Near UCI, this mid-grade sushi take-out spot also operates a cute dessert bakery
Finding sushi near the UCI campus isn’t terribly difficult, but unqualified great sushi – that’s a taller order. If you’re looking for good AYCE sushi, we’d generally recommend Botan Sushi at Campus Plaza, but if you’re looking to spend similar money on so-so a la carte rolls, inaris, or a limited number of nigiri pieces, you can stop into IRO Sushi – Stuff x Roll at University Center. Unaffiliated with the international Iro Sushi chain, this small Irvine take-out restaurant is loaded with display cases rather than tables, offering visitors only a few bench seats to use while waiting for sushi to be prepared. Everything is delivered in takeaway containers, so if you want to eat what you just purchased, you’ll need to find communal seating outside.
It turns out that the display cases aren’t really there for IRO. One holds cookies, plastic models of Gelatys brand artisanal gelato, and a number of marked-up supermarket Korean ramyun packages. Another includes macarons and cakes also sold online under IRO’s second brand, Braga Baker. The third contains bottled and canned drinks, generally around $3 each, while a sign notes that some handmade coffee, tea, and fruit “ade” drinks are also available for $4.50 to $6…