Veg Out: Kubo's is boring for vegetarians

By Abigail Dock     10/21/10 7:00pm

Kubo's boasts the reputation of being one of the best sushi places in Houston, and for carnivores this is probably the case. But for vegetarians, Kubo's is rather dull. Don't get me wrong, the quality of the food is perfectly fine. It is the lack of variety that makes dinner at Kubo's a thoroughly uninspiring experience. The appetizers are predictable sushi-house fare, but on the whole tasty. The edamame is addictingly good; however, anyone can achieve the same result with a frozen package of store-bought edamame and a microwave and get a whole lot more beans for their buck. The seaweed salad is also excellent, but in no way unique - the taste is the same as anywhere else; the seaweed no more tender or flavorful. The only standout among the appetizers is the vegetable goma-ae, which consists of chilled, cooked broccoli, spinach and asparagus, coated with a sweet and tangy sesame sauce. The flavors are mild, yet complex, keeping you guessing as to the ingredients.

When it comes to the sushi portion of the menu, the vegetarian offerings are painfully limited. There is only one vegetarian nigiri sushi, the omnipresent tamago (egg) sushi, which has become so widespread as to almost be cliché. The sushi roll selection features all of three options: avocado, cucumber and vegetable. The first two options are - like nearly everything else at Kubo's - high quality yet uninteresting, though I must admit the avocado roll has a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth quality that is worth experiencing. Then again, I'm a sucker for anything with avocado.

The vegetable roll, however, is an absolute disaster. I have no qualms in saying that it is the worst sushi roll I have ever tasted. The roll is filled with a mix of bitter lettuces, carrot, asparagus and radish and tastes like a salad wrapped in nori. If I had wanted a salad, I wouldn't have gone out for sushi. Also, the roll is so badly constructed that it falls apart as soon as you try to pick it up. Definitely not a pleasant dining experience.

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Despite all the faults of the food, Kubo's does have a nice atmosphere. The lighting is romantic yet bright enough that you can see what you are eating; dark wood paneling gives the venue a luxurious feel, while cheery glass lamps make you feel welcomed. Booths are spacious enough for a large group of friends to sit comfortably. The service is relatively timely, though it depends on the server, and the prices are reasonable - not cheap, but not outrageous either. A vegetarian should be able to get out with a tab under $15.

Kubo's lack of culinary creativity in its vegetarian dishes leads to a pedestrian and dull dining experience. It isn't a bad restaurant, but with all the wonderful and inventive seafood options, one would have hoped for a bit more in the way of vegetarian food. The painfully limited vegetarian menu is practically a slap in the face for a restaurant with as fine a reputation as Kubo's. The quality of the food is generally good, the atmosphere is pleasant, but really, why bother as a vegetarian?

Abigail Dock is a Jones College sophomore. Veg Out is a column reviewing vegetarian restaurants and their offerings.

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