-= Nori Sushi =-

Our Nori is a Japanese restaurant with a difference. Along with sushi, sashimi, teriyaki and hibachi, the unassuming storefront offers an adventurous sampling of Southeast Asian food. Traditional raw and cooked Japanese fare, from sukiyaki to sushi, regular patter. Intriguing hundreds of special and exotic rolls include the Bugs Bunny, Jalapeno roll. Among the Pam-Asian specialties are Indonesian Style lemongrass-scented chicken and Malay twin rock lobster seasoned with sambal oeleck, a bold, chili-based condiment.
Nori has been in Caldwell for more than five years. It’s named as “the best sushi place” in town by its customers. We are so proud of our various home-made sauces. We are encouraged and eager to serve better more and more people.

S. J. Gintzler of Star Ledger wrote:

Nori creates Asian adventure

Nori is a Japanese restaurant with a difference. Along with sushi, sashimi, teriyaki and hibachi, the unassuming storefront offers an adventurous sampling of Southeast Asian food.

Ambience: The interior is as colorful as the cooking. A flurry of flags and panels with vivid Asian motifs line. Nori’s snug dining room. Lanterns and fanciful faux blowfish dangle from the ceiling. A compact sushi bar hugs the rear of the room. Star Ledger
Staff: Eager to please.
Food: Traditional raw and cooked Japanese fare, from sukiyaki ($15.95) to sushi ($16.95, regular platter; $18.95, deluxe). Intriguing special “exotic” rolls include the Bugs Bunny ($5.50), with fried asparagus, carrots, and naturally an avocado on top; the Jalapeno roll ($9.95), packed with yellow tail, salmon, hot pepper and scallion. Among the Pan Asian specialties are an Indonesian-style lemongrass-scented chicken ($13.95) and Malay twin rock lobsters ($19.95) seasoned with sambal oelek, a bold, chili-based condiment.

Starters ($5.95) were sensational. Fried oysters were light as mousse inside a crispy bread coating, paired with a seriously pungent dipping sauce. Tom yum kung, the aromatic Thai hot and sour soup, was a steaming elixir of fiery broth, seafood and creamy peanut butter dipping sauce accompanied the tamarind-flavored chicken satay.
Nori’s sushi bar delivered. Two exotic rolls ($8.95) pleased both the eye and the palate. The Caribbean roll was a towering tube of rice rolled about raw tuna, creamy avocado and walnuts, topped with a length of nutty fried banana. Weird, but it worked. A Godzilla roll exploded with flavor. The appropriately oversized specimen packed fried spicy tuna, salmon, avocado and scallion into seaweed-encased rice, dressed with a zippy sauce and briny fish roe, A La Carte sushi ($1.75-$3) also impressed.

Attractively plated entrees came with mellow miso soup, salads doused with creamy or ginger dressing and rice. Thai curry shrimp ($14.95) was a mildly spiced medley of succulent prawns and vegetables. We loved the “rolling” steak “($15.95), mouth-watering strips of grilled beef slather ed in a sweet and tangy brown sauce. Saucy noodles escorted the hibachi chicken-and-shrimp ($16.95), a savory pairing of grilled poultry and seafood given extra oomph by pungent ginger and delicate mustard dipping sauces. Salmon teriyaki ($14.95) was nicely glazed.

Among the deliciously different desserts was cheese cake, sweet and creamy, with an occasional jolt of heat. Nori pockets – deep-fried bundles of dough filled with sticky-sweet red bean paste - were crisp and light.

We are already planning our next visit to Nori.

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