Hanaroo Sushi Bar Brings Sushi to Downtown Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas is known for fried chicken, barbecue and catfish. Sushi is not what springs to mind when someone mentions great Little Rock restaurants, and that's a shame because Hanaroo Sushi Bar on Capital Avenue serves some of the finest sushi in the region.

The small building has been occupied by a number of restaurants, including a dismal Chinese buffet, but none of them lasted very long amid downtown's myriad dining choices. Hanaroo has survived for several years by making its own mark. It's tastefully decorated in shades of rose and off white with accents of black and gold. There is a distinctly Japanese feel, without going over the top. The tables are attractive dark wood and the seats are comfortably padded.

No matter how nice the décor, if the sushi weren't top notch, Hanaroo would have failed in the tough Capital crowd. Fortunately, Hanaroo's sushi is wonderful. There is a wide selection, including some menu items that are unique to Hanaroo. The most unusual name award goes to the unfortunately monikered Mexican Orgasm Roll( $7.95). If you can get over the blush inducing name, the smoked eel and rice roll is one of the best on the menu.

Hanaroo also features a roll named for its home town, the LR Roll. It's filled with tempura shrimp and wrapped in seaweed before being battered and lightly fried- and you thought all sushi was raw.

My dining companion wasn't much of a sushi eater, so she stuck with a beef and vegetable dish with noodles, along with edamame- a popular dish in soybean growing Arkansas. According to her, it was hot and spicy, and the vegetables were crisp and tender without being soggy.

Service is attentive and friendly, but many of the servers do not speak much English. If you really care about what is in each sushi roll, don't expect to get a clear answer from the wait staff before you order. If you look at sushi dining as an adventure and order whatever strikes your fancy, dining at Hanaroo can be a unique experience. It is certainly different from any other place in Little Rock.

The dining room is crowded Monday through Friday during lunch, but food is prepared and delivered to your table quickly. Dinner is a more laid back affair, with few diners and a slower pace. Lunch prices average around $12 per person, while dinner prices average around 420 per person without alcoholic beverages.