Shinju Sushi’s Lunch Box Is A Gut-Busting Bargain

Sometimes you want good quality sushi in a nice setting, and sometimes you just want some cheap Japanese food to eat in a random public indoor location or at your desk. Enter Shinju Sushi on Pearl St. (btw. Pine & Wall), that may give you the most in their lunch box for the least amount of money in the FiDi. I went in with low expectations for what my $8 lunch box would contain, and other than one fail I was pleasantly surprised. This isn’t Haru, but at least they make their sushi fresh!

You get several options for lunch, including 2 or three sushi rolls for $10 or under (that are made fresh instead of festering in a refrigerated case), or you can go the lunch box route for $8. I didn’t feel like only eating sushi for lunch, and to be honest I was so hungry that I wanted a bunch of food. And you know what fills you up? The giant mound of rice that comes with the box.

I went with the “smoky salt and pepper salmon” as the main component of my box, and that is supposed to come with miso soup, salad, two shumai, two pieces of California roll and rice. What I want to know is, where are my shumai Shinju? I mean yes, you did give me four pieces of California roll, but they were kind of crappily made and I really wanted those steamed little dumplings.

On the upside, they did give me a giant fillet of salmon, not a little piece like I was expecting. And it was actually good! Even the miso soup that came with was better than some I’ve had.  It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised by getting more food than you expected instead of the opposite. It’s also a good alternative to Niko Niko just up the street if you want to eat somewhere with table service.

I’m fairly certain Shinju was also responsible for the short-lived Vietnamese Sandwiches next door, and while that was a fail I’m glad that they can do a good lunch box.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

  • You get a lot of food for not a lot of money.
  • It’s one of the cheapest lunch boxes in the FiDi.
  • They make the sushi fresh instead of phoning it in.

THE — (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

  • Meh, I’ve had better.
  • Where are my shumai?!?

Shinju Sushi, 164 Pearl St., (btw. Pine & Wall), (212) 361-0028

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