When opportunity knocks, you have to yank open the door and launch yourself at it before it disappears. So when I got the chance to try out a brand new sushi restaurant, when they are still hungry and out to prove
themselves, I jumped right into it.

Sushiya is a recent addition to Valencia, and it’s got something for everyone, even those among us who aren’t fish aficionados. But rest assured, die-hard sushi
fanatics will also be well-taken care of.

The interior is modern and chic, with just the right touch of style to make it feel very contemporary, but still a comfortable place to sit and enjoy a meal.

We began our feast with a small dish of artfully prepared sashimi that had been splashed with a mild sauce, and garnished simply with green onions. This wonderful little treat was called the ménage a trios. Next
up was a selection of tuna served on a crispy little fried piece of something
like potato. These morsels were liberally doused with a flavorful sauce. The
texture was a real crowd-pleaser. To finish up this initial wave of goodness,
we were treated to something unusual; salmon cakes. Everyone and their mom has
had crab cakes, and they’re great, but I’ve never had a crispy little bite with
pink, buttery salmon meat in it. They came in a tangy, modified tartar sauce
that complimented the richness of the fish nicely.

At this point, our server swooped in and cleared the plates, ready with a new series of awesome eats. The first thing he set down was a colorful roll of
spicy goodness, with dabs of what looked like sriracha, and on top of that were
sliced jalapenos! This spicy little gem was called the dragon roll, and it’s
one to remember. After that though, was in my opinion the highlight of the
whole meal. Take basic red snapper sushi, except put the fish under a broiler
for just a few seconds so that the tiny layer of fat beneath the skin bakes and
liquefies. The effect is a barely-perceptible smokiness to the fish, but it’s
so awesome because the delicateness isn’t ruined. That’s a tough balance to pull
off, and Sushiya does it flawlessly.

How can you go wrong with something fried? You can’t. How can you mess up lobster? You can’t. So our next course was a win-win situation, with a popcorn lobster
roll as well as a baked lobster roll. Wow. The crispy fried goodness of the
popcorn lobster was doused with a sweet sauce, and the baked lobster was so
moist and tender that it made our whole table completely silent. To button up
the whole experience, we had a plate of kitchen-prepared food that would surely
please any non-sushi eater. Kabobs with tender beef, savory vegetables and
juicy prawns lay elegantly sprawled across a plate with vivid green leaves
framing the whole thing.

Wow. The place had unique, interesting dishes that sushi devotees probably haven’t seen before, it had quality cuisine for diners who aren’t of the sushi
persuasion, and to top it all off, the service here was exemplary. Truly a fine
meal.