By Rowan Chetty, Co-Multimedia Editor

Authentic Japanese sushi, fresh ingredients and a relaxing atmosphere — Motto Restaurant in Berwyn delivers a soyful experience.

Up the street from Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, Motto is a new Japanese restaurant that serves an array of sushi, ramen and tempura. Contrasting the cold and windy fall air outside, Motto creates a welcoming, calm environment for its customers. Dining options include the sushi bar and standard seating as well as take-out.

For appetizers, I ordered fried pork gyoza dumplings. The cylinder-shaped dumplings, stuffed with ground pork and vegetables, were elegantly arranged and boasted a variety of flavors, with the finely chopped vegetables perfectly complementing the pork. Accompanied by a sweet sauce, the gyoza had a crispy texture and savory taste, providing a great start to the meal and leaving me excited for the main course.

The Berwyn and Tuna’s Dream sushi rolls, both topped with fish eggs and arranged in a neat presentation, made for a delicious entrée.

Stuffed with spicy salmon and asparagus, the Berwyn Roll is a unique fusion of nigiri and maki styles. The roll provided excellent variety, with each piece topped with either tuna, salmon or yellowtail. This diversity of fish makes the Berwyn Roll the perfect choice to add to every sushi lover’s meal. The spicy salmon, however, did not quite live up to its name, as it was a little light on the spice. Nevertheless, the fresh flavors of the different fish made up for the deficiency.

Alongside the Berwyn Roll, the Tuna’s Dream’s spicy, white tuna paired with cucumbers and avocados made it another great choice. Upon picking up the sushi with my chopsticks, I was pleasantly surprised by the spicy kick that the topping of shiitake mushrooms added to the roll. Additionally, the avocado and cucumbers wrapped in soy paper created a medley of vibrant and refreshing flavors.

The Berwyn and Tuna’s Dream rolls are both priced at $15.95, and the gyoza dumplings are priced at $7.50. The vast menu offers a wide range of options to suit many budgets. The excellent service, creative menu and charming ambiance makes Motto a great option for your sushi cravings.

Rowan Chetty can be reached at [email protected].