"I hadn't been to AKA since the Covid shutdowns (I don't get to that area much anymore), and boy had things changed. We were immediately seated upon arrival at lunchtime, and as we walked to our table, I noticed only one other table was occupied; since it was only 11:20 I didn't think much of it. The server was friendly and accommodating, but the food coming out was very slow, especially considering the small number of customers in the restaurant. As we sat down, it felt hot in the restaurant and my companion agreed, so we asked the server if they could lower the temperature in the dining room. She replied that the A/C was working as much as possible, but it took a long time to cool down the restaurant after opening. As lunch progressed, the heat became uncomfortable. Soups and salads before our sashimi were very good. We ordered Toro, Salmon, Octopus, and Yellowtail sashimi, which were all fresh, chilled perfectly, and presented nicely; however, at $54 for 12 pieces, they seemed a bit pricey compared to other sushi places. Our rolls were served as we continued to endure the unpleasant heat. We ordered Alaska Maki, Shaggy Dog, and Rainbow rolls, but they were below average and almost terrible. They were warm (possibly due to the heat of the restaurant) and tasteless. The Shaggy Dog had shrimp tempura, which may explain the warmth, but even the crab strips were warm. If the A/C had been working and we had stopped at the sashimi, this rating would have been 3 stars. After visiting both the Eldridge and West Alabama locations dozens of times over the past 12-14 years, I will not be returning to this location and will be cautious if I visit the West Alabama location in the future."
Basil Beef
