ANNOUNCER: The South Sound is not short on great Asian cuisine, and certainly that is true for The Koi in downtown Tacoma. Once TwoKoi, this rendition still serves quality sushi, but also expanded its menu of other Japanese dishes like teriyaki, Katsu and more.

JASON: The location is fantastic, right next to UW Tacoma and across the street from the Tacoma Art Museum.  A bit bizarre on my recent visit, however.  Apparently, they were short server staff, and the only server on duty greeted us with, an assertive voice, "The other server isn't here - I have no idea when I am going to be able to seat you.  Please just bear with me." And off she rushed.  The folks that came in right behind us turned heel and left.  I assume this was a one-off, so I'll refrain from further comment on the service.

JAKE: My service was fine.  The server was well informed and attentive.

JASON: I like The Koi far better than TwoKoi's menu.  I enjoy sushi, but I like having a choice of more than that.  The Koi has a great selection of rice and noodle dishes.

JAKE: For affordable, top quality sushi and sake inspired cocktails, happy hour offered seven days a week from 2-5 p.m., is the time to indulge.  Combine all your favorite salmon and tuna rolls available at half the cost with a Mt. Fuji Breeze, which combines sake with pineapple juice, grenadine, and Malibu passion fruit rum.  Or try something a little spicy, like a Lady Snowblood that includes spicy plum sake, orange vodka, orange juice, grenadine and Tabasco that goes well with the variety of spicy rolls available here.

JASON: The Koi's teriyaki sauce is a hit.  A lot of places stretch their sauce with soy, which cuts the sweetness and can even be stringent.  The Koi's sauce is pure heaven - sweet, rich and served over top quality meat.  Maybe more than a teriyaki joint's lunch special, but well worth the price.

JAKE: In addition to many traditional sushi favorites, The Koi offers some tasty deep fried options as well.  That's right, deep fried sushi.  Under the shareables you can get crab meat, spicy tuna, and cream cheese stuffed in either a jalapeno or a mushroom cap, then rolled in panko breadcrumbs and fried till crispy.  The best of these options is the Las Vegas Roll that combines avocado, salmon and cream cheese, and spicy mayo.  The cream cheese and avocado provide a creamy balance to the spice, and the crunch is a pleasant surprise when going out for sushi.

JASON: I liked the sukiyaki - something you don't see a lot around town.  They split the protein between beef and tofu, then add some vegetables and mushrooms in a light broth.  This is a hearty noodle soup on a cold day.

JAKE: Japanese cuisine has a great deal more to offer than just raw fish, and the hot kitchen entrees here provide a chance to enjoy them - the beef yakisoba is one such dish.  Served on a hot plate, it is piled with soft Japanese noodles, crispy vegetables such as broccoli and carrots, and served alongside tender sirloin steak.

The Koi, 1552 Commerce St. #100, Tacoma, 253.272.0996, thekoitacoma.com