Chris Valites

In the mood for some sushi one afternoon, I made the trek out to Park Avenue to see what Piranha was all about. I thought I could deal with the construction around the restaurant until my meal and my life almost ended prematurely: A hammer landed just inches from my table.

After the near-death experience, our meal arrived. The four rolls that my party ordered were of a variety of types; Tres Amigos, Spicy Tuna, Philadelphia, and Mistletoe. Even for me — by no means a sushi connoisseur — the preparation seemed subpar.

I am a huge fan of miso soup. Being Japanese, I’ve been served miso soup at dinner for as long as I can remember. The soup I was served at Piranha was a tease. It had the look of a quality miso soup — it had a dark coloring (meaning a stronger miso flavor) and was packed full of shiitake mushrooms and tofu — but lacked taste. Slightly flavored water was what I received as an appetizer to my meal, not something that energized me for what was to come.

Some subtle and some not so subtle twists were hidden in those rolls of rice. The Spicy Tuna roll is traditionally a slice of tuna that is wrapped in rice and nori (Japanese seaweed) with a spicy sauce or wasabi to up the blazing flavor. The roll I received was made with medium quality tuna, and meat was falling away from the adjoining pieces (a tell-tale sign of older fish). It was fused with a basil paste and was lacking any semblance of heat. I found myself dousing the roll with wasabi in order to not only satiate my craving for spice, but also mask the overpowering basil taste.

The other rolls that we ordered followed the same pattern: Not so fresh fish and awkward seasonings that would leave anyone’s palate trying to figure out what the hell they were eating at a price equal to or greater than that of other sushi restaurants around. I didn’t try the restaurant’s other specialty (tapas dishes) during my first visit, but I may be giving Piranha another chance for those.

You can expect to pay around $15 a head here for an appetite somewhat satisfied (a moderate price for sushi in Rochester when ordering by rolls). However, the $20 all-you-can-eat with soup and salad that other restaurants offer seems a much moreappetizing alternative, both for your stomach and your wallet.

Piranha is in the mix with cafes and pizza places, between Berkeley and Buckingham on Park Avenue. Owner and Chef Nick Grammatico opened the restaurant this July with a menu blending his previous sushi experience at California Rollin’ in Village Gate with authentic Mediterranean tapas dishes.

Located at 682 Park Avenue, the bustling of people going about their day offers a unique atmosphere to enjoy your meal at Piranha. The restaurant features a small sushi bar with both indoor and outdoor tables. However, the limited seating makes for a confined meal and an intimate experience is one thing you certainly won’t find; hammers will make sure of that.