Light is Right at Sushi Izakaya Shinn

Determined to make a fresh start, you’ve decided to improve your lifestyle this year by eating healthier to stay fit and lose weight. It’s an admirable goal, but it can be discouraging at times when visions of sugarplums (or more likely cookies or pie) are still dancing in your head after all that holiday noshing.

Lighten up! You just need a little help.

The timing couldn’t be better now that many Island restaurants are opting for fresh, locally grown produce and rethinking the way they prepare their dishes — using less fat and salt, for instance — as well as offering small-plate selections. It’s a trend that fits perfectly with the resolution to start eating right. But although it may be a new thing for some restaurants, Japanese cuisine has always been a front-runner when it comes to light, healthy and artfully presented food.

Sushi Izakaya Shinn’s clean, contemporary decor provides the perfect ambiance for Japanese tapas-style dining, and it’s also family-friendly. There’s something for everyone here with its robata grill counter, sushi counter, Western-style tables and tea room-style seating.

General manager Yuki Yamamoto notes that, although Sushi Izakaya Shinn has an extensive menu, most of its dishes are made with dashi, which contains fish. So we put our heads together and discovered some small-plate delicacies just right for those who prefer not to eat meat or fish: grilled vegetable skewers from the robata bar: Shiitake Mushroom Skewer ($2.25) and Japanese Leek Skewer ($2.25), served with a shoyu teriyaki sauce, and Shishito Pepper Skewer ($1.80). Add some vegetable sushi and/or hand roll, and you’ll be satisfied and feel great about it.

At Sushi Izakaya Shinn, it’s easy to eat right and light.

Sushi Izakaya Shinn