Makis Place adds more sushi to the Grove

Jodi Mailander Farrell11/13/2012

Is there room to squeeze yet another sushi place into the Grove? Makis Place, a quick-service Japanese franchise from Brazil, has been trying to snag attention since opening in September, but the place is difficult to find, wedged into the back of CocoWalk.

Across from Victoria’s Secret, it offers booths overlooking photos of underwear models. But the real eye-catchers are the temakis, large cones of thin, crispy seafood stuffed with rice and your choice of filling, ranging from salmon to white tuna to breaded shrimp. They come in a nifty cardboard triangle for grab-and-go eaters. One is a snack; two make a meal.

Combo meals come with a refreshing though thimble-sized salad of crunchy cucumbers and julienned carrots in a sweet vinegar-mirin sauce. Among our favorite rolls was the mixed fish with chunks of salmon, tuna, white fish and fresh avocado. The breaded shrimp had flavor and heft. Bottles of traditional soy sauce, emulsified wasabi and soy and sweet teriyaki on the tables add an extra burst of flavor to the cones.

The small selection of desserts is served in sweet waffle cones, with fresh strawberries, chocolate jimmies and whipped cream. With a single chef and a server, dishes come out with long gaps in between, and it can be pricey for fast-casual (our meal for four was $75 with tip). If Makis doesn’t want to be another CocoWalk casualty, it needs to hustle more and re-think its prices.