Sushi, served nigiri style or as pictured here in a maki roll, is the name of the game at Sushi 101.

SUSHI 101 , Locations and Phone Numbers: The Shops at Woodlawn, 1730 E. Woodlawn Road, 704-672-0990. The Promenade on Providence, 5355 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, 704-844-0001. Details: Limited delivery near each location with $15 minimum order; take-out; separate bar; limited but interesting wine list with selections by the bottle and the glass; Japanese, domestic and imported beers; sake and full ABC license; off-premise catering; seasonal patio dining. Prices: Prices range from $1 and $2 for nigiri sushi and $2 for yakitori to entrees for $14.95. Hours: Open seven days a week. Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner: Monday-Thursday, 4:30-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 p.m.-midnight; and Sunday, 2-11 p.m.

A Saturday night at the movies, viewing Bill Murray's latest, "Lost in Translation," may leave you wanting more than the obligatory tub of popcorn. Scenes of the hustle and bustle in Tokyo suggest that sushi for dinner after the movie might be the way to go.

I am a sushi lover, and there is not much on Sushi 101's list of sashimi, nigiri and maki offerings I didn't like. Business is thriving at its first location in The Shops at Woodlawn, the growing strip center across Woodlawn Road from Park Road Shopping Center. Sushi 101 was one of the first tenants some two years ago. The Promenade on Providence location at Providence Road and Ballantyne Commons Parkway opened a few weeks ago. Again, business is booming and with good reason.

What's on the menu
As the name of the restaurant suggests, the menu includes all the fundamentals. Look for noodle bowls, yakatori, teriyaki and tempura, as well as basic sushi and sashimi.

It's the seafood at Sushi 101 that is by far the restaurant's strong suit. Chef and owner Hank Lim insists on very high quality fish and hand picks what vendors send to both locations every day. "I have no problem sending something back that doesn't live up to my standards," he said. "I'm looking for the highest quality I can find and still be able to offer my customers a reasonably priced product."

The sushi at Sushi 101 comes in two presentations. First, nigiri sushi, priced by the piece, is a slice of fish, tofu or egg on a finger-sized form of rice. Second, there is maki sushi, where the fish, vegetable, tofu, etc., is rolled up in rice and a paper-thin sheet of toasted seaweed. Maki is often referred to as a sushi roll or makimono sushi and is served in pinwheel-shaped slices. Each roll comes in four to six pieces and is often as beautiful to look at as it is delicious.

Sashimi is the proper name for a platter of raw sliced seafood, while sushi is made from raw fish with cooked seafood, vegetables, egg and tofu, each combined with sticky, slightly sweet white rice.

If you are new to sushi and sashimi, start with the California Rolls or Sushi 101's SouthPark Maki. This roll of shrimp, snow crab salad and cucumber is light and fresh and goes down quite easily. As for the nigiri, try any one of several varieties of tuna and the salmon, both quite mild. We particularly enjoyed the Tai or snapper and my favorite, Ikura, or salmon roe as well as the Ameabi or sweet shrimp. Next, you can venture to the octopus, squid, eel and clam selections, often referred to as a bit more challenging.

RATING SCALE Excellent, a must try. Above average, worth consideration. Average, but nothing spectacular. Just okay. Poor, not recommended.

If hot Japanese fare is more your style, don't miss any one of Sushi 101's noodle soups, served with your choice of noodles like ramen, somen, udon, or soba and your choice of toppings like veggies, pork, beef, shrimp or salmon, chicken or tofu served in large oversized bowls in any one of three different Japanese styles.

The yakitori skewers are prepared three ways: grilled, crispy tempura and katsu fried. I have found Sushi 101's tempura to be a bit on the oily side, so I suggest the grilled skewers, topped with a light teriyaki sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Skewers are available with a host of vegetables, seafood, chicken, pork, tofu and beef. You choose and pay for them by the piece.

For heartier appetites, try one of the five or six Japanese dinner plates. Don't miss the salmon or red snapper, prepared Hong Kong style, steamed with fresh ginger and scallions in a light sherry soy sauce with rice and a stir-fried vegetable on the side. It's a winner.

Wine from rice
We found the primer of sake on the wine menu to be quite interesting and informative. Sushi 101 offers eight kinds of sake, each with its own subtle characteristics.

Most sake served in small warmed china carafes at sushi bars is about as basic as you can get. The better, more upscale sake is served chilled or at room temperature.

Sake is made from rice that has been brewed with pure spring water. The quality of the sake is based on the polishing of the rice kernels. Flavors range from light and dry to full-flavored, rich and slightly sweet. Several varieties come in half bottles, as well as the 750- ml size, so if you are trying sake for the first time, the commitment to drink a whole bottle doesn't have to be overwhelming.

We very much enjoyed a half bottle of Ozeki Nigori, a full-flavored, unfiltered sake with our sushi at a recent Sushi 101 dinner. The slightly sweet taste made for a perfect foil to the raw and cooked seafood and the accompanying hot wasabi, salty soy and spicy, pickled ginger.

Sushi 101's wine list includes an outstanding selection of premium sakes served cold or hot.

Well-known Charlotte restaurant critic, food writer, cooking instructor and connoisseur of food and wine, Heidi Edidin writes "South Charlotte Weekly: Culinary Corner," a restaurant review or food feature that appears weekly. Contact Heidi with questions and restaurant, food or story ideas by email at heidi@southcharlotteweekly.com.

SCW photos by Sean Busher.

This article first appeared in "South Charlotte Weekly" on March 5, 2004. "South Charlotte Weekly" is a free, locally owned, independent newspaper that's "About the Community, For the Community," available every Thursday in South Charlotte and Uptown.

Copyright 2003 by South Charlotte Weekly and WSOCTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.