Love love love love NZ Cafe. The best sushi I have had anywhere in Charlotte. I agree with those who say it towers above the rest. I've never had an experience where I felt any of my raw fish was less than perfectly fresh---- even on a Sunday, where the fish couldn't have been delivered that same day. My husband is a chef so we never get to go out Fri or Sat and I've learned that going out on a Sunday or a Monday is the true test of the quality of a restaurant.
As for the "complaints" on the wait times and size of the restaurant I have seen on here-- that's part of the deal when you go out to eat! When something is good people take notice and sometimes, yes you have to wait for a table!
I can't believe anyone reviewing NZ would write anything bad about the staff, as I have always felt them to be extremely friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and generally a well-oiled team. People who do not work in the food service industry conveniently are unaware of the fact that restaurant staff usually have many things on their mental to-do list at one time and many hungry people to make happy and run around trying to remember everything and keep their heads above water when they are
busy. That may have been a run on sentence but I wanted to make my point.
As for what I order our guilty pleasure is the Favorite Roll. Totally gringo but I don't care it's that delicious. Could go on and on about all the great rolls we've had there, as well as nigiri, and their cooked entrees as well. Looking forward to going back tonight.