Publication Date: Friday Dec 26, 1997

Restaurant Review: Japanese and more

Funny thing about Japanese restaurants. Every time I find myself heading for one, it's because I am craving Japanese food. Maybe that is why I haven't got around to trying the fettucine at Naomi Sushi Pasta Grill yet. No matter how many times I have entered the restaurant resolved to sample the daily pasta, a nagging little gastronomic tug says make it Japanese, please.

Despite its East/West aspirations, there is plenty that's purely Japanese about Naomi Sushi. The short menu has classic bento boxes, chicken, vegetarian, grilled salmon and chef's specials ($10.95-$13.50), teriyakis like beef sirloin ($12.95), chicken ($10.50), or unaju (cooked eel over rice $13.50), and it offers a full measure of delicate appetizers and salads.

But it doesn't stop there. Under a section called "pasta" you will find linguine mixed with seafood and mushrooms ($10.50) and a pasta of the day such as linguine with shrimp, mushrooms, and clams ($6.95 at lunch) along with the traditional steaming bowls of udon ($6.95-$8.50).

Chef and co-owner Iwamoto Iwa isn't trying to compete with Italian cuisine and steers his course closely toward the East. That is why his pasta of the day might be fettucine with grilled tuna prepared Asian style, or a pasta dish may be made with buckwheat noodles. The emphasis is always on fish stocks with nary a cream sauce or marinara in sight. Still, who comes to a Japanese restaurant for fettucine?

Tiny, teetering toward expensive, and upscale in a funky sort of way, Naomi Sushi has had no problem filling its tables since it opened its doors nearly two months ago. Small touches tuned its look from the drab (but pleasant and inexpensive) Kyoshi Sushi, which used to occupy the premises, to minimally hip. Sweeping brush strokes on a few prints of colorful abstract paintings and the odd, very designer logo on the restaurant's lighted red and green sign make no bones about it--Naomi Sushi is with it. Unfortunately, the prices are, too. It is difficult for two to dine at Naomi Sushi without dropping $35.

In several visits I have rarely been disappointed in the food, although service can be disorganized. One memorable item on the menu is the grilled chicken udon soup ($7.25). Truly remarkable, this ranks among the best udon dishes I have ever tried. The full, rich broth was graced with a crisp fresh floret of cauliflower or two, a few slices of carrot, a floret of broccoli, a shiitake mushroom, and lots of thick, luscious udon noodles. But the crowning glory was the plump, juicy grilled chicken slices that give the dish its name and, along with the fresh fish stock, its flavor. It is only too bad that this beautiful soup is served with plain, American- style flatware, instead of the deep Oriental spoons that make it easy to enjoy the broth.

Another gem of Naomi Sushi (and a testament to its East-meets-West formula) is the wonderful array of salads. Served in deep glass bowls, the mixed lettuce salads share a mouth-watering secret: the dressing. Combining grated ginger, tomatoes, carrots and other fresh vegetables, this wonderful dressing makes every salad I've had at Naomi Sushi something of an event.

Less spectacular were the grilled salmon and California roll ($13.50). The evening we tried this dish, the salmon was surprisingly dry and the California roll, while a nice piece of sushi, was made with imitation crab instead of the real thing. Another good, but not outstanding dish is the grilled mackerel with soup, salad and rice ($6.50) on the lunch menu. The mackerel, while juicy and flavorful, was a little too oily. On the other hand, chicken katsu ($11.50) at Naomi Sushi is a generous portion of delicious breaded chicken that is satisfying and filling.

One of the best sushis at Naomi Sushi is the empire state roll ($7.00), a combination of cucumber, lemon, salmon and flying fish with a sprinkling of caviar.

You can find desserts on the menu: green tea ice cream ($1.75), sorbet ($1.75), and ripe melon ($2.00), but frankly, after a good Japanese meal, why bother? Service is always friendly but often hectic. Chopsticks once were lacking. Another time, I had no napkin. But the waitstaff is always willing to rectify the situation in short order. The restaurant is so small, it is hard to leave without making a ripple in the fabric of the evening. On most occasions, everyone from waitstaff to sushi chefs call out a cheery good-bye. That always makes me want to come back.1 n

Naomi Sushi Pasta Grill, 1328 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 321-6902

Hours:Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:30-2:30; Dinner: Tuesday-Sunday 5:30-10:00; (Monday closed)

Highlights: Outstanding salad dressing, great udon, friendly service

About the Owner: Owners Masafumi Okuchi and Iwamoto Iwa came to the Bay Area from New York where they had an elegant East-meets-West restaurant called The Goose and the Gibbon. Iwa, who originally hails from Hiroshima, was a French Japanese chef at the New York restaurant, and is translating his European culinary training expertise into dishes at Naomi Sushi. Iwa and Okuchi consider themselves high-tech visionaries when it comes to blending cuisines. Reservations - yes Credit cards - yes Parking - yes Beer and wine - yes Takeout - yes Banquet - yes Wheelchair access - yes Non-smoking - yes Highchairs - yes Outdoor seating - no 

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