Locally owned Arigato Sushi off to a solid start in Salinas' epicenter of chain restaurants.

Arigato Sushi (443-0100)—arigato means "thank you" in Japanese—has been open for about six weeks and is located in the corner of Harden Ranch Plaza, which translates to lots of competition.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, BJ's Pizzeria and Red Lobster all surround Arigato and seem to be turning toward it to get a better look.

The atmosphere inside seems to be more a cherrywood sports bar than sushi haven.

I was warmly welcomed into Arigato by a friendly hostess and sat at a bar that had two massive big screen TVs lining the back walls, great for the sushi-and-sports fanatic.

The chefs stood behind a very clean and organized glass counter, which displayed the fresh cut sashimi elegantly.

All three sushi chefs appeared eager to serve.

“Okay, I’m ready for you,” said one as I sat.

The menu was large, but not too large, which can sometimes be the case for sushi, with too many combinations and rolls to choose from.

Combinations ($12.95-$20) come with soup or salad and include chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki, dry noodle sauté and ramen with pork belly shashu. (They claim to be the only Japanese style restaurant in Salinas to offer ramen. I think they're right—and might be the only in the county.)

Specialty rolls ($9.95-$14.95) include treats like the "sun-kissed" roll (topped with salmon with lemon inside), "sizzling white" roll (seared spicy tuna, fried jalapeños, garlic and soy mustard drizzle), the Johnny roll (shrimp tempura, crab and avocado), "sweet love" (seared albacore, stringy onions) and Thai shrimp roll (shrimp tempura, ginger and peanut butter!).

The colorful pictures in the “specialty rolls,” or maki, gave me a clear idea of what and how much sushi I would be getting. The prices appear pretty standard.

When I asked the chefs which rolls were most popular, he tabbed the red and sweet roll and the dragon roll.

The red and sweet appeared within 5 minutes and was presented beautifully with vibrant colors jumping off the white plate against the sparkling black granite countertop. The portions were large and I was immediately pleased and yet thinking Why did I order two?!

It was plenty for me—it's common not to feel “full” after eating sushi, and Arigato has slayed that theory for me. This roll seemed to melt in my mouth, the large piece of salmon on each individual roll tasted buttery and fresh and drizzled lightly with spicy mayo.

The shrimp tempura inside the roll was crispy and golden with the flavor of ripe avocado coming through in every bite. This sushi did not even require any soy sauce or wasabi in my opinion, the taste was there.

I had asked a different sushi chef for help with my second roll recommendation, trying to steer away from more tempura. However, when I received my dragon I was surprised to see more crispy tails sticking out of the ends of my roll.

Maybe the sushi chefs are still adjusting to the menu, nonetheless I was pleased with both, though the dragon didn't meet the standard its predecessor set.

The rice was sticky, a key factor for cohesive sushi.

The eel arrived grilled, warm and rested on top of each piece dressed lightly with unagi sauce. (I did tell them unagi is listed as AVOID on Seafood Watch.)

The crisp cucumbers and oozing avocado all harmonized well together on the warm roll, even with the added shrimp tempura…a slight variation from a typical dragon roll.

All in all, a delicious and filling experience. Arigato, Arigato.