Golden Dragon offers generous portions of the delicious food

Don’t let the simple fa‡ade of the Golden Dragon fool you into thinking this is just another oriental restaurant. After just two steps into this glorious world of Asian cuisine the smell of good food, the smile of a friendly waiter and the serene calmness of a flowing stream instantly greet you.

The inner décor of the Golden Dragon is that of most Asian restaurants, yet there is one huge difference: The flowing stream separates the entrance and sushi bar from the dining room. The stream, complete with a wooden bridge and railing, makes patrons feel as if they are dining in a genuine Chinese landscape rather than the flat fields of Ohio.

Once seated at the table there is the inevitable task of picking something from the enormous menu. Being on a search for sushi cut the decision-making process down tremendously; however, the different possibilities were still numerous.

For first-time sushi eaters, I recommend going with someone who knows sushi, and for a sushi connoisseur, go with a regular to the restaurant. Not only do they know which sushi is the best, but they generally know the waitresses and waiters, allowing for an even more relaxed dining experience.

The first ordered item to come out is the appetizer – edamame. These boiled soy beans are the perfect pre-gamer to sushi. While I was a little surprised that it was unsalted at first, I learned you have to ask for the salt but choosing to add soy sauce makes everything salted.

During our short wait for sushi, some warm sake was served. Having turned 21 recently, this was my first experience with the oriental liquor. This sweet yet strong liquor heated my insides to the perfect temperature on the chill autumn night.

After some good conversation about life (I find sushi always makes people more philosophical), it was time to eat.

I quickly realized Golden Dragon’s sushi is delicious and generously portioned. While most of the time I feel two rolls are the perfect amount for me, I was unable to finish the large quantity of the two rolls at Golden Dragon.

While it is nice to get more for your money, one downside of the large-sized rolls was trying to eat them in one bite. The end pieces seemed to be quite a bit larger than the middle, which made it even more difficult to follow the one bite rule of sushi.

Some of the good rolls to try are the California roll made of crab, cucumber and avocado; the To Die 4 roll made of tuna, salmon and avocado; the Alaska roll made of prawns, asparagus and avocado and the Philadelphia roll made of salmon, cucumber and cream cheese. A perfect sweet roll to end the sushi adventure with is the Unagi, which is freshwater eel.

The Golden Dragon is bursting with good-tasting food, a relaxing décor and friendly service. Even if you choose to dine alone, the sushi chefs will keep you entertained. Just remember, if you laugh with sushi in your mouth, you could find yourself bursting for air.

Contact all correspondent Pamela Crimbchin at [email protected].