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Business & Tech

Moby Dick Sushi Rolls out Fantastic Food in the Triangle

No need for an Ahab-like quest to find excellent sushi in Wheaton.

With an eye-dazzling array of canopies, vehicles, foot traffic and signage it can be easy for businesses to get lost in the Wheaton Triangle, much like ships and planes in the waters that make up the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

But in this case, there's no need for hopping aboard the Pequod.

For 13 years (14 come May 2012) Moby Dick’s reputation has stood out like the bright lens of a lighthouse, beckoning sushi lovers to home in on the eight-table restaurant to sample Chef Chang Pyon's rice and seaweed creations.

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Before setting up shop in Wheaton, Pyon owned a restaurant in Northern Virginia with his wife Miran and several partners. But once Chang had perfected his sushi-making skills, the couple decided to look to establish their own culinary roots.

“We looked at other cities around – Bethesda, Silver Spring and others, but there didn’t seem to be many Japanese restaurants in Wheaton,” said Miran. “Many people told us that Wheaton was getting ready to really grow, so we chose this location, which used to be Moby Dick Seafood.”

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The Pyons wisely decided to keep the Melville-inspired name as it came with a built-in base of regular customers. While it took a few years for customers to get used to the transition from seafood to sushi, once the Washington Post reviewed Moby Dick in 2006, business began to boom.

However, booms of a different nature may upset the smooth sailing they have enjoyed for several years.

“We are concerned about the redevelopment,” Miran said. “Two years! Where are people supposed to park? What about the loud noises from construction?”

Miran confided that one possibility she and her husband are considering is a move, but she passionately expressed her love for Wheaton and her desire to stay in town.

Like many sushi places, Moby Dick is roll-heavy, but reasonably priced, ranging from $7.95 to $12.95, with a la carte offerings in the $4 to $7 neighborhood.

When I asked what the house specialty was, Columbia resident Marshall Booker (who had just sat down at the next table) kindly suggested that the spicy, crunchy tuna roll was “the best you’ll ever have, anywhere.” Marshall lives in Columbia, works in Beltsville, but goes out of his way to eat at Moby Dick’s. “I bring my wife, co-workers and friends here – it’s just something about the tempura.”

So I obediently ordered the 8-piece “Crunch Spicy Tuna Roll,” along with miso soup, a small salad and sweet potato sushi. Yes, you read that right - sweet potato sushi. Miran suggested balancing the heat of the tuna roll with the sweet potato roll.

The gorgeous plate arrived with an obvious great deal of attention paid to presentation. Intricate drizzling and dolloping of sauces, piles of ginger and wasabi reaching skyward all vying for my attention like siblings bellowing for a moment of mommy’s time.

The tuna roll did not disappoint. Chang’s mastery of tempura technique resulted in a delicate, yet satisfyingly dense crunch that miraculously escapes being compacted and softened by the generous portion of tender tuna. Two sauces--one, the expected srirachi-based topping was nice and familiar, but an even and welcome burst of heat came from Pyon’s self-created sauce.

The Pyons are very protective of their signature roll. When I asked to take video of Chang preparing, Miran politely asked me not to, as she was concerned that their competitors may pick up one or two of her husband’s secret techniques.

Chang’s tempura once again shines in the sweet potato roll, offering a crispy coating over tender slivers of sweet potato that retain a gentle snap in the center. A maple-colored sugary glaze was a nice and gooey compliment to the other textures.

The menu offers a handful of non-sushi selections, including udon, donburi, teriyaki and tempura. From 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Moby Dick offers lunch specials and boxes ranging from $6.95 to $14.95.

Moby Dick is open Monday – Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

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