Sizzling,
Raw Pleasure,
At Narita
Narita: 107-08 70 Road, Forest
Hills, 718-263-2999
Cuisine: Japanese
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 12-3 p.m.
& 5-10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 12-3 p.m. & 5-11 p.m.; Sunday 5-10 p.m.
Major Credit Cards: Accepted
Handicapped Access: Yes
Parking: Meters on street, $2 at a
local garage with a validated ticket.
It is becoming a tradition that every few
weeks I end a busy day in the rat races with the simple elegance and good taste at Narita
Japanese restaurant in Forest Hills.
For those who like the elegant works of
edible art known as sushi, Narita’s is among the freshest available and I recommend
the Narita Sushi ($18.95). Though pre-determined combinations of sushi piece abound on the
menu, the Narita Sushi lets you select you favorite eight pieces from the sushi alacarte
menu (with only a few exceptions) and one roll from the "best six-pieces menu"
to design your own meal.
On evenings when I just wanted something
light, I have been filled up by the miniature Haru-Maki (Japanese style eggrolls appetizer
at $4.25) and the Kushiage (breaded fried shrimps and scallops on a skewer appetizer at
$6.95) with a bowl of Miso Soup (soy bean soup, $2.50). The eggrolls are tasty and light
while the skewered shrimps and scallops, fried to the same kind of fluffy appearance as
Tempura, were fresh and plump. Light dining is also featured at their modest sushi bar.
For a more substantial meal the family can
gather – and they often do – around the edges of the Hibachi tables while an
expert chef prepares their food before their very eyes with elegance, flare and a
super-hot cooking table (items served with soup, salad, fried rice and hibachi vegetables
and range from "vegetable" for $15.95 to "Edo" or a lobstertail with
two other hibachi items for $29.95).
Or, for a little less sizzle but just as
much filling, enjoy the mysteries hidden in a Bento box. Served to the table in a covered
and compartmentalized box, the bento has a little bit of everything from salad to entrée.
My favorite is the Tsuki Bento (served with soup, salad and rice for $19.95) which has
hidden inside portions of sushi, tempura, chicken teriyaki and lemon yaki.
But whatever your tastes, Narita is
designed to offer an exploration into the Japanese cuisine with as many open-ended options
as the curious diner could desire.
–Tamara Hartman |
