They put mayo on it - and you like it

Mmmm, sushi. Tasty morsels of raw fish always take Wesley and I back to one of our first dates at a Village restaurant infamous for its long line. Me, I'm a mid-Atlantic gal and I'll eat anything that comes from the sea (except for uni - ew), the fresher and fishier the better. Wesley comes from the heart of our great country and doesn't love the fishies the way I do. The great heartbreak of our marriage came when I realized that I'd never be making bouillabaisse for the man of my dreams. Sesslavye, as the saying sort of goes.

Unlike most mid-Westerners (shout out to my moms), Wesley doesn't fear all fishes, and will eat the glory out of some sushi. We've been going to Ariyoshi (41-13 Queens Boulevard) since we started dating, and it's generally worked out just fine. It's not the most straightforward experience, so I've compiled a tip sheet in case you find yourself wandering the Boulevard in search of raw fish:

1. You will get a dizzying array of menus. Some, you will have to share. They'll give you two big ones, and that's where you'll find your miso soup, your garden salad with the yummy carrot dressing, your basic apps, and non-sushi related mischief like teriyakis. The fatter menu, you get only one, and you'll be fighting over, because that's where the goodness is. Find the page with the really small print for some intriguing and creative sushi and sashimi appetizers. I like the tuna sashimi with miso dressing.
2. The fat menu also has the page with the special rolls. I'm begging you, get the Sunnyside roll. The waitress will ask you a question.* Say yes. Trust me.
3. They have lots of sakes. I can never remember which ones I like but the price is right for experimentation. Stay away from the wine - it's cheap and blah.
   
4. No matter what we order, we always get out of there for under $80. And we always order at least two rounds of sake and Sapporo, and order more than we can eat.

The decor is okay, the service friendly, the bathroom clean. The sushi's no match for Tomoe or Jewel Bako, but we never said we liked Manhattan. Ariyoshi's sushi is a little aggressive, usually good enough, occasionally disappointing, and the right price - just like Western Queens.

*The special sauce is mayonnaise. I'm not kidding, it totally makes the roll.