maki | Mass Food & Wine

Maki Rolls from Baba Sushi on Park Avenue in Worcester, MA

As you enter Baba Sushi, you immediately see a small space. The sushi bar in the front room dominates the area. A few small tables surround it, but it is quite a tight space.

Going to the back room, you drop down a few steps and enter a very different atmosphere. Predominately natural wood, skylights, and windows are everywhere. You feel like you are dining outside even though four walls surround you. Personally I would request the back room when being seated.

We ordered the deep fried gyoza to start our meal. This delicious appetizer was nicely fried with a crispy exterior texture and creamy minced pork filling.

Then, I ordered three Maki rolls.

The Rock’n’roll Maki—spicy tuna and eel sauce covered the shrimp tempura and cucumber in a nori wrap—was fantastic. I would order this roll again.

The Alaskan—smoked salmon, cucumber, and avocado—was a very enjoyable maki roll too. My final roll was a tuna and avocado roll. All my sushi was excellent. The presentation detail was beautiful too.

Our server, Brad, was excellent. He was attentive, courteous and knowledgeable.

I would recommend Baba Sushi to my friends and family. I look forward to sampling more of their offerings in the future.

Swordfish Hibachi from Takara on Millbury Street in Worcester, MA

Takara is located just off the center of Kelley Square. This Japanese restaurant is small and unassuming with a small parking lot attached. The staff were very attentive and friendly however I got the feeling they were unprepared for our large party of 15, service was a little on the slow side although with a place like this you imagine the service to be unhurried or rushed. My husband and I along with our dining companions sat around one of the several hibachi-cooking stations.

My drink order of a Mai Tai was filled quickly and was everything I had expected it to be.

Appetizer orders were taken next. I ordered the Unagi Maki (Eel Maki) which came as a set of 6 pieces drizzled with teriyaki sauce. This was as fantastic piece of sushi. It was slightly warmed and very delicious.

After our appetizer we were brought a salad with ginger dressing, it was crisp, fresh and tasty. The soup came next and it was fine as well with a light beef stock and thinly sliced mushrooms. My rice and vegetables cooked in front of us by the chef were all quite tasty and enjoyable but nothing outstanding. The highlight of my night was my appetizer of sushi.

For my entrée, I ordered the Swordfish. As is the custom with this style of restaurant, our food was cooked in front of us with all the fun you usually get in a Hibachi type restaurant. I found it to be mildly entertaining. The cooking of our food, the cutting of vegetables and the frying rice in front of us, spinning an egg to entertain us and flipping it into his chef’s hat at the end of his performance all seemed very contrived.

My swordfish entrée was cooked perfectly however I found it to be fishy and I ended up not eating much of it. In hindsight, I should have spoken up and told the server of my concerns. I am not one to make a big deal over something so I totally own the fact that I walked away unhappy. My husband ordered the hibachi seared Tuna, which was also cooked perfectly and to his liking. I grabbed a quick sample of this and wished I had ordered the tuna instead of my swordfish.

I would recommend this place for the sushi but not so much for the Hibachi or the mundane entertainment.