Moonlight Sushi Bar and Grill is Wesleyan University’s students’ go-to restaurant. When my two friends and I couldn’t get a spot at Mondo’s Pizza, we walked next store to our old favorite, Moonlight. Many other Wesleyan students seemed to have the same Friday night plans. Just walking to our table we passed by a team dinner around a hibachi table upstairs, ran into a group of girls we knew, and said hi to a Wes couple that happened to be sitting nearby.
And this isn’t a rare occasion! Moonlight’s moderately priced sushi and moderately fancy (but not overwhelmingly so) ambience makes it perfect for large groups, small groups, romantic duos, and dinners with visiting parents alike. Their huge and varied menu of sushi, drinks, meat dishes, noodle dishes, fried rice, and hibachi cooked food also helps.
Photo by Maile McCann
We got to dinner around 6:30 and although it was pretty crowded, we were seated right away. After debating our menu choices (sushi or no sushi?, which type of sushi?, bubble tea?) we finally closed our menus and the waitress came to take our order right away. We sat near the sushi bar so as she came to grab each new sushi platter from the bar, we got hungrier and hungrier.
The miso soup came first and it was decent, but not as strong or flavorful as I usually prefer. But our delicious sushi came next. I got a California Roll and a Mango Roll (spicy crab with mango on top). My friends ordered a Sweetheart Roll (tuna covered and shaped into a pretty heart), an Eel Roll, a Dragon Roll (ell covered in avocado), a Spicy Tuna Roll, and Hibachi Fried Rice. Each roll had 6-8 pieces. We definitely enjoyed ourselves: we finished eating all our food in 10 minutes flat.
Photo by Maile McCann
The fish quality of Moonlight Sushi is nothing to write home about, although it’s fine for the price and location. But I still suggest avoiding the sashimi and more fish-based sushis and instead getting the more creative and stuffed rolls, which Moonlight does better. My favorite rolls are the Mango Roll (mango and spicy crab) and the Friends Roll (shrimp tempura and crab). I pretty much get one or the other each time I come to Moonlight.
If you’re ever looking for a good pre-movie snack, as Metro Movies is in the plaza right behind Moonlight, splitting a roll is always a good move. Otherwise you’ll probably need to buy two rolls for a filling meal.
So next time you want relatively inexpensive Sushi in a nice, yet casual, setting with a date, friends, or family, try Moonlight Sushi Bar and Grill.
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 12pm-10pm