Christmas is not a Japanese holiday, but the dishes at Shi Wasu definitely reflect some holiday spirit.

Our recommendation: The New Year Celebration Soba is fantastic, but if it’s not what you’re in the mood for you should pass this booth by.

Booth Overview

Food

• Sushi Tree – $7.50
  – Sushi Roll with Krab Meat and Cream Cheese topped with Tempura, Ikura Salmon Roe and Spicy Mayonnaise
• New Year Celebration Soba – $8.50
  – Buckwheat Soba Noodles in a Hot Dashi Soup with Yuzu, Shrimp Tempura, Kamaboko Fish Cake and Chopped Green Onion
• Mochi Cake – $6
  – Gooey Rice Cake made with Rice Flour and served with Hojicha Cream, Strawberry, Tangerine and Sweet Red Beans

Beverages

• Ichigo Milk Boba (nonalcoholic) – $6.50
  – Cranberry and Yuzu Cream drink featuring Japanese Calpico Soft Drink and Popping Strawberry Boba Pearls
• Japanese Christmas Punch – $8
  – Shōchū, Plum Wine, Cranberry and Lemon
• Ozeki Sake Platinum – $8
  – Junmai Daiginjo
• Brew Hub Strawberry Lager – $5
  – Lakeland, FL

Our Thoughts

Best of the Booth

The New Year Celebration Soba, $8.50, is one of our “Best $50” and while it is big enough to share, it’s too good to bother. The noodles are perfection but the Dashi is so good that we finished the entire thing on day 1 even though it was close to 90 degrees out. So, so perfect.

Rest of the Booth

The Sushi Tree is fresh and so pretty, but just not our most favorite seafood dish. We’d skip the Mochi Cake, as it was just OK. We want full-on sugar overload during this festival and this just wasn’t sweet enough for us.