Calling somebody "Mister" is a way to show respect. So tacking "Mr." onto a restaurant name would seemingly indicate a respectable joint, right? We pitted two Columbus spots against each other to see who fared best in the Mr. vs. Mr. battle.
Mascots:
Mr. Geero: Mr. Geero is a super-stereotypical tunic-clad Greek dude waving Greek and Macedonian flags.
Mr. Sushi: There does not appear to be a Mr. Sushi, though a cute little Martian-like guy appears on the restaurant website.
Ambiance:
Mr. Geero: Bright yellow walls with aqua blue trim, a few sun-faded Greek tourism posters and some Greek-flag-themed pennant banners.
Mr. Sushi: A thatched-roof hut over the sushi bar is pretty much the extent of the decor.
Basic order:
Mr. Geero: Lamb gyro, $3.65: Your standard street-meat-grade gyro - lots of heavily seasoned meat, tzatziki and some shredded lettuce and tomato wrapped in soft, tasty pita bread.
Mr. Sushi: Mr. Sushi Roll, $6: The namesake roll combines eel with sweet potato, cucumber, crunchy bonito flakes and roe. It's fine, but unmemorable - light on the eel and heavy on the roe.
Other offerings:
Mr. Geero: A sub menu includes the Italian ($5.25), stacked with ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions and banana peppers, doused in Italian dressing. Also available: wings, burgers and 7-inch pizzas.
Mr. Sushi: Some of the higher-priced sushi rolls fared better than the Mr. Sushi Roll, looks- and taste-wise. I'd order the Kinky Roll ($9) - spicy crab stick, shrimp and avocado - again. Mr. Sushi also serves hibachi and teriyaki dinners, plus a few Korean specialties, like stone pot bibimbap.
Sides:
Mr. Geero: Gyros come with good steak fries. A hummus appetizer ($3) includes a small cup of supermarket-quality chickpea dip with some more of the tasty pita bread.
Mr. Sushi: Edamame is always a safe bet, and this $4 order of salted green soybeans is an enjoyable snack.
Sweets:
Mr. Geero: A $1.50 slab of baklava tasted like it'd been sitting around for a while.
Mr. Sushi: Try the Pine-tato Roll ($5) for dessert: it's deep-fried sweet potato and grilled pineapple in sushi-roll form. Yum.
Winner!
Mr. Sushi. The extensive menu delivered more hits than misses.
Shelley Mann is editor of Crave, Columbus' new dining magazine. Keep up with her at columbuscrave.com.
