There is no shortage of sushi restaurants in the Baltimore area; however, RA Sushi (Fells Point) somehow manages to stand out. RA Sushi isn’t your typical or traditional sushi joint. While still offering classics such as the California roll and spicy tuna roll, RA also offers roll such as the ‘Viva Las Vegas’, ‘Mango Lobster’ and ‘Crunchy Spicy Tuna.’ All delicious and all under $13.

When you walk in the restaurant you notice the abundance of “red.” From the lighting, to the walls, everything is red. The red aside, the décor is very Japanese chic, using woods and traditional Japanese ornaments to jazz up the restaurant. The focal point, the sushi bar, is up against a wall in the middle of the restaurant. The menu is a good size, offering classic sushi rolls, contemporary rolls (like the ones listed above), nigiri sushi, as well as non-sushi appetizers and entrees. I ordered the lobster spring rolls, which didn’t have much lobster in them (if at all), and were kind of boring. Luckily, the sushi didn’t disappoint.

I was with a large party so we shared a lot of different rolls. Some of the ones I tasted were the Mango Lobster, Viva Las Vegas, Crunchy Calamari and Crunchy Spicy Tuna. The Mango Lobster roll was artfully prepared with lobster meat in the center and thinly sliced mango on top, with a basil sauce on the side. It was perfect, almost too pretty to eat. As the name suggests, the Crunchy Calamari roll had crunchy calamari with spinach flavored tempura flakes in it, also very nice. My personal favorite was the unorthodox Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll. The name suggests its sushi and it is a roll, neither is true. This innovative creation featured a square fried pillow of rice, with spicy tuna mixture on top and then a sauce to tie everything together, it was refreshingly awesome. All of the sushi was really fresh and featured some combinations of ingredients that I haven’t seen before. Additionally, there are quite a few sushi rolls, appetizers and drinks that are half priced during happy hour.

All in all, I was very happy with the meal. RA Sushi is a nice alternative to your usual go-to sushi restaurant. The sushi is innovative and fresh, at prices that are very competitive considering its downtown chic reputation.