Jinsei Sushi & Bar Combines Fresh Ingredients, Delicious Libations for Success

Assorted sashimi

Jinsei Sushi & Bar, a Japanese restaurant located on North Lamar, offers an excellent culinary experience while also providing a modern, upbeat atmosphere. The ingredients are fresh, the food is delectable, and the drinks are delicious.

The fresh ingredients used in the dishes and drinks set Jinsei Sushi & Bar apart from any other restaurant in Oxford. Offering the finest fish selection in Oxford, Jinsei is known for their outstanding variety of foods. Fish is delivered multiple times a week from all over the world allowing the restaurant to offer only the freshest seafood dishes.

“We get a majority of our fish from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. It is flown to Atlanta and delivered to us by truck multiple times a week. The main difference between Jinsei and other restaurants is that we get whole, fresh fish and clean and cut the fish ourselves,” Winn Walcott, manager at Jinsei Sushi & Bar, said.

Salmon sashimi

I highly recommend the Jinseiviche as a starter because of its light, refreshing taste. The Jinseiviche consists of Atlantic salmon, tuna tataki (seared tuna), tako (octopus), ebi (shrimp), mango, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro all tossed in a citrus dressing. If you’re feeling less adventurous, try the Miso Soup. It’s the best I have ever tasted.

As a main course, order a few different rolls. One of the most popular is the Jinsei Special which has tuna, yellowtail, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, masago, and cucumber, and it is absolutely delicious. One of my personal favorites is the Red Dragon with added slices of jalapenos. The roll consists of spicy tuna and cucumber with seared tuna on top and a spicy ginger dressing, but I add jalapñno to add a little extra spice.

In addition to the rolls, the hot dishes are great companions to any meal. The Kobe Wrapped Asparagus are delicious and a popular dish. The Tebasaki Wings are by far the best wings I have had in Oxford. Fried twice and dipped in a soy- garlic sauce, the wings are cooked to perfection and sprinkled with a Japanese pepper.

Tebasaki wings

One of the great things about Jinsei is that you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. All of the dishes are enjoyable and there is something for everyone, even for those who do not like seafood. If you have questions about the menu, the staff at Jinsei are incredibly knowledgeable and can explain the different dishes. Additionally, the servers will suggest dishes you may like according to your preferences and it’s great when you can’t quite decide on an item.

Fresh ingredients are used for the cocktails as well. The drinks offered at Jinsei are made and garnished with fresh fruit, and fresh lime juice is used for the sour mix that is prepared daily. The drinks are different from those at other restaurants in Oxford simply because of the preparation that goes into each one. The Blackberry Mojito and Hot Kiss Martini are my personal favorites. Fresh blackberries are crushed with sugar and mint, simple syrup and sour mix are added, rum is poured, and the drink is shaken to perfection. The Hot Kiss is made with crushed cilantro, serrano pepper, fresh ginger, and mixed with tequila and orange liquor. It is a little bit of a different flavor, but it’s excellent.

Red dragon roll

If mixed drinks aren’t quite what you had in mind, the champagne, wine, and sake selection is one of the best in the state of Mississippi. The wide selection of choices is great for a casual wine drinker or a wine connoisseur.

Opening at 5 p.m. daily, Jinsei Sushi & Bar provides fresh, high quality food and drinks in a relaxing and casual atmosphere. There is no specific closing time, and the restaurant will stay open as long as there are people. If you haven’t visited Jinsei yet, I highly suggest you make it your next night out. Order a drink made with fresh fruit, try the fresh selection of fish, and enjoy the experience Jinsei has to offer.

Lindsey Andrews is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at lnandre1@go.olemiss.edu.