I’m a sushi newbie, which means I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had it. So when I ventured to Sushi Kuma in El Dorado Hills recently, I took my self-identified “sushi enthusiast” friend along with me.

After I heard the majority of the rolls are 50 percent off all the time, I knew that after the meal was over, my stomach would be full and my wallet wouldn’t be empty – perfect!

When we walked into the dimly lit restaurant, only one other couple was there. We were seated within seconds and took a few minutes to study all the options before deciding on the Steamed Gyoza and Soft Shell Crab as appetizers. When dipped in soy sauce, the pork potstickers effortlessly blended sweet and savory. And the Soft Shell Crab? Having been fried, the crunchy texture brought out the rich and sweet flavor of the crab. Though the dipping sauce enhanced the flavor, you didn’t need it. Both starters were well proportioned and successfully silenced our growling stomachs, but still left room for our rolls and dessert.

I picked the Yummy Yummy roll (fried shrimp and crab), and its tastiness is summed up in the name. Stuffed with cream cheese, avocado and cucumber, it was almost bigger than my mouth! My fellow sushi enthusiast chose the Red Dragon roll (spicy tuna and crab), which did not disappoint. In the past, she’s ordered sushi that claimed to be spicy but wasn’t. And while the Red Dragon didn’t have sweat-inducing flavor, it had the kick she wanted.

Chocolate and strawberry mochi ice cream ended our meal on another high note. Overall, each dish at Sushi Kuma was deliciously satisfying and had us wanting to return, which we did…helping my sushi count move onto my second hand! •