Tucked into an unassuming strip mall on Lancaster Avenue, Osushi is a modern Japanese restaurant with a beautiful interior. From the outside, it presents itself as a humble, aged dining spot; Osushi’s sign is weathered and its dining room is concealed by bamboo blinds. But the interior flips that assumption on its head—dark-wood tables, sparse yet warm lighting, and metal accents create an enchanting atmosphere that’s perfect for anything from date night to a nice meal with friends.
Osushi’s menu consists of traditional Japanese sushi options (salmon sashimi, tuna rolls, etc.) and more contemporary dishes, such as the O.M.G. roll and Incredible Hulk roll. The menu also boasts a wealth of options for vegetarians and vegans. We opted to try a variety of rolls and came to a satisfying conclusion: Osushi is a consistently delicious restaurant with an option for every diner.
We started our meal with some vegetarian options. The three vegetarian rolls were plated beautifully, adorned with flowers and even a thin piece of starfruit. The Sweet Potato roll contained crispy tempura sweet potatoes wrapped in rice and nori, covered with a sweet, sticky, sauce. The fluffy interior of the potatoes combined with the chewy seaweed created a balanced bite. The avocado roll was a simple delight: perfectly ripe avocados presented in the classic maki-roll style. Similar to this roll, the Cucumber Avocado roll was a delicate contrast of crunchy and smooth textures—In the words of Alex France ’26, “The avocado was as soft as cotton candy.” The last roll we tried was the tofu avocado roll. The tofu was pleasantly spongy and surprisingly flavorful, soaked with a savory-sweet soy sauce. Combined with the avocado, this unassuming dish became one of our favorites of the night.
For our traditional, fish-based sushi, we selected the O.M.G roll as well as the traditional spicy tuna roll. The spice tuna roll may have been uncomplicated and unembellished, but the flavor spoke for itself. Complemented with a slight crunch, the tuna’s spice gave the dish a fiery kick of flavor to contrast the mild—nearly sweet—mouthful of rice and seaweed. There was nothing simple, however, about the O.M.G. roll. Aptly named, the roll was beautifully topped with diced tuna, a thick drizzle of spicy mayo, and a rich gloss of eel sauce. Each piece contained a mango—ripened, but difficult to taste against the flavor of the entirety of the roll—and perfectly seasoned avocado. Two pieces even came topped with a mouthful of crisp shrimp tempura—a true O.M.G. moment.
Unexpected as the roll itself, the restaurant may seem easy to miss among the backdrop of the purple Planet Fitness sign and the eclipsing World Wide Stereo storefront that characterize Ardmore Plaza Shopping Center. Once found, however, this hidden gem remains the perfect place for mid-summer meet ups, pre-homecoming dinners, and date nights alike.
