Tag: Worcester Foodies 51: Takara Restaurant

For May 2015, fifteen of Worcester Foodies ventured into Takara restaurant in Kelley Square to enjoy their sushi and teppanyaki experience. Here is what everyone thought.

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Tenderloin Steak with Shrimp from Takara

Tenderloin Steak with Shrimp from Takara on Millbury Street in Worcester, MA

 

Tenderloin Steak with Shrimp from Takara on Millbury Street in Worcester, MA

Worcester Foodies ventured this month to Takara Japanese Seafood, Steakhouse and Sushi Bar at Kelly Sq. Our group of 15 occupied two of the four hibachi grills that fill the small but cozy dining area. Our server was extremely pleasant, however lacked training and attention to detail.

I began with my drink order, Mai Tai (“when in Rome…”). The Mai Tai was served promptly but was the average fruit juices and rum, lacking the traditional orgeat syrup and lime juice. C+ at best.

For appetizer I chose the Gyoza and an order of calamari. After a considerable amount of time and with the dinner salads being served, my dumplings arrived. They were ok, not handmade or fresh, but fair nonetheless. After quite some time, I inquired on my calamari. I was then told the calamari was prepared on the hibachi grill and would be served with my meal. There was a lot of confusion between the server and the chef as to who ordered what. After getting everything in order, the cooking show began.

For my entrée I chose the tenderloin steak with shrimp, fried rice and vegetables. Our chef was friendly and entertaining with the usual flips and tosses of the foods into the air. My calamari was served on the side of my meal and was average. A bit bland but cooked well. My tenderloin was cooked to perfection and the flavorful vegetables and rice on the side made this dish very good. I shared meals with my girlfriend who ordered the swordfish hibachi dish. The swordfish had an overpowering fish taste to it. We both agreed it was not good to eat and had it taken off the bill. Throughout this experience I must say the server stayed optimistic and friendly.

Takara is one of those places you leave and say “how do they stay in business?” They were unprepared, the food was average, the ambience was dated and the place was empty, albeit Tuesday night. Perhaps they are not use to parties as big as fifteen. They may do well on a smaller scale. It will be some time before I venture back.

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Calamari Hibachi from Takara in Kelley Square

calamari

calamari
Having been doing this Foodies thing for the better part of four years, you would think that we would have tasted and visited every type of cuisine that the wonderful city of Worcester has to offer. However, come to find out that I was wrong. We had never done a hibachi style Japanese restaurant! This month’s iteration of Foodies brings us to Takara Japanese Seafood, Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. Located at the corner of Millbury Street and Kelley Square is a small, four flattop grill hibachi restaurant with additional seating and a well-appointed bar.

Our group of 15 patrons occupied the better portion of half the restaurant as we conversed and pondered our dinner decisions. When drinks were ordered and conversations have been had, we decided to order a couple of appetizers to whet our appetite. We decided on the crab rangoons ($4.50 for 5) and the dynamite sushi roll ($12.99). The crab rangoons were fried to a deep, golden brown and the crab filling was smooth and flavorful. You usually can’t go wrong with a classic. As for the sushi roll, it included tempura shrimp, avocado, tobiko roll with spicy tuna on top. This roll was almost a meal in and of itself. It had great texture from the tempura, while still allowing the fish to shine, and the spicy mayo brought just enough heat to your taste buds.

For my main course, I ordered the hibachi calamari ($14.95). As with every hibachi meal, we started things off with a basic salad covered in ginger dressing. The salad itself is nothing to write home about, but the ginger dressing is amazingly tangy and fresh. The meals also came with a small helping of miso soup. With a simple broth and vegetables like onions and mushrooms floating around, this is essentially the Japanese equivalent of chicken noodle soup on a cold day.

Finally, we were ready for the main course…each dinner came with a choice of steamed or chicken fried rice and sautéed zucchini and onion. Seasoned well with salt, pepper and a generous helping of soy sauce, the vegetables were tender and fresh. I am always a fan of calamari (in any form), but particularly at hibachi restaurants. There is just something about how it’s cooked on the flat top, the speed in which it is cooked and the tenderness that the calamari gets as a result of this cooking method. This squid was no different. My calamari was cooked perfectly. It was tender with just enough bite to it to give it great texture and mouth feel. If you overcook calamari, it can get to be very rubber band-like and as a result, be a very off-putting experience for any dinner.

The portions are very hefty and if you do not have a large appetite, you could very easily bring half of your meal home at the end of the night. But having fully realized the magnitude of the amount of food that was just consumed, you are able to kick back and relax while you enjoy your company or share some fried ice cream…if you have any room left!