The epidemic currently hitting the coast is something Ive been predicting for years fortunately, its a tasty epidemic, and the only medicine necessary is soy sauce with a little wasabi.

Over the last five or six years, sushi has gotten more locally popular, with Tokyo Teriyaki in Astoria, Tora Sushi in Seaside, and Fishes Japanese Cuisine in Cannon Beach. A few months ago I gave Tora Sushi in Seaside a favorable review, and I am delighted that Tora has brought its excellent sushi to a new location in Astoria, reviving the corner of 12th and Commercial streets where Owl Drug, and more recently, Stevens Fine Clothing, once stood.

At first appearance, I instantly found the new location more intimate and inviting than its sister location in Seaside. Perhaps this is because its a much smaller space, or because Ive been in the space so many times over the years, when it was inhabited by other businesses. There is a warm familiarity about it, and the décor is subtle, minimal and designed to showcase the food.

Our server was warm, charming and knowledgeable about the menu, and we began with a round of miso soup and cucumber salad. Miso, of course is a traditional Japanese soup that consists of a broth called dashi, into which a miso paste is incorporated. Different ingredients are added depending on the region you visit, but the version at Tora includes onions, tofu and seaweed. Its a rather simple soup, but it always sets the tone for a good sushi experience. The cucumber salad, with crisp slices of cucumber, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil and seeds, proves that a dish neednt be fancy or complicated in order to be delicious. From the grassy, fresh flavor of the cucumber, to the sweet tanginess of the rice wine vinegar, to the smoky nuttiness of the sesame, it is a delightfully simple appetizer.

A monkey ball was a new choice for me but proved to be an excellent one: Spicy tuna-filled mushrooms are deep fried and topped with a sweet sauce and masago (smelt eggs). The overall texture reminds me of a meatball, which I suppose is suggested in the name, and the large mushroom caps are the perfect home for spicy tuna. Though it is rather rich, I would love to see a larger, meal-sized portion offered.

My table unanimously loved the tempura udon bowl. I am not particularly a fan of udon, regardless of where it comes from, but I recognize that Im in the minority. Toras udon, with thick, wheat flour noodles, mildly flavored broth, and scallions, served with tempura vegetables alongside, is a wonderful choice for a simple lunch. As I munched on a tempura-battered slice of sweet potato, I pondered why I dont eat all my vegetables that way delicious!

Our first roll was the albacore roll, filled with spicy tuna and topped with flash seared albacore, onions, and ponzu sauce. This is an exquisitely flavored roll: tangy and spicy, with the pleasing texture of the tender albacore, and made even better with ponzu sauce. Were it socially acceptable and more readily available, I would put ponzu sauce on everything bright, citrusy, tart and tangy, it is the perfect topping for this roll.

A dragon roll, which is a traditional California roll topped with eel, avocado and sweet sauce, is a wonderful option for diners who are still wary of eating raw fish. While I hate to say, it tastes like chicken, well, the flavor and texture of eel are quite similar to chicken, and it therefore makes a nice first foray into raw fish for non-raw fish eaters. To me, it lacks the complexity of the albacore roll, but it is sweet and tasty nonetheless.

I am often a little hesitant about relatively odd fusions of cuisine (youve probably read my ad nauseum ramblings about how pineapple has no place on pizza), but, feeling adventurous, I ordered the Italian roll. I was not disappointed the roll of crunchy, deep-fried spicy tuna, topped with yellow-tail tuna, avocado and mustard dressing, was an unusual but toothsome departure from the ordinary. The fried tuna took on an almost sausage-like consistency (reflecting the Italian in the moniker, I guess), and the mustard sauce was spicy, tangy and interesting. I am usually pretty good at playing dining detective, and can often ascertain, by taste, the main ingredients used in a dish, but the mustard sauce remains a tasty puzzle.

Overall, my experience at Tora Sushi Lounge Astoria was top notch, with its warm, cozy space, the inspired, fresh, delicious sushi, and the stellar service. I am so happy to see new restaurants succeed, and I look forward to dining at Tora in its second location for a long, long time.