Update: Banbu Wins a Squeaker Over Arigato for Best Sushi in La Mesa

Updated at 1:55 p.m. March 2, 2012

With polls closed at 9 a.m., has won the first readers survey of a business in La Mesa.  Its sushi outpolled that of Arigato Japanese Restaurant for best sushi in town.

Zak Woodruff explored Banbu Sushi in his

Architecturally Banbu doesn’t seem like a flying saucer, though—it’s more akin to the cross section of a sushi roll. The edible-UFO space brings a slick, urban and slightly Polynesian aura to the otherwise consumercentric Grossmont Trolley Center, once home to a La Mesa multiplex moviehouse.

Don’t be daunted if you’re not a sushi lover; the restaurant has plenty of soups, noodles, rice bowls, salads, teriyaki plates and other options. This is important for those of us for whom the word “sushi” still sets off a kneejerk internal monologue along the lines of: “Whaaaat? A whole cuisine based on raw fish? That's weeeeeird.”

Needless to say, this is sushi Americanized to the max, and it’s best eaten in sections: the shrimp tempura top part first, then the base. It’d be tricky to try to bite into the entire roll at once. This specialty roll does pack a wallop, and you get your money’s worth, but the Japanese minimalist principle has been abandoned for this one.

Original story from Feb. 27, 2012:

Introducing a new feature: Best of La Mesa.

This is for fun—giving readers a chance to pick their favorites in a variety of categories.

And it’s for serious business—letting owners and operators see how they fare in public perceptions.

See the poll below, and if your favorite sushi spot isn’t represented, click Other and tell us about the best La Mesa source of sushi.

So get out your chopsticks and start the chatter: Who serves the best sushi in La Mesa?

• Arigato Japanese Restaurant
• Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill
• Chopsticks Inn Restaurant
• John’s Konnichiwa Sushi
• Shizuoka Japanese Restaurant

Because it isn’t scientific, our poll is not the sole consideration in choosing a winner. The winner will be determined by the Patch editor, based on poll results, comments below and reviews on Patch Places.

Please vote only once per survey per Patch. Our poll closes at 9 a.m. Friday.

A tie in the poll may be broken by whichever candidate has more positive comments below. Thanks for your votes and notes!

Next week: Where is the best hike in La Mesa?