Restaurant: Ginbu 401
Location: 401 Providence Rd. Charlotte, NC 28207
Click here for Google Maps (simply fill in your address)
Website: Official Web Site
Telephone: 704.372.2288
Food Selection: Chinese & Sushi
Health Score; 95% A
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11am-9:30pm
Friday: 12pm-10:30pm
Saturday: 12pm-10:30pm
Sunday: 4pm-9:30pm
The Initial Walk-In:
A quaint little place along Providence Road with a crisp red neon sign guiding you to its doors. As we parked our car, we liked the single row of patio furniture outside. Inside the restaurant is one medium sized room. You are met by the sushi bar and to your right is the dining area. Booths along the far walls, a single row of high-rise tables to your right, and standard dining tables in the center.
Course of Meals:
We were seated immediately.
Main Meal: Volcano Rolls and a Sake Salmon roll
Both my sushi and my partner-in-crime's (PIC) sushi were brought out on the same plate in a simple "design".
My Volcano sushi (squid-based) was mushy and had a mild spice/kick to it. I was hoping for more spice, but it was lacking. Now, my PIC thought otherwise about the spice. She said it was spicy. I like spicy foods, so maybe I was being too picky. The sushi had a mayonnaise "dressing", which covered the rice on top of the sushi rolls. It was good. I strongly dislike mayonnaise, but enjoyed this "dressing", so props to them. It was subtle, yet made its presence known in the dish.
The Sake Salmon had a salmon strip placed on top of a small pile of rice. The salmon texture was spongy/mushy. I have never had fresh salmon before (uncooked that is), so that could be how it tastes, so I am neither against nor for it right now. The rice was mushy as well. Not as crisp as some other establishments.
The food had no real after-taste. It was almost a "flat-taste". My PIC and I both agree that other sushi places in Charlotte have fresher and more crisp sushi. (It could have been an off night?)
The fortune cookie was amazing. It was one of the best I have ever had!
My meal left me full and not needing anymore food. However, it was slightly upset afterwards. I did have one big bite of wasabi, which may have caused that feeling. I wish the food had a fresher taste.
Atmosphere/Ambiance:
The atmosphere is calm and simple. It is certainly a place to eat and then leave. As it is a fairly small place, I guess they want to get people in and out as quickly as possible. The music has a hint of a trendy-vibe to it, but on a whole it is calm. They have lights (Christmas-esk) along the front-side windows that give the restaurant some life.
Server/Staff:
Our server seemed bored with her job. She had an emo-vibe to her (not that there is anything wrong with that!). I wish she did not seem bored. We really did not see here too much either.
My Complaints:
*Mushy Sushi
What's Special about Ginbu:
*Secluded / Quaint
*Relaxing atmosphere
*Fortune Cookie!
Closing Everything Out:
Both our meals amounted to $34.60 (including tip). so it was not the cheapest meal in the world. My meal was about $14.00. I left feeling full with hints of being stuffed. The restaurant is not "out of this world" good, but it satisfied my hunger. Had the food been more crisp and fresher-tasting, things might have been different. However, I will go-back to try their Chinese food entrees next time.
~the RESTAURANT GUY
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