Monday Munchies: Rock n Roll Sushi in Fayetteville

I should've known better. In fact, I did. But hope won out.

State of play: Hope that, somehow, Rock n Roll Sushi has managed to combine two of my favorite things and do it well — a sort of Hard Rock Cafe from the '80s.

Hope spring rolls eternal.

The vibe: Based on the playlist during the visit, I'm the target demographic. Tom Petty, Van Halen, ZZ Top, Beastie Boys, Guns 'n Roses, Ratt and Nirvana were all heard and seen on the dozen or so big-screen TVs.

• The menu is the shape and size of an album cover. Wait staff appropriately wear T-shirts, and neon-esque signs help the lighting.
• It's all very schticky. I should've known.

Dig in: The vibe was the best part. The food did not deliver.

• The classic workaround for subpar food is to amp it up with other flavors. Many Rock n Roll Sushi dishes lean into this with a more-than-normal helping of jalapeno, ginger, spicy mayo and the like.

The verdict: Ever the optimist, my dinner companion said, "This is a place for people who don't like real sushi."

• That sums it up. Rock n Roll Sushi is for college students to drink beer, listen to what are now golden oldies and spend $15 on a pretty plate of food.

If you go: It's at 1777 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fayetteville and open daily, 11am-10pm.