Austin Sushi News August, 2001 THE NEWS! Contents: 1. THIS FRIDAY: Momoko's 5th anniversary celebration! 2. How Many NEW Sushi Bars Can Austin Handle!!!?? 3. Busted!!!! Azuma Express Gets Nailed ========================================== 1. THIS FRIDAY: Momoko's 5th anniversary celebration! Is it Bubble Tea Time again? Hold on, lemme check my Pom Pom Purin wristwatch........ Yeah, those darn cute folks at Momoko Bubble Tea Room and Momoko Energy Supply Station, fresh off their successful indie Japanese fashion show, are at it again. Celebrating 5 long years in Austin, their 5th anniversary party lasts all day this Friday, August 10th. Will there be sushi? Maybe. Will it be cute? Definitely. And speaking of cute, check out their fine selection of Tare Panda merchandise. Tare Panda is one of the most popular cartoon characters in Japan, and, duh, pandas are cute. [Momoko's web site, www.momoko-gifts.com, may get updated with this info, but don't count on it] Date: Friday, August 10th Location: 705 W. 24th Street 5th Anniversary Party Schedule of Events: Lunch Special On Small Wheels 11am-12:30pm (1st section) 1pm-2:30pm (2nd section) Pick a section and pay $19.95 for an UNLIMITED amount of Japanese food during that time. (Food selections by Momoko's chef, and YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER IN ADVANCE so they know how much food to make. Call 469-0232 or drop by their store for details). 1pm-3pm Screenings of Japanese Anime. 3pm-3:30pm Momoko Crazy Sale -- bargains and deals on gift items. 3:30pm-5pm Bubble Tea Sample Special. $5 gets you five different flavors of bubble tea selected by Momoko. 5pm-6pm "Most Appreciated Customer" Contest. Submit a short description of your feelings about Momoko. Winner gets a secret prize. 6pm-7pm Momoko Tea Time Special. Purchase a bubble tea and get a free slice of cake. 7pm-8pm Dinner Party -- MEMBERS ONLY. (Momoko members have paid a $35 annual fee that gets them 10% off store merchandise). 8pm-10pm Japanese Costume and Pop Music Party. Includes Momoko carnival games! ========================================== 2. How Many NEW Sushi Bars Can Austin Handle!!!?? At least one more, apparently. Sure to spark a local sushi war, Midori Sushi is located across the street from Osaka, way up at the corner of 183 and Anderson Mill Road. Of course, we welcome anything that might lower prices and increase the quality of the local sushi scene even if it means a brutal, protracted price war and gruesome mud-slinging. Where's the clan-yakuza (Japanese mafia) when ya need 'em ? In any case, by the looks of the raw concrete interior, Midori won't finish out their 2000 square foot space for at least another 6-8 weeks or more. Midori Sushi 13435 U.S. Highway 183 North, Suite 301, NE quadrant of 183 and Anderson Mill Road, next to the Albertsons. No phone number yet. ========================================== 3. Busted!!!! Azuma Express Gets Nailed Ever wonder what kind of ratings local eateries get from the Health Department? KXAN's local TV news show frequently reports their findings in a segment called "Food For Thought". They also have a complete online archive of the same name. Every so often, regrettably, a sushi bar gets a sub-par rating. The latest to get busted for uncleanliness is the fast-food sushi establishment, Azuma Express. Citing dirty bamboo mats used to make sushi rolls, and employees who didn't wash their hands before entering from the outside, they scored a 67 out of 100 (any score less than 70 gets cited and requires a follow-up inspection). (By comparison, Musashino scored an 82 on their last inspection -- September, 2000) KXAN's Food For Thought site: http://www.kxan.com/Global/category.asp?C=6255&nav=2WVo KXAN's latest streaming video report is also online: http://207.207.6.50/rmfiles/food_080201.ram