The relatively unknown Fin Japanese Cuisine (or Fin) sushi restaurant is a bit of a hidden gem amid West County’s rows of uniform strip malls and shopping centers.   Fin tucks in very discreetly alongside Saint Louis Bread Co. and Barnes and Noble on Clarkson Rd. near the Chesterfield Mall, but its food is anything but unnoticeable.

My first Fin experience came when we visited to celebrate my brother’s birthday.  Devin (a sophomore at Lafayette) had visited Fin once previously and it was already his favorite restaurant, but I was skeptical.  Sushi to me did not sound like a reasonable meal, but my say in the matter was slim to none.  The interior really pleasantly surprised me.  Fin’s layout is open, with a large bar and a row of booths enveloping a long row of tables.  The hostess and waitress were also some of the friendliest food service employees I’d personally ever come across.

We sat down and were placed under a strict no-California Roll mandate in the spirit of adventure.  There is a very large sushi menu from which diners can order individual rolls of around 6-8 pieces, or a separate menu with more individual Japanese entrees.  We ended up ordering 6 or 7 different rolls for our large group, as well as fairly standard but ever-delicious miso soup and salad with ginger dressing.

The sushi honestly blew me away.  The presentation was stellar, and, coupled with very quick service, the dining experience instantly became memorable.  Of all the types of sushi we sampled, my favorite (and the consensus favorite of the table) was the Volcano Roll, which contains lobster and avocado but comes with an actual hollowed-out lobster tail filled with almost a lobster salad of meat and other ingredients.  Everything else was stellar too, and there were more than a few vegetarian options of sushi and entree.

Fin is a tad on the pricey side, but for an exciting evening or special occasion, it couldn’t be better.  Making a reservation may not be necessary, but on the weekend I probably still would, especially with a large party (our table was set and ready when we arrived with our reservation on a Sunday night, but it was unnecessary to have called beforehand that evening).  Prices, menus and more information can be found on finstl.com.