The Sushi Review
Cuisine Malaya
Pacific Rim Shot
One of the best features of this establishment is its choice location.
It's not so out-of-the-way that you have to travel to nightlife and not so on-the-scene that it would attract curious passers-by. I first visited this place to sample the Indian fare which had a good spin on the campus at CPCC.
Of course I was drawn to the cliche 1950's pacific-rim archaeologist motif (fan-tan, folding fans, bamboo, etc.) but it was just slightly interesting as compared to the sushi menu, which was surprisingly diverse. The Maki rolls were above average and the Soundboy roll (spicy tuna or smoked salmon Philly tempura) was very good.
They have a good selection of Japanese beer and the house sake is the only warm sake on the menu,
so there is no immediate reason to order the fancy-pants selections, unless you are trying to impress someone - but that can easily backfire like a '79 Dodge Aspen going up a hill. Stick to what you know, or at least what you have learned so far. The Maki is solid and the Nagiri is good as well.
The price is a little above average but you get a decent portion of good sushi. Try the Asahi bottled beer with the warm house sake. If you bring a date you can easily share.
The Indian pancake is great for a shared appetizer. The Indian side of the menu is pretty good as well, so give it a shot on your following visit.
I recommend Malaya overall for the sushi, location and atmosphere.
Afterward, you can take the short drive Uptown and check out the scene.