Natto, 1818 Hamilton
We first stumbled upon Natto a couple of months ago on our way to Calliope's for a po-boy. Vowing to go back, we have never come away from there disappointed. Sure, it's inside a Mobil gas station. Sure, the aesthetic leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, it's run by Chinese folks (a bias which we've never held and annoys us on a regular basis). But for carry-out sushi and a geniunely friendly smile -- and for not dropping a lot of cash -- they have our heart.
On this visit, we ordered the M8 -- a sushi and sashimi combo -- for $16.50, and a crunch roll for $8.95. Chagrined, we instantly noticed that perhaps Natto wasn't the best value for your money after all. The sashimi that came with our combo was cut into much larger pieces than at Oishii. But even with that consideration, the six pieces didn't go nearly as far as our 15 had, and the fish tasted nearly identical. The sushi tasted slightly better, oddly, than at Oishii. But there was no miso soup with our order.
The crunch roll at Natto was even more disappointing than at Oishii. Perhaps we just need to stop ordering rolls altogether. This one held together better, but the rice tasted old and the spicy salmon inside tasted only of spice, nothing else.
Winner
At Oishii, we got far more food for our money -- the same $16 there goes much further than it did at Natto -- and you get a lot more "look" for your buck, too. That is, an actual restaurant complete with beer, sake, wine, table service, cloth napkins and a much nicer environment overall. As much as it pains us since we love them both, Oishii is the clear-cut winner here.