Sakura #10 — Restaurant in Harrisonburg

Ratings on here led us to believe this would be an outstanding experience, BUT we had a couple cautions: 1) ratings applauded the customer service, but we were ordering during Pandemic shut down, so we wouldn’t be dining in, 2) people said the atmosphere was great, but (see caveat above), & 3) the high ratings were from a lot of non-Asians, which can tend to mean it has a general American appeal... but doesn’t draw an Asian population. Waiting in the parking lot we did not notice a single Asian pick up customer...

So, 1) the customer service WAS amazing, even though we had to conduct our business via online ordering & phone clarifications. We asked for no MSG—& were considerately called to confirm white rice instead of fried, AND we were given low-sodium soy sauce with a handwritten note stating that it would have lower MSG! So thoughtful! 2) the atmosphere of our van was lovely—great company. Ha ha! 3) the food was inconsistent. My husband said his salmon skin sushi was spot on & his spicy salmon roll was basic & tasty; the California rolls were incredibly bland but the ginger was fresh & appropriately spicy; pork buns were served not with a plum sauce, as typical, but with a sour sauce... they were less than mediocre; miso soup was quite delicious (but slight on the tofu); the tempura was light on veg & shrimp, but not great on cheesecake—just flat & wet; seaweed salad was spectacular. We eat Asian food very regularly, & all over the country, having definitely tasted outrageously phenomenal Japanese food/sushi. This restaurant has an appeal-to-all approach with a massive menu on which you can find a little bit of anything/everything for a large party. It’s good, but not the kind of food I’d crave or return to... we were just passing through town, but next time in Harrisonburg I don’t really have cause to try...

Not bad, but needs some improvement. Sashimi was cut generously and chilled, but a little lacking in flavor. Either not full sushi grade, or not aged properly. Wasabi could have been a little stronger. Salad was tasty, and really liked the crunchies on top. First thing you see when you walk in is that they are set up for takeout, with table and racks full of items that should be hidden from customers. Sushi bar area felt more like a noisy deli, rather than a proper sushi restaurant. The TV with sports in the corner, and another rack full of restaurant supplies right next to the sushi bar didn't lend to a decent atmosphere. The place is kept clean, including the bathrooms. Could use some sound dampening to absorb the noisiness of the kitchen, sushi bar, and customers. Clean, but reflective surfaces make it louder than it should be. Special rolls and sushi and sashimi meals are about the same price as anywhere else, but they give you disposable plastic condiment cups for your soy sauce... A couple of decorative folding screens, a proper host stand and a few other things could quickly add another star to...

Sakura is a steady choice for middle of the road Asian fusion cuisine. You won't find anything bad on the menu, and the portions are designed to wow. Nor will you find anything as good as a restaurant which focuses on one Asian specialty. Today I tried the pho. It was creditable, but certainly not as good as it could be. The bowl was huge. The stock was rich. The meat was plentiful. However, the herbs served with the pho were lacking. There were two small clusters of Thai basil. No cilantro. Onions were not roasted. Scallions were present, but portions were stingy. Part of the experience of good pho is the aroma and savory taste of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and onions. I did not detect anything but onion in the broth. To be fair, most Americans are used to bland food. An Asian Fusion restaurant has to tone things down to meet the palate of the clientele. But if you are looking for authentic taste, this stops short of the mark. Still, if you prefer portion size and price to be your guide, this is far better than the average chain restaurant. Sometimes, middle of the road is the...