"When my brother's friend found out where I lived recently, his first reaction was \"oh, so you've been to Kampai then?\" My blank look horrified him, and he quickly explained that apparently I have a hidden gem sushi place in my North Phoenix neighborhood -- a \"gem\" that he referred to as one of the best in the city! This was a pleasant surprise to me (I guess I should have paid more attention when I drove by that bowling lane strip mall...).\n\nTwo words: GREAT SUSHI! Seriously up-to-par with my most recent bar-setter, Hana sushi -- except less expensive and much larger portions. In fact, I had the opposite experience of many of the reviewers here: our portions were shockingly large, from oversized/fat rolls to a sashimi order that was almost double what I would have expected. The albacore tataki and Kampai roll were our favorites, but everything we had was fresh and delicious.\n\nThe atmosphere leaves something to be desired, depending on your mood. I was a little caught off-guard by the harsh...errr...bright lighting as well as the lack of noise/energy there on a Friday night. Of course this can be refreshing compared to the \"scene\" at a Stingray or Ra. Our service at our table was fantastic, very attentive and friendly. \n\nI will definitely be making Kampai a staple in the portfolio, and given that I favored the food over the dining experience, I will certainly consider takeout as well in the future."^^ . "4"^^ . "0"^^ . "3"^^ . "2010-07-10T00:00:00"^^ . . . . "2"^^ .