Have you ever seen those online meme’s made from the scene in “The Notebook” where Ryan Gosling is begging Rachel McAdams to tell him what she wants? That accurately depicts a day to day conversation between my boyfriend and I.

It’s not that I’m not hungry, or even that nothing sounds good, it’s that I literally cannot pick a destination to save my life. Blame it on the fact that I’m a girl, and this is a common problem amongst us, or that I’m a people pleaser and would rather have someone else make the decision that suits them best.

Either way, if I were to gather statistics from all the places we usually go, I’d say Sakura would have the highest numbers.

For those of you who haven’t heard of or been to Sakura, it features a wide variety of Japanese cuisine including sushi, tempura and teriyaki chicken as well as other traditional Japanese dishes.

The Grand Forks location is relatively new. The restaurant went up only about two years ago, but in that short period of time focus has shifted from restaurants such as Fuji and the Drunken Noodle to Sakura.

Drunken Noodle to Sakura.

Although I am a regular at this Japanese steakhouse, I can’t quite call myself a connoisseur considering I order the same thing every time. As I’ve said in previous reviews, I don’t deviate from routine, and if I do it’s got to be for a good reason.

Yes, everything on the menu looks good and smells good, and from what I’ve heard, tastes good.

However, I have yet to try anything except the California Roll, and for special occasion when I’m not as broke as I usually am, I throw in a side of the pork gyoza (otherwise known as pot-stickers). The California Roll is simple, made from crab meat, avocado, cucumber, white rice and seaweed, but the flavors come together in a perfect marriage.

Everything is combined into this bite sized roll of deliciousness, and it’s a shame they only put 6 in a pack because I could probably eat about 12 in one sitting.

Same story with the pot-stickers, as these are small yet pack large flavor.

Despite its good service and great food, Sakura has had a few problems over the past couple years. It also is quite pricey, at least for a college student’s budget.

However, the price has yet to keep me from going back time and time again.

I have been tempted to open my mind and palate to other foods on the menu but I haven’t quite reached the tipping point. Perhaps in writing this article, I will be persuaded to go off of my usual route, but frankly I doubt it.

Considering all factors including food, service, price, reputation and high price, I’d have to give Sakura a 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re feeling like sushi or Japanese style cuisine, this steakhouse is the place to go.

Hannah Amundson is a features writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]