Brighton Sushi Mania value for Money when time is right

  BRIGHTON SUSHI MANIA

Coming to Brighton & Hove every other week has reduced my anxiety level dramatically; perhaps inhaling the Sussex sea air has been a major factor to my well-being.

After walking around the Hove Lawn during lunchtime on a summer Friday, passing the ruin of the West Pier,  I turned left onto Middle Street.  I passed Creation Night Club, and came across Sushi Mania, coloured in red and white sign. Looking from outside, the simple design of the restaurant looked like any other Japanese restaurant in Piccadilly Circus,  London,  or Brighton.

Yes, I have been to Japan for two weeks before the pandemic. It certainly does not make me an expert in Japanese food. Personally, visiting a Japanese restaurant can be daunting because of my fear of the 'unknown' culture. Anyone who knows Japanese food will know that it can be very much the 'other' far distant culinary, sophisticated and if you go to a good Japanese restaurant, you can imagine its delicate fine dining. Japanese food, in my opinion, is very refined and elegant.

Just as I entered Sushi Mania, I was reminded of wearing a face mask and a receptionist poured a drop of hand sanitiser into my hands. As I looked around me,  its walls, tables, doors in black and black velvet seats on the edges of each corner of the walls and shades of redness made me feel like this is a place of late nights; perhaps even a lap dancers' show.

When I looked closer into my surroundings, I noticed people in different shades. A couple in their 20s - one of them was a South Asian woman wearing hijab, whilst sitting opposite her was a young man. I saw sparkles in each other’s eyes. Next to their table were another young couple of  perhaps of Nordic origin; they looked very pale indeed.  Their eyes were on the bill and gestured to split the bill to one another whilst a Chinese female waiter waits like a guard with her payment card machine.

I was seated next to this  couple in the far corner of the restaurant, seated politely, given the menu, and was asked:

‘Do you want half price?’,  I nodded.  Having looked at the menu, I decided to go for Ramen noodles with mixed seafood in Soya Soup and my partner in crime chose Tempura Udon with prawn & vegetables.

I chose hot green tea. Although, they give you a small cup and a large mug, if you ask for another cup, they charge for two people. 

I poured the brewing tea into both cups. Just as I poured into my cup, within a few minutes, our lunch arrived. 

I also chose sesame chicken wings (2 PCS).

I can’t really comment on the Udon noodle soup. I could only say that the bowl was left completely empty.  When it came to my soup, it was hot, smelt of fresh fish, and tasted positively salty filled with Ramen noodles and bite-size sea fish. It's a lovely dish to have if you are thinking of slimming down your waistline. Still,  it was too much for me, after having had a piece of the chicken wing and a bite of tempura from my other half.

In the end,  I enjoyed my lunch. I would chose my dish if I had to chose again since it was half the price instead of running to the nearest McDonald or KFC. 

In terms of the total cost:

Ramen noodles: £4.40

Udon noodles: £4.40

Chicken wings: £2.60

Green Tea (x2):  £4.40 

Plus 10% service charge: £1.58

GRAND TOTAL: £17.38

MY SCORE (CONSIDERING VALUE, ATMOSPHERE, SERVICE AND TASTE) IS GOOD!