality is also high and packed with fish. Maybe a BOGO for lunch?

In summary, I want this place and it's owners to succeed, so I will keep my eye on the menu for change. Until then, my weekly sushi business will have to stay elsewhere. Wish...

I want to love this place—I really do. I want to see it thrive in the future. But honestly, I have a better chance of a gold-plated Lamborghini crash-landing from MARS in my driveway with Kim Kardashian in the passenger seat than coming back here at these prices.

You’re easily one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in the entire state, yet the menu is seriously lacking. No sashimi, no nigiri, not even the basic maki staples. Expect heavily sauced, “Americanized” rolls. The average prices are 30–50% higher than anywhere else, and somehow, the cooked rolls are cheaper than the raw ones—which makes zero sense. Plus we are in ASHEBORO! Read the room people! This isn't Lake Norman or Cary!

Three basic rolls—spicy tuna, spider, and Philly—should not run me over $60 with tax and tip (no drink either!). Until the menu branches out and the prices come back down to this galaxy, I’ll keep making the drive to Greensboro where I can spend less and get more variety and quality. Heck for 60$ I can get half a tank of gas, a large coffee, all you...