There hasn't been a whole lot of great sushi competition along the Verona-Fitchburg stretch, so when Miyabi Sushi opened up on McKee Road, I was excited to see what they bring to the table.

Located by Target in the old Flying Hound space (RIP), this is exactly the kind of restaurant that area could use. I stopped in during opening weekend, and while the place was absolutely packed, I managed to get a pretty good sampling of the menu to take home.

Miyabi Sushi is conveniently located in the shopping center by Target on McKee Road, giving the area a new option for Japanese food without having to venture too far into Madison.

The space was packed on opening weekend so I ended up ordering takeout and I didn't get the full experience of sitting down and dining in. Now that they’ve fully settled into their new space, it’s definitely worth popping in.

From intricate art to incredibly welcoming staff, you can tell the folks at Miyabi Sushi were very intentional when it came to curating this experience.

The gyoza came pan-seared, which was fantastic since pan-seared is the GOAT (I will not be convinced otherwise). The flavor was good but not necessarily groundbreaking, although I do think I did it a disservice by ordering it to go.

While the shrimp was enjoyable, the sauce didn't bring a ton of flavor to the party. It mostly just tasted like good fried shrimp and I was hoping for a little more pizzaz. Much like the gyoza, I think this is something that would have been significantly better eaten fresh at the restaurant rather than after the drive home. I'd absolutely give it another shot when dining in.

The Sunset Glow was easily one of my favorite things I tried. The shrimp, avocado, spicy crab, eel sauce, and tempura crunch on top created the perfect combination of savory flavors and crunchy texture. The eel sauce also added some sweetness that works incredibly well with the spicy crab. If you’re not into spice, don’t let the spicy mayo scare you off - it’s subtle and worth it.

I get a spicy salmon roll pretty much everywhere I review because it's one of those staples that helps me figure out what a sushi restaurant is all about. The salmon tasted fresh and had a really nice overall flavor. I wouldn't describe it as particularly spicy, but that's not a dealbreaker for me. If I'm coming back, this is something I'd have no problem ordering again.

Overall, I came away really impressed with Miyabi Sushi, especially considering how new the restaurant was when I visited. The Sunset Glow roll was the standout for me, and I plan to order it every single time I came back.

Just due to the nature of fried foods, I’d recommend dining in if you want to get the best version of the appetizers I had to-go.

What I like most about Miyabi Sushi is that it gives the Fitchburg and Verona area another legitimate sushi option without requiring a trip into downtown Madison. This is a very promising addition to the neighborhood, and I'm looking forward to going back.