At Bushi, sushi is its own virtue

But rhyming wasn't what the owners had in mind. In this case, "Bushi" refers to the Japanese Bushido philosophy and way of life, which has seven main virtues: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty. No mention in that samurai code of conduct about deliciousness, but it's definitely a virtue here.

Bushi, formerly Kampai Sushi, opened in January under new ownership. It boasts an extensive and creative sushi menu, courtesy of executive chef Shunichi Funakoshiya. But if sushi's not your thing, no worries. Kitchen manager Andre Warren handles all things non-sushi, offering a range of dining options, from Korean bulgogi to that old Japanese standby teriyaki.

A beige block of a building, Bushi - which sits at the corner of Swan Road and Speedway just north of Sir Veza's Taco Garage - isn't going to win any design awards. Its interior is about as flashy as its exterior, just an open floor plan with parquet floors and little in the way of decor. But, this isn't Architectural Digest, just regular ol' digest - and the food is plenty attractive.

In fact, the woo hoo cakes (four pieces for $6.99), a special one day, were almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Ringers for cupcakes, these colorful morsels - two pink, two yellow - featured a circle of crunchy lotus root topped with a mound of oozy, warm cream cheese-crab filling encased in a light tempura-sesame seed coating. A dollop of spicy mayo added a hint of creamy sass. These sumptuous little bites are the way to start a meal. So are Bushi's crab puffs ($7).

Too often crab puffs are really just cream-cheese puffs with little, if any, crab to be found. (Here's a behind-the-scenes tidbit: Every time I attempt to type "crab" it comes out "crap" - probably a subliminal judgment on such crabless crab puffs.)

Bushi's crunchy-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside pillows feature crab that not only can you see but also taste, along with flecks of scallions for an oniony nip. These are so good you don't even need to dip 'em in the sweet and sour sauce.

As is traditional with Japanese cuisine, meals start with a bowl of edamame (they're unsalted here) and miso soup that's among the best we've had. There's not much to the stuff - just broth, some seaweed and scant tofu cubes - but Bushi's version had a rich, full taste, even on the visit when it arrived barely lukewarm.

Bushi's lunch menu is smallish but covers all the bases. A one-item entree costs $6.99 or, you can bump up to two items for $9.99. Our server sang the praises of the sesame chicken, so how could we refuse? An ample serving of gently battered tempura chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds arrived with rice and a side salad. The chicken was drizzled with what was described as a teriyaki sauce, but it was thick - more like a reduction - and more savory than sweet. A lighter, sweeter sauce would have better complemented the chicken.

The colorful vegetable yakisoba ($8.50) sported thin soba noodles and an assortment of veggies - red peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots. It was a generous, if low-key, dish. Lightly sauced, there wasn't a lot of oomph to it.

The sushi at Bushi really shines.

The sushi menu is laminated and erasable, which impressed our eco-friendly selves. We were even more impressed with the sushi selection, including a bunch of rolls off the beaten path.

We couldn't not order the Bushi roll ($13), an intriguing specialty. At the center was a tempura spicy tuna filling with asparagus, shiso (an herb known as Japanese basil) and scallion. Topping the whole thing - raw tuna, black tobiko (fish roe), spicy eel sauce and, the kicker, fresh sliced strawberries. There's a lot going on with this one. Because the spicy tuna is cooked, it takes on a different taste and texture and while that sweet finish of berry might not appeal to everyone, it was a nice accent.

The Greek roll ($7.50) veers even further from tradition with hunks of salmon, sun-dried tomato, goat cheese, cucumber and jalapeño. Instead of nori, the roll was wrapped in soft soy paper. We missed the crunch of the seaweed and the strong goat cheese occasionally overwhelmed the other flavors, but overall it was a refreshing combo.

Our favorite, though, was the punchy Mexican roll ($12). This one hit all the buttons - sweet crab, shrimp tempura, snappy jalapeño and cooling cream cheese. Then, the whole thing is deep-fried and topped with eel sauce and spicy mayo. It was crunchy and spicy and cool and, well, perfect.

In fact, all the rolls were so good on their own that it seemed sinful to dip them into soy sauce or even the accompanying sauces. And those rolls left us so full that we didn't even consider dessert - and that's saying something.

Review

Bushi Traditional Japanese and Asian Cuisine, 4689 E. Speedway, 325-6552, www.bushicuisine.com

• Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays for lunch; noon-2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for lunch; 4:30 -9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays for dinner and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; until 9 p.m. Sundays.

• Wine list: Full wine bar, domestic and imported beers, and sake martinis and sake margaritas.

• Noise level: It's perfectly easy to carry on a conversation, even when the dining room is full.

• Vegetarian options: Yes, plenty.

• Family call: A kids' menu offers everything from buttered udon noodles to a sushi meal.

• Reservations: Recommended, especially on weekends.

• Price range: Dinner entrees range from $10 to $27.