NoonEats: Rainbow Rolls at Hinari Sushi

Step inside Hinari Sushi at lunchtime, and the staff at this Morris Avenue establishment will promptly bring you miso soup, salad and a menu—a sign that service here is friendly and efficient.

Owner Jae "Charlie" Young Sin opened this Japanese Korean restaurant six years ago, and it appears to do a thriving business. I stopped in at the beginning of last week and was surprised to see an almost full dining room—not often expected on a Monday.

The small dining room consists of four tables for four in the front of the restaurant. Seating is also available at the bar, where the sushi is prepared, and at two tables in the back of the restaurant. The dining room and kitchen at Hinari appear spotless. Parking is available in a back lot, but parking on Morris Avenue is also free and usually not a problem during lunchtime.

The small salad that comes with most lunch orders is crisp but bland, a small bowl of iceberg lettuce with a slice of cucumber, tomato and red onion. The highlight here—besides perhaps the crunchy iceberg—is the thick brown dressing that is likely made with sesame and ginger. It could use a little more flavor, but it is nonetheless a good start to what is likely to be a meal spiked with some strong, spicy flavors. The miso soup is enjoyable, a salty broth with small chunks of tofu and sliced scallions.

For my main dish, I chose a rainbow roll from the specials menu. With sliced raw fish on the outside of a traditional roll, rainbow rolls are a good cross between sushi rolls and sashimi. Mine was a spicy hinari roll wrapped with attractive slices of salmon, snapper, tuna and avocado, served with the usual side of wasabi and ginger ($8, includes soup and salad). The flavors and textures complemented each other well – cool, tender fish and creamy avocado on the outside, white rice, and a spicy filling on the inside.

As I was wrapping up my meal, the owner walked around the dining room asking customers how their meals were. When he noticed I had not ordered a drink, he offered tea or water. I asked for a glass of water, but it never arrived. Even though I was full, I was curious to try another roll, so I asked the owner for a recommendation. He suggested either a spicy tuna or salmon roll; I chose the salmon ($7). With a spicy salmon mix unevenly topping the rolls, it was not as visually appealing as the rainbow roll, nor as diverse in flavor and texture, but I enjoyed it.

If the bright, fresh and sometimes spicy flavors aren't enough to have you eating sushi, here's another good reason: Provided you stay away from selections that include mayo or cream cheese, sushi comes with many health benefits. Most items are low in fat and high in protein, and many of the fats in fish are beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Ginger, always served on the side, is also known to have an abundance of anti-inflammatory healing properties. And miso soup, while high in sodium, also has many health benefits.

That said, Hinari Sushi—Springfield's only sushi bar—is a quality, healthy affordable lunch option in downtown Springfield.