The Japanese restaurant community has been growing in West St. Tammany Parish--probably a bit faster than the clientele. This one stands out not so much for its sushi--which compares favorably with the other sources nearby--but for the excellence of its cooked offerings. The Sake Garden's board of specials is highly appealing, enough so that an all-sushi meal would miss more than half of the available thrills here.
Sake Gardens opened at a terrible time: 2005, which meant that they no only had Katrina to deal in their early days, but also major road construction right in front of the place. It took over the tiny restaurant formerly that of J Bistro and Sutherlin's.
In a rather stark strip mall, the restaurant is a small, longer-than-wide dining room in which a sushi bar fits perfectly. Mirrors give the illusion of space at the tables opposite the bar.
The best meal I ever had her came when I asked to be served every one of the six or seven dishes listed on the specials board. If that's a bit much, do at least alternate sushi items with the hot dishes, even if that's not your usual dining habit.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 0 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 0 |
