By Dylan Botelho, Staff Writer
You may not think much of it from the outside, but Ming Sushi located in downtown New Bedford should be your new go-to restaurant for all things sushi and Japanese cuisine. You can find the restaurant hidden in downtown New Bedford on Purchase St., right next to the local Bristol Community College downtown campus and other local restaurant gems like No Problemo and the Greasy Luck.
It’s hard to spend a night out on the town, going to eat sushi without breaking the bank. Ming sushi however offers a packed all you can eat sushi menu for a rather low-cost. The restaurant’s pricing varies between lunch and dinner hours. Until 4 p.m., you’ll pay only $15.59 for all the sushi you can imagine. After that though, the price jacks up to $20.59. So, college students will want to get down to 774 Purchase St., in New Bedford before the clock strikes 4 to get the most bang for their buck.
A few warnings and tips before we get into the good stuff. If you order something and don’t finish it. You will be charged a portion of the menu price for the uneaten food as a penalty. Want to take that unfinished sushi with you? You’ll still be charged, so make sure you finish all that’s on your plate.
Another is a six-piece limit on sashimi, one of the many delicacies on the Ming menu. Don’t you worry though, as the more popular choice among casual consumers, nigiri, has no limit on the amount you can order.
Good news if you’re 21 and up though…the restaurant has a BYOB policy! Enjoy your night out on the town having sushi with whatever your heart desires, as long as it’s in moderation of course.
Ming’s will not only satisfy sushi lovers of all types – but can be a great introduction for those not familiar or even not a fan. I walked into Ming for the first time hating sushi and was only there to maybe have some sides and spend time with some friends.
I left with not just an appreciation, but a love of sushi. I went from being the biggest sushi hater everyone knew and now it’s on my list of favorite foods.
Its menu features a whole host of assortments of various courses, starters include edamame (a personal favorite), money bags, and crab salad among other items. For sushi, you’ll never run out of options. You can choose between the basic California and one fish plain rolls but also try your hand at a few of Ming’s 25 specialty rolls.
If you’re in need of any recommendations, the Lava Roll, Vegas Roll, Playboy Roll and Fantasy Roll are all necessary orders during any trip to Ming. The Fantasy Roll was my first experience sushi experience at Ming, one that changed me forever. It’s a simple shrimp tempura special roll that’s packed to the punch with flavor thanks to the outside layer of crab meat, topped with spicy mayo.
The Vegas Roll will incapacitate you quickly, but boy is it worth it. The spicy crab roll is fried with cream cheese on the outside so you’ll have to open especially wide to just get one piece in your mouth. A burst of flavor from the cream cheese and avocado topped with a specialty sauce as you take your first bite will leave you wanting for more and more…if your stomach can contain it.
You’ll leave the restaurant with bellies full. I for one had my fair share of struggles getting around after running through endless rows of sushi with my friends some afternoons.