In my underclassman days here at Longwood University, I tended to stick to restaurants close to campus with the naïve idea that there were finite dining options here in Farmville.
However, as I shifted into my upperclassman status I came to the beautiful, yet shocking realization that our little town isn’t quite as limited in restaurants as I once thought it to be.
Into my fourth year, a friend invited me over to Musashi Asian Cuisine- or simply- Musashi’s for dinner. It was here that I found a great lunch or dinner deal for the first edition of Farmville cuisine under $15.
Although I had never attended Musashi’s, I was no stranger to hibachi, so my eye quickly went to the entrées. Prices for the entrées vary in regards to choice of meat but all include soup, salad, rice and vegetables.
Included in the meal was the traditional Japanese dish miso soup. This soup is traditionally a stock-based broth that results in a simply-seasoned, fairly ordinary-tasting soup.
But Musashi’s rendition of miso soup had more of a zing to it. With greater amount of seasoning than usual, the soup had a more appetizing, peppery and full-bodied taste.
However, salad was your basic Asian-style salad that you get at a restaurant made with romaine lettuce, peeled carrot bits and cucumber and topped with ginger salad dressing.
As for choice of meat, I went for the teriyaki chicken which included a generous amount of chopped chicken tossed with a sweet and flavorful teriyaki sauce. Vegetables on the dish included a mix of zucchini, onion, celery, mushrooms and broccoli which paired perfectly with the cooked rice.
The combination of the teriyaki chicken, rice and vegetables made for a savory dish that I of course, like any other hibachi-enthusiast, drowned in yum yum sauce- all for the price of $8.99.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, Musashi’s has a lot more to offer than what I ordered. Besides the entrée deal with a variety of meats including chicken, steak, shrimp and even scallops, they also offer dumplings and many types of sushi rolls.
Now for those of us with a sweet tooth, desserts include a Japanese ice cream and bubble tea. If you’re anything like I am, than you too have never heard of bubble tea, but don’t let that stop you from experiencing this delightful treat.
Bubble tea is a slushy-textured type of drink with tapioca balls that have a gummy-like texture. These tapioca balls lay at the bottom of the cup and come up as you sip through the thick straw that comes with drink, for a pleasant surprise as you eat the tapioca and drink the frozen tea.
Flavors for the bubble tea range from your everyday strawberry, blueberry and cantaloupe, to the more unique Thai tea, cappuccino, avocado, cantaloupe and many more.
Rating: soup & salad: 3.5/5 stars teriyaki chicken entrée: 4/5 stars
Honey Dew bubble tea: 4.5/ 5 starsoverall: 4/5 stars
Writer’s note: With a wide variety of flavors in all three courses, I highly recommend this restaurant as I will certainly be returning to experience the rest of the menu.
Musashi’s can be found in the shopping center in front of the Sunchase at Longwood Apartments right next to the movie theatre, Sunchase Cinema 8 - ideal for dinner and a movie without worrying about getting to the theatre on time.
