The Private Room At Sushi Sono: A Special Place To Gather Friends For A Night Of Fish And Fun

Some of the best things in life are free -- like the private room at Sushi Sono.

The paper-walled room at the Columbia sushi restaurant can be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.  At its single table, you get personal attention in a beautiful setting, screened off from the other diners and enjoying your friends and platters of fish.

We went last weekend with four friends and had one of our favorite meals of the year.  For two hours, we worked from miso soup through several rounds of sushi rolls and other delicacies.  It's cozy.  You can sit cross-legged.  You can laugh loud.  You don't have to be self-conscious about the quantity of fish that you're popping in your mouth.

Monkfish liver

I assume that an authentic Japanese table would rest close to the ground with everyone sitting cross-legged around it.  At Sushi Sono -- and at Sushi King in Columbia where they have similar rooms -- the raised floor of the room doubles as a bench because the floor is lower under the table.  So you're sitting Western-style with your legs comfortably hanging down.  The whole experience was comfortable.  Our waitress read us perfectly, making sure that we had enough food, but leaving us alone to talk and relax.

We hear that Sushi Sono prefers a $200 minimum for parties in the room.  No one mentioned that to us when we made the reservation or when we ate.  We actually just hit the number with six people having one round of drinks and splitting an indulgent meal.  So it's perfect for six or eight people to enjoy a special night out.

You're already getting the best sushi in Baltimore and one of the best restaurants in Howard County.  If it's new for you, check out all the posts about Sushi Sono and its unique rolls.  Our recommendations start with the No. 12 and No. 14 rolls, but you won't go wrong.  People swear by house inventions like the "bridal veil" and the "sushi nuggets."  They also love the orthodox sashimi and hand rolls.  Watch the specials too.  We tried a monkfish liver, which was close enough to pate to split the crowd into fans and skeptics.  We also ate grilled yellowtail cheek, a cooked plate of fish where you lift pieces of moist meat from the jaw of a fish.

Miso soup and warm sake

And it's not just the room that you can get at no extra charge.  Ask for the green tea as well.  They pour exceptional, flavorful tea into calming pottery mugs, and, at Sushi Sono, it's gratis.

For another eating adventure, consider cooking your own bulgogi and pork belly with a grill table packed with friends at Shin Chon Garden in Ellicott City.  The feasts at Shin Chon create the same kind of fun that we had at Sushi Sono.