Bad sushi in Gainesville: Shooting Star is more like falling star

Good sushi, at the very least, should be fresh and refreshing. Not every sushi restaurant boasts a hip atmosphere or an experienced staff, but most serve sushi-grade fish and sticky rice. Regretfully, Shooting Star does not even live up to the fresh factor that makes sushi a Japanese favorite.

A Saturday night visit to the free-standing Shooting Star restaurant in Gainesville's downtown area seemed inviting. The inside, with a black-light-lit jellyfish tank and a full-service bar, exuded an ultra-cool vibe.

The bubbly, self-proclaimed "waitress extraordinaire" suggested the salad with the Shooting Star special dressing made from pear and ginger ($3). The rest of the moderately priced menu mirrored most other Japanese restaurants with an assortment of typical sushi rolls and hot rice bowls. Desserts appeared more promising with tempura cheesecake ($5) and green tea ice-cream ($3) highlighted.

After a 45-minute wait and only one apology, the salads were served. When asked for forks, the waitress simply forgot and left it up to those of us eating to get up and hunt for cutlery. An additional 20 minutes later, the main dishes were served. Somehow the hot chicken "donburi," or rice bowl, was served before the sushi was brought out. The sushi had to be consumed while the rest of the table sat and watched.

The chicken donburi had pieces of raw chicken, and the mango salmon roll, with avocado, was more of a mango-rice roll than any type of salmon or avocado roll. The little salmon it did have still had the skin and scales on. The extra-charge eel sauce was more of a thick syrup than a dipping sauce.

The waitress said that the manager was too busy in the back, so he could not hear customer concerns. Ten minutes later, a woman (supposedly an owner) arrived at the table, sternly asking what the problem with the food was. After an explanation and display of the disappointing, unappetizing food, she yelled in protest. She reached into the half-eaten donburi bowl to prove the chicken was not raw, put a piece into her mouth, and continued yelling and pointing fingers with the inedible chicken in her mouth. So much for the customer always being right. Tempura cheesecake was thus out of the question; I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I left my plate of uneaten, scale-y sushi and made a b-line for 101 Downtown, where the food is always superb. My hungry tummy still wanted dinner even at 9:30 p.m.

With so many wonderful and tasty sushi joints in Gainesville, Shooting Star is certainly not the only option for Japanese cuisine. Instead, try Tatu (1702 West University Ave., 352.371.1700) or Ichiban Sushi (4401 NW 25th Pl., 352.375.8880), which both promise fresh, innovative sushi rolls and attentive service as well as hot choices.

The only wish upon a shooting star I wish I made was to not have even walked in the door of this unappetizing, unfriendly eatery.

Shooting Star - for the senses (on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the lowest rating)

Noise: 1

Smell: 1

Taste: 0

Sight (presentation): 1.5

My end of the date rate the plate: Don't even think about forking or spooning. Shooting Star is bad news bears, bound to lead to sickness.