Updated: Sept. 14, 2015 at 7:09 p.m.
Just two Metro stops from GW, Buredo is serving sushi in a new way by rolling up rice, fish and seaweed into an oversized burrito.
Co-owners Mike Haddad and alumnus Travis Elton said they aim to bring affordable and high-quality sushi to students and young professionals.
“This is like sushi for the masses,” Elton said, adding he came across oversized sushi in restaurants in Asia and on the West Coast.
Located by McPherson Square, the small, modern space was decorated with minimalist, light-wood furniture that makes it feel fresh. At the center of the restaurant is a single communal table surrounded by black chairs, which Elton said encourages customers to get to know each other as they eat.
“We’ll just peer out to the table and there will be people talking, like actually talking, not really on their phones,” Elton said.
What Buredo lacks in seating, it makes up for in sushi. After ordering, I could see the chefs preparing a colorful array of beets, cucumbers and carrots and rolling up the shrimp, tuna and salmon.
I’m not crazy about raw fish, but I found that the rolls at Buredo contained just the right amount of it. The generous portions filled me up more than the sushi at Whole Foods without being too heavy.
The first roll I tried was the Beatrix for $11.75. The roll had a fresh and flavorful combination of tuna and salmon, topped with cucumber and pickled cabbage that added a nice crunch. The slightly sweet cabbage also helped to make the roll taste light despite the generous amount of fish.
I also ordered a roll called the Elle for $9.25, which is a good option if you’re not in the mood for raw fish. The roll was filled with tofu, roasted red peppers and arugula but was not as flavorful as I had hoped and could have used more of the creamy passionfruit miso sauce.
However, you can’t mix and match rolls at Buredo as you would at a traditional sushi restaurant, which left me wanting to try more menu options like the Sofie loaded with shrimp tempura, avocado and pickled cabbage or the Crazy 88 with pork shoulder, kimchi slaw, carrot and red onion. Both cost about $9 to $12.
The restaurant also offers trendy boxed water and basil lemonade, which, although nothing special, wasn’t too sweet and contained just the right amount of basil.
Buredo may also soon accept GWorld cards. Ariadne Haddad, Mike Haddad’s wife and an alumna who manages the restaurant’s marketing and social media, said that the restaurant allows students to switch up their typical meals.
“They want different flavors. They don’t want, you know, the traditional college food that we think about on campus like fries and burgers and pizza,” she said.
