Haiku (again)

My trips to Haiku are looking like they might be a regular thing. I went a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday night with my Sushi Dining Companion (SDC for short). We sat at the bar; not the part where you can watch the sushi being made, but the part in front of the TV. The Grammys were on, so we watched as we, at and chatted with the bartender.

I had a Jameson and Ginger to start... not sure why but I was feeling the Jameson. I was turned onto this delightful drink at a friend's Christmas (not Holiday) Party. It was tasty.

In addition to some repeat maki from our last visit, we ordered the Veg and Shrimp Tempura appetizer. This was amazing. The breading was great, hot and crispy - probably panko breadcrumbs. The shrimp were about 4 inches long, and tasty. Zucchini, onion, and sweet potato were also included. A sweet soy sauce was included for dipping.

We tried something new this time: the Northboro roll. This was a roll filled iwth salmon, scallop, and another fish, rolled in breading, and fried quickly. The fish was fully cooked. This was delicious! I could probably make a meal out of the whole 8-piece serving alone, it was so chock full of fish.

Again, Haiku proved a good place for an adventurous dinner.

Haiku

Location: Haiku, Park Ave, Worcester, MA (formerly On the Rocks, next to El Basha West)
Meal: Dinner

It's been a couple of years since I've had sushi and I was pleased to find out a new restaurant had opened up nearby. Haiku features the sushi stylings of Kenzo, who used to work at Zipango on Shrewsbury Street. I was excited to see that he brought the Tiger Eye roll to Haiku.

I met a friend for dinner on Monday night. It was busier than expected for a Monday but it was a holiday. We were able to get a table right away. They have a full bar and an extensive wine list but I was in the mood for a beer. I ordered a Stella; my friend ordered a Coors Light. After at least 10 minutes, the waitress returned, beerless, to tell me that they were out of Stella. I chose a Sam Adams. She returned after another 10 minutes, still empty-handed, to tell me they were out of Sam Adams, but they had Sam Light. I went for it. Mere moments went by before we both received our beers. Finally. I wonder why there was the wait for the Coors Light, though, since they had that.

We ordered four rolls: Philadelphia Roll (wrapped in smoked salmon), avocado roll, Tiger Eye, and The Worcester Roll. The Tiger Eye is delicious, fully cooked, light tempura on the outside, with a flavorful sauce. I love this roll. The Worcester Roll is rice, beef, sweet potato, and some green sprouty things. This was also good but I liked the Tiger Eye better. My friend really enjoys the avocado and philly rolls. Overall, we were both very happy with the meal.

One thing - there was a piece of hair on the tablecloth. Clearly not one of ours. We were at a four-person table, and it was on the side that we weren't sitting at, so it wasn't that bad, but if we'd been sitting there, I might have been skeeved out. The place is nicely decorated and other than the hair, it seems very clean. I would not let that put me off from going again.

The sushi, beautifully displayed on the plate, from front to back: Avocado roll, Tiger Eye, Philadelphia Roll, Worcester Roll.

A haiku

A winter dinner
Appetite sated by fish
Rice, seaweed, and more