Maybe it’s the LA vibe or having the ocean less than 5 miles away, but my friends and I have spontaneous moments during the school year when we crave sushi. Luckily, we found the perfect all-you-can-eat spot to satisfy our craving for an affordable price.
Sushi Ippo offers an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet on the weekends for less than $25 during lunch. We drooled over the trays of nigiri and loaded sushi rolls that were featured on their Instagram page for weeks until we decided it was time to try the daunting “all-you-can-eat” sushi buffet.
The day before we tried the buffet I researched how to prepare our stomachs for the plates of sushi we were about to scarf down. The internet suggested, “not to starve yourself, not to drink lots of water, and to order a variety of dishes”. But when we sat down at the small sushi place in West LA, we did the exact opposite. We did not eat any breakfast, we drank 3-4 *very tall* glasses of water, and we ordered nigiri, nigiri and more nigiri (in our defense, it is hard to say no to fresh fish).
At the end of the hour, we walked out bloated but unsatisfied. The sushi was great, but we did not make the most out of the variety of sushi dishes the restaurant had to offer. We vowed that next time we would make this experience 100% worth it.
The next quarter we came suited and prepared for this experience. We wore our yoga pants, had a small breakfast, and entered Sushi Ippo with our game faces on. Here is our ultimate guide to survive all-you-can-eat sushi:
1. EAT BREAKFAST!!!
Don’t you dare try all-you-can-eat sushi with a starving stomach. Like training for a marathon, you need to give your stomach some time to train for the imminent feast you are about to have.
2. Start slow
We suggest ordering the least filling items first. This includes nigiri, hand rolls, and light fresh sushi rolls. You can order some appetizers like edamame and tempura to add some variety. You’re not allowed to order more until you finish your first round, so make sure you don’t order too much— the adventure is just beginning.
3. Now add your favorite sushi dishes
You might start to feel full after the first round. They say there’s always room for dessert, but in this case, there’s always room for more sushi. We suggest you start the second round with your favorite dishes. I love sushi rolls so I order the Ultimate Orgasm, Baked Salmon Roll and Diablo Roll. My friend loves hand rolls and nigiri, that’s her go-to second-round order. She also adds miso soup and shares the sushi rolls for some variety.
4. Push through to a third round
At this point, you might feel like you are going to explode and your pants might be feeling tighter around your waist. BUT DON’T GIVE UP! You paid for a complete sushi experience and you will not get scammed out of it. You’ll walk out of this buffet as a hero, satisfying your sushi craving. To finish the all-you-can-eat experience, order something that you already enjoyed or still want to try. I ordered a miso soup and some hand rolls while my friend ordered more nigiri and tempura. At the end of this round, I guarantee you will not want sushi for the rest of the quarter.
5. Take a walk
Walking is probably a difficult task, but you made your all-you-can-eat experience worth it! At the end of our meal, my friend and I ordered $218 worth of sushi for only $50. A small walk around the area will help with digestion and you will avoid stomach problems after your nap from the food coma.
If you follow these tips, you will feel accomplished and completely satisfied with your all-you-can-eat experience. Once you can get through this buffet successfully, you can never go back to only one plate of sushi for $15-$20. You will be back next quarter for a new sushi belly.