Here’s the thing about Arigato. It’s pretty standard sushi. It’s probably overpriced, since it’s right on State Street. But when you’ve been in Covid lockdown since March, and haven’t had fresh sushi or Japanese food since last September give or take, Arigato – and its sprawling, heated outdoor seating area – is a goddamn godsend.
In quarantine I’m cooking up a lot of lentils and rigatoni. I’m not throwing together too many spicy tuna rolls, which is why Arigato is even more of a treat. Sushi aside, they also offered some delicious non-roll items, like soba salad, gyoza, miso soup (obviously), and many others we were tempted to try.
The verdict? Lovely outdoor seating. Good food. Great for a date night. You’ll probably appreciate it more if you’ve spent 5 months inside, cooking for yourself. But even if you haven’t – even if this were 2019, what a concept!!!!! – I’m confident you’d enjoy a date night out at Arigato.
Arigato Sushi Santa Barbara
1225 State St, Santa Barbara
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