Nestled in the hustle and bustle of Kelley Square, Takara offers Worcester another option for Sushi and Teppanyaki. After walking in and getting settled in to our seats at the cooking table we were greater by a friendly waitress named Anna. A quick review of the menu and I had decided upon the Alaskan Maki and Hibachi Scallops.
I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the sushi came out given that our large party ordered numerous sushi appetizers at the same time. The Alaskan Maki was a large roll with six pieces that included rice, nori, salmon, and avocado and was nice and fresh tasting.
After the sushi was done, the chef came out and started the cooking tables and their entertaining dinner prep for our party. As the chef was preparing the rice and shrimp appetizer our onion soup and side salad with ginger dressing were served. The soup was the classic broth and onion soup with thin sliced mushrooms and scallions. Next was the salad which was the standard iceberg lettuce, tomato, and carrots, with a ginger dressing. As we ate our salad our fried rice and shrimp appetizer were cooked and served. Next on the menu the main courses were prepared in front of us. I opted for the Hibachi Scallops which were cooked perfectly and delicious.
As a long time Worcester area resident and first time visitor to Takara my thoughts on Takara were mixed. The food and sushi were respectable, but did not stand out. The location seemed to be a small quiet neighborhood restaurant that was slightly dated. As I thought back to my previous teppanyaki experiences and what once seemed like an exotic meal with chefs, sushi, cooking tables and the like, it now seemed trapped in the past. My feeling is that as our eating tastes have evolved to more complex and interesting menu selections; this type of dining experience is in need of a few new twists and flavors to keep up with the changing American dining scene and palate.
