Posted Dec. 10, 2015 at 6:00 AM

METRO BOSTON

BROOKLINE 

Live Noodles / $$ If you are a fan of Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, add Live Noodles to your list. But bring a big appetite. The soup pot-size serving bowls that many dishes arrive in are no joke. You can see the chef rolling, pulling, pounding, stretching, and swinging dough in the open kitchen. 1026 Commonwealth Avenue, Brookline, 617-879-1700, livenoodles.com — Catherine Smart

CAMBRIDGE 

Shepard / Cambridge /$$$$ James Beard Award winner Susan Regis and Rene Becker of Hi-Rise Bread Company opened this restaurant in the former home of Chez Henri. The food is Francophile if not French, seasonal, and local. To those not fond of wood-fired food: Shepard may not be your cup of lapsang souchong. Some recent hits on the regularly changing menu: chamomile ricotta, just about any pasta, and chicken. 1 Shepard Street, Cambridge, 617-714-5295, www.shepardcooks.com— Devra First

State Park / $$ Perhaps the best little pseudo dive bar in town. A Tabasco-honey version of fried chicken is good, but if you’re at all inclined, the Nashville hot chicken is the way to go. “Snappy’s famous pork chop sandwich” comes with chili and coleslaw — and it’s impaled with a knife. Look, the thing tastes great. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-848-4355, statepark.is— Devra First

KENMORE SQUARE 

 Eastern Standard / $$$ Eastern Standard is a perfect restaurant. A big, bustling brasserie that isn’t overdone or self-conscious. It’s just right. Always grand here: the roasted bone marrow, fries, and butterscotch bread pudding. Oh, and those cheese plates with fetching accompaniments. 528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617-532-9100, easternstandardboston.com— Devra First

SEAPORT 

 Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca / $$ Mario Batali’s Boston outpost is one of the Seaport’s best deals. Pizza and pasta are mainstays. Salads are a highlight, from a simple combination like spinach with ricotta salata and truffle honey to the “Babbo chopped salad.” Meatballs are tender. And for pure meaty pleasure, order the sausages, made at the Babbo team’s Tarry Market in New York. 11 Fan Pier Boulevard, Boston, 617-421-4466, babbopizzeria.com — Devra First

SOMERVILLE 

 Tasting Counter / $$$$ Chef Peter Ungar has been practicing for this 20-seat restaurant inside the Aeronaut Brewing Company space his entire career. There’s just one seating most nights (two on Saturdays). The menu is revealed, course by course, over the two-hour meal. Nonrefundable tickets are purchased online and include beverage pairings. 14 Tyler Street, Somerville, 617-299-6362, tastingcounter.com — Devra First

Momo N Curry / $ Momos are having a moment, especially in Somerville, where at least two restaurants bearing the Nepalese dumpling name have popped up. A chalkboard lists several flavors and rotating specials. The chicken chili momos come in chewy wheat wrappers, coated in a sweet-and-sour sauce with bell peppers, scallions, and onions. If you like the sweet heat in this dish, try the chicken chili straight up. 431 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, 617-764-1563, momoncurry.com — Catherine Smart

SOUTH BOSTON 

 Worden Hall / $$$ Deep-dish pizzas here just might please homesick Chicagoans. Worden Hall impresses in other ways, too, starting with appetizers like polenta fries and smoked lamb ribs. More upscale bistro fare includes roasted beef shoulder tender served with grilled broccolini, potatoes, maitake and king oyster mushrooms, red wine jus, and horseradish crema. 22 West Broadway, South Boston, 617-752-4206, wordenhall.com — Devra First

SOUTH END 

 Banyan Bar + Refuge / $$$ Set in the former Hamersley’s Bistro, Banyan doesn’t look like it, doesn’t feel like it. Its flavors are inspired more by Asia than Europe. Fried pig tails are succulent little nubs in a garlic and black bean sauce. “Takoyaki” are fritters made with calamari rather than traditional octopus. 553 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-556-4211, banyanboston.com — Devra First

NORTH OF BOSTON

 The Blue Ox / $$$ Chef-owner Matt O’Neil’s “sin” burger — prime beef with applewood-smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, and truffle aioli — has drawn accolades, but there’s more on the menu. The upscale family-friendly restaurant also features fare like tuna tartare, raw oysters, and roasted cod. 191 Oxford Street, Lynn, 781-780-5722, theblueoxlynn.com— Naomi Kooker

Cafe Piazza Dolce / $$$ Ever traveled through Italy and stumbled on the restaurant locals keep secret? That’s the feeling here. The eggplant Enzo appetizer is crispy cutlets stuffed with prosciutto, spinach, and cheese. Order it as an entree, it’s that good. A seasonal special, lamb carbonara, has two kinds of bacon sizzled together until crispy, then mixed with tagliatelle, parsley, and cheese. It’s served with a poached egg on top; you toss the ingredients yourself. 831 Main Street, Winchester, 781-838-6092, cafepiazzadolce.com — Kathy Shiels Tully

Fusion Andina / $$ Here they serve up a potpourri of Bolivian and Peruvian flavors. For less adventurous diners, try the Saltenas appetizer, baked puff pastry stuffed with beef or chicken, and Lomo Saltado marinated steak tips. For a more adventurous palate, try Sajta de Pollo — on-the-bone chicken thighs simmered in a yellow pepper spice mix and presented with boiled potatoes, dried potatoes (called Tunta), and salsa. Fricase de Cerdo is a piquant pork stew. 150 Cabot Street, Beverly, 978-720-8955, fusionandinarestaurant.com — Brion O’Connor

The Marina Restaurant & Bar at the Wharf / $$$ This 260-seat restaurant’s menu has Italian flair. Options include meatballs, pasta, and chicken Parmigiano. The nachos are topped with Bolognese instead of salsa. There’s also lobster, fried seafood, burgers, steaks, and daily specials. Shrimp risotto was nicely al dente and the pan-seared scallops decent. 543 North Shore Road, Revere, 781-629-3798, marinaatthewharf.com — Naomi Kooker

Nobo / $$$ Opened in 2015, Nobo serves Japanese dishes fused with pan-Asian influences. Highlights include the premium sake list. Garden tempura features crispy battered green beans, broccoli, onions, asparagus, and zucchini. The honey walnut shrimp is fried tempura-style, drizzled with light honey sauce, and served with noodles and broccolini. For some heat, try dry tossed salt-and-pepper pork loin with grilled shishito peppers. 18 Boston Road, Chelmsford, 978-770-2499, noborestaurant.com — Diane Severin

Papa Razzi Metro / $$$ Long a staple in Burlington, Papa Razzi has been transformed by new owners, who reopened this location last April. To start, try the salumi boards. For a main course, perhaps the basil rigatoni with pulled chicken, tomato, mushrooms, roasted garlic butter sauce, and pecorino or the orecchiette salsiccia with broccoli rabe pesto and a dash of hot pepper flakes. 2 Wall Street, Burlington, 781-229-0100, paparazzimetro.com — Diane Severin

Wow Barbecue / $$ After finding success with a Chinese barbecue food truck, the owners launched this brick-and-mortar location. Don’t expect typical American-Chinese takeout favorites. Fare includes steamed cold noodles, a jellyfish appetizer, lamb skewers sprinkled with a rub of almost 20 spices, and grilled fish served whole — from head to tail. 184 Salem Street, Malden, 781-605-2766, wowbarbecue.com — Kathy Shiels Tully

WEST OF BOSTON

Four Spoons / $$$ Opened last summer in Newton Centre, the Thai-inspired restaurant fills a 46-seat space. Lobster goat cheese Rangoon is a twist on the ubiquitous crab version. Popular dishes include garden fresh rolls and crispy bronzini mango salad, the Mediterranean fish tossed with spicy mango, scallions, red onions, peanuts, and cilantro. Madagascar pad Thai, featuring grilled tiger prawns, is a dramatic turn from the typical. 796 Beacon Street, Newton, 617-332-5888, fourspoonsnewton.com — Rachel Lebeaux

 Amuleto Mexican Table / $$$ Amuleto’s menu explores regional differences in Mexican cuisine, embracing mole, carne asada, fish tacos, and Mexico City-style quesadillas. Some dishes would be at home in any upscale bistro — grilled salmon al pastor, for example. But the food works with tradition rather than exploding it. In ceviche de coliflor, cauliflower is folded together with fresh salsa and citrus, creating a satisfying vegetarian dish. 484 Moody Street, Waltham, 781-893-1389, amuletorestaurant.com — Devra First

The Curry House / $$ Located in a former KFC, the Curry House has a detailed menu, and meals are cooked to order. Recent standouts included Peshawari naan, flatbread filled with dried fruits and sprinkled with coconut; Baigan bhartha, a smoked, pureed eggplant dish served with rice pilaf; and Reshmi kebab, tandoor-baked chicken with onion, peppers, and a light sauce. 418 West Central Street, Franklin, 508-520-2900, www.thecurryhouse.com  — Mary MacDonald

Derek’s Steak and Seafood / $$$ Set in a strip mall on Route 109, Derek’s offers its own spin on some Gulf Coast specialties. A Cajun-influenced calamari appetizer is topped with jalapeno slices, red peppers, and a chipotle chili-based sauce. The jambalaya entree comes with andouille sausage just spicy enough to flavor the dish; it’s served over risotto. 112 Main Street, Medway, 508-533-0823, derekssteakandseafood.com — Mary MacDonald

Home Taste / $$ Home Taste’s menu contains some dishes found at many Chinese restaurants — sesame chicken and the like — but diners are rewarded for venturing off the beaten path. Freshly made hand-pulled noodles are a spectacle. Chinese burgers, or rou jia mo, are a street food. The wheat flour bun is more of a pocket stuffed with meat; it’s incredibly satisfying. Xinjiang sauteed spicy chicken is a stew served with bone-in chicken. 58 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, 617-923-0227, hometastema.com — Rachel Lebeaux

Pueblito Paisa / $$ For newcomers to Colombian cuisine, it’s advisable to start with the bandeja pueblo paisa. It’s everything you’d want in a Colombian dish. First there’s morcilla sausage, chicharrones, a steak filet, and ground beef packed with rice. Then there’s white rice, pinto beans, sweet plantains, avocado slices, an arepa, and slaw. The dish is topped with a fried egg. You may want to share. 66 Hollis Street, Framingham, 508-424-1125, facebook.com/pueblitopaisaframinghamma — Rachel Lebeaux

Red Lentil Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant / $$ Chef-owner Pankaj Pradhan is vegetarian. His menu is a mash-up of Indian specialties, Middle Eastern dishes, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, and old-fashioned hippie. The signature bowl of red lentil soup is nourishing. Gobi Manchurian, deep-fried cauliflower florets coated with chickpea flour, served with peppers and onions, is a menu star. Butternut polenta is delightful for something that is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan. 600 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, 617-972-9188, theredlentil.com — Sheryl Julian

Zhu Pan-Asian Vegan Cuisine / $$ Lucy Zhu and her brother Bowei modeled this Asian-vegan restaurant after their Providence spot, Veggie Fun. Faux meats are prominent. A platter of “spare ribs” features seitan, a glutinous wheat protein, sliced into thick strips, nestled on green beans. King oyster mushrooms are sliced and battered, dunked in a golden fat bath until crisp, and sauteed with scallions and green and red peppers. 166 Massachusetts Avenue, East Arlington, 781-646-7600, zhuvegan.com — Ellen Bhang

SOUTH OF BOSTON

Bia Bistro / $$$$ Nestled in the first floor of an old white Colonial with green shutters, Bia serves up satisfying French comfort food along with a few pizzas, pastas, and risottos. Try the shrimp and grits appetizer, citrus-glazed Long Island duck, and pan-roasted salmon. Free-range duck-fat-roasted chicken is beautifully crispy with Madeira jus. 35 South Main Street, Cohasset, 781-383-0464, biabistro.com — Joan Wilder

 2 Jerks BBQ Kitchen + Bar / $$ Everything is made in-house, including the popular Plate of Bacon appetizer, a half-pound of house-smoked candied bacon made with brown sugar, maple syrup, and cayenne. Appetizers also include fried green tomatoes and chicken wings as hot as you can stand. You can eat small, such as brisket chili and salads, or go big with country fried chicken or New Orleans gumbo. 701 Broadway, Raynham, 508-386-2737, facebook.com/2jerksbbq — Paul Kandarian

Cibo Matto / $$$ Nearly everything is made on-site, including dressings, mayonnaise, breads, and desserts. Rigatoni Bolognese features al dente pasta, and the Parma pizza is a work of art — arugula, strips of prosciutto, and shaved Parmesan heaped on top of brick oven pizza. Room for dessert? Order the gingerbread sundae if available. 254 Chauncy Street, Mansfield, 508-339-9800, cibomattocaffe.com — Ellen Albanese

Crystal’s Kitchen / $$ Crystal’s offers classic Malaysian, Thai, and Japanese dishes and creative fusions. On weekends, expect a wait. If you like savory noodles, order pad see yew, flat rice noodles stir fried with chicken, eggs, broccoli, and carrots in a soy-based sauce. For celebrations, seafood in a nest will impress: scallops, shrimp, and squid mixed with napa cabbage, snow peas, and mushrooms in a bed of crispy noodles. 4 South Main Street, West Bridgewater, 508-510-5295, crystalskitchenma.com — Wendy Chow

Eggs & Thai Cafe / $$ This place has a huge menu. Need suggestions? Grilled Thai sausages are accompanied by ginger, peanuts, and a head-clearing spicy dipping sauce. Coconut soup is creamy, studded with chicken and mushrooms, and not too sweet. A sauce with massaman chicken curry has a hint of heat. 2 Kings Court, Dedham Square, 781-326-2538, eggandthai.com — Johanna Seltz

Porticello Ristorante / $$$ Named for the Sicilian town where the chef-owner was born, Porticello serves up some dishes inspired by that Italian heritage. The Bolognese sauce, for example, tends to be Tuscan style, with beef, veal, and pork. Spicy seafood fra diavolo and a filet topped with Gorgonzola and roasted red pepper cream sauce are standout items. Gnocchi, pappardelle, and sauces are made in-house. 454 Turnpike Street, South Easton, 508-230-0220, porticellorestaurant.com — Ellen Albanese

Tavern on the Wharf / $$ The waterfront restaurant’s ambience is casual with an elegant flair. PEI mussels are a tasty starter. There’s lots to choose from on the regular menu, from fisherman’s platter to mac & cheese. But a rotating special menu offers up treats like grilled white marlin. 6 Town Wharf, Plymouth, 508-927-4961, tavernonthewharf.com— Paul Kandarian

The Townshend / $$$ They’re serious about sustainable fishing here. But that doesn’t mean fish is the only thing they serve. The “rustic American” menus are small and well considered. Fare includes well done familiar foods like cheeseburgers, hanger steak, and gnocchi. Pan-seared trout was another recent standout. 1250 Hancock Street, Quincy, 617-481-9694, thetownshend.com — Joan Wilder

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Posted Dec. 10, 2015 at 6:00 AM

Learn more about Nobo Restaurant at 18 Boston Road in Chelmsford.
 CHELMSFORD

Name of staff and position: Theresa Yu, owner and manager; Jon Yu, operations manager; Julian Yu, dining manager

Hometown: Jaffrey, N.H., moved to Chelmsford last year. Theresa Yu is originally from Hong Kong.

How long have you worked here?: Opened since last March.

How do you describe the kind of food Nobo serves?:

Julian Yu: We are a modern Japanese restaurant. We take Japanese cuisine, and we incorporate pan-Asian and Western influences.

Jon Yu: The name Nobo means, “no boundaries.” That is really what we are all about.

Favorite dish on the menu: Theresa Yu: (Pan-seared) bacon, bacon, shrimp and scallop — the jumbo shrimp entree, because of the flavor.

Julian Yu: My favorite would be the crispy Chilean sea bass, in spiced glaze with asparagus. Lightly buttered, with a nice glaze on top of it.

Jon Yu: I’m a sushi fan. I like the fire maki special — spicy tuna roll, spicy crab roll and salmon jalapeño roll topped with an explosion of crunchy caviar and drizzled in three spicy sauces.

What’s new on the menu?:

Jon Yu: Each and every month, we have a specialty maki. For Thanksgiving, we have the maki gobbler — turkey, sweet potatoes and crabs.

Julian Yu: Pretty much all turkey leftovers.

How often does the menu change?:

Jon Yu: We have specialty makis for each season.

Julian Yu: We have been changing a lot. A lot of the customers like to try new things. We take our menu seriously. We make 18 specialty meals.

What vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options are offered?:

Julian Yu: We have gluten-free teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce we have access to.

Theresa Yu: We have some vegetarian dishes.

Julian Yu: We try to cater to all different types of dietary needs and palates.

What locally grown food/produce are used in the restaurant’s dishes?:

Jon Yu: Our distributors are all based in Boston, and in the Boston area.

The best thing about working here:

Julian Yu: For me, it’s the great interactions we have with the customers.

Jon Yu: We are a family run restaurant. We treat our staff and customers as family.

Theresa Yu: We recognize everyone’s names.

Jon Yu: We have a very loyal following, through past restaurants we’ve had over the past 20 years.

What makes Nobo stand apart from other restaurants in the area?

Julian Yu: Jon and I essentially grew up in the restaurant business. We have learned from the ground up what it takes.

Jon Yu: Once you take a look at our menu, you realize we are a completely different restaurant from what you are used to. We are very chic, very modern. There is nothing like it in the area.

Julian Yu: We are very customer-centered. We make it our priority to have great relationships with our customers.

Jon Yu: We are pretty much bringing the bigger Boston restaurant to the suburbs, while maintaining a close-knit family style. We are the best of both worlds.

About Nobo Restaurant

LOCATION 18 Boston Road, Chelmsford

HOURS Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday noon to 10 p.m.

CONTACT 978-770-2499, noborestaurant.com

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

August 12, 2015

IN THE KITCHEN — Though Nobo is just four months old, the modern take on the Japanese dishes served there is a fusion of the Yu family’s 20-plus years serving pan-Asian food.

Theresa Yu (general manager) and her two sons created the Chelmsford restaurant when Jon (Nobo operations manager) and Julian (dining room manager) left the corporate world and returned to the business in which they grew up.

Though of Chinese descent and raised in Hong Kong, Theresa was influenced by Japanese culture, and the family has visited Japan, most recently to develop the dishes they serve.

“Nobo” derives from the words “no boundaries,” and the family wanted to push that in cuisine and décor.

Their dishes are so unusual that Theresa had to train the family’s team of chefs to prepare them. She herself makes all the sauces, and when the kitchen is busy, she steps up to help out, always keeping an eye on consistency. She also has secret recipes, like those for Nobo’s miso soup and honey-flavored sauce. The Yus have a long relationship with specialty vendors and source some of their special ingredients directly from Japan.

Two weeks after Nobo’s opening, the Yus participated in the “Taste of Chelmsford” with 25 other restaurants. Their Ichiban (teriyaki glazed chicken tempura) won second prize by popular vote and their Kobe spring roll won third.

THE LOCALE Nobo is an intimate space, its décor colored in browns. The Yus designed the interior with the help of local artists Markus and Leslie Lewis. Brown mesh curtains separate the dining spaces, lending airiness and at the same time providing privacy. The curtains can be moved back to create one large interior, keeping in harmony with the theme of “no boundaries.”

Immense fabric origami-like koi fish gambol on the walls. Jon and Julian chose the koi as a design element because their father raises the fish, which are linked to longevity and good luck in Asian culture.

ON THE MENU Among the extensive offerings, prices range from $2.50 for miso soup to $60 for the Nobo Feast for Two, with most entrees between $16 and $29. Nobo is one of the few restaurants in the area to feature a premium sake list, including Daiginjo.

We ordered the garden tempura ($8), and what a delight. It was a nice presentation of hot, crispy, battered green beans, broccoli, onions, asparagus, and zucchini.

I shied away from ordering sushi, choosing the more familiar-sounding honey walnut shrimp with broccolini ($23). My husband likes a little heat in his food and chose the dry tossed salt and pepper pork loin with grilled shishito peppers ($21).

Both our meals included the miso soup. I found it too unfamiliar for my palate, but my husband enjoyed it, calling it “representative.”

My honey shrimp entrée was a generously sized portion of shrimp fried tempura-style, drizzled with the light honey secret sauce and encircling a mound of Yakisoba noodles (light wheat noodles imported from Japan). The chef had thoughtfully removed the shrimp tails, making the dish even more pleasurable to eat.

My husband’s dish was pretty, but not as hot as he expected. I later found out that the peppers are sourced from Japan. Jon said that the heat can vary, accounting for the relative mildness in these.

We found the cuisine intriguing and plan to go back to try some of the family favorites, like the Kobe spring rolls and the volcano flatbread.

Nobo, 18 Boston Road, Chelmsford. 978-770-2499; noborestaurant.com.

 Diane Severin can be reached at dianeandthebees@comcast.net.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

March 23, 2015 at 08:17:10 am EST

CHELMSFORD — At the new Nobo Restaurant, the “no boundaries” motto applies to much more than food.

With a menu boasting dishes such as Kobe beef and American cheese spring rolls, teriyaki-glazed rack of lamb and torched Ahi tuna with shredded spicy crab, the owners knew the restaurant needed bold, contemporary art with an Asian flair to match its adeptly fused Japanese, Pan-Asian and western cuisine.

“Everything from our decor to our menu to the type of service that we are providing to our customers, we are all about pushing the boundaries of what you typically expect if you went to a typical Japanese restaurant,” said Julian Yu, who runs the restaurant with his parents and siblings.   Nobo is a truly family operation for the Yus, with parents Theresa Yu serving as general manager and Peter Yu as bar manager. Their sons, Julian and Jonathan, manage dining and operations, respectively, while daughter Tiffany is in charge of marketing.   Having recently relocated from Amherst, N.H., to open the restaurant, the Yu family felt it was important to have local folks help carry out their vision for how the establishment should look and feel. They hired Chelmsford artists Markus and Leslie Lewis, a husband-and-wife team of 30 years, to paint three large murals at Nobo.

Leslie Lewis also created three enormous, origami-inspired koi fish sculptures, the longest measuring 14 feet from nose to tail, that are suspended from the wall in the main dining room.

“We worked beautifully together,” said Markus Lewis. “I couldn’t have thought of an easier fit to be able to get their artistic expression and our artistic interpretation to meld so well.

Using earth tones and metallic colors on a black background for the murals, he found himself interpreting koi ponds in hues not traditionally used for water. In a hybrid between super graphic illustration style and traditional Asian, Markus Lewis free-hand-painted the waves and bubbles that form the backdrop for the giant origami koi created by his wife.

“They’re made out of everything you’d find in a typical painting — canvas, wood, metal,” said Leslie Lewis, who didn’t want to share the technique she created specially for this project.

In the bar and lounge area mural, giant koi fish of red and gold swim onto and off of the wall. Koi were chosen for the decor because they are an auspicious symbol in Asian culture, Theresa Yu said.   “We wanted the feeling of fluidity, of effortless movement, a place to relax and chill out but yet things are not stagnant,” said Markus Lewis.

The gold and earth tone pagoda scene at the entrance of the restaurant was inspired by a traditional piece owned by Theresa Yu, he said.   The partnership between the Yus and the Lewises didn’t end after the commissioned work was completed. The Lewises will hold monthly painting parties at the restaurant, and on May 2, Nobo will be a stop for Boston Art Week. That event will “merge food and art as one,” Markus Lewis said, with artists using traditional sushi ingredients as their medium and plates as their canvases.

In the meantime, the Yu family will be working on further embedding themselves and Nobo into the community, being involved in and supporting local events. They hope to gain a following here as loyal as the customers of their previous New Hampshire restaurant that still drive an hour and a half to partake in their offerings.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

]]> 697 https://noborestaurant.com/2015/03/03/nobo-to-hold-grand-opening-in-chelmsford/ Tue, 03 Mar 2015 18:25:25 +0000 http://noborestaurant.com/?p=549 By The Lowell Sun

March 3, 2015 at 11:33:22 pm EST

CHELMSFORD — The community is invited to the grand opening tasting event on Thursday, March 5, for Nobo Restaurant, a new Japanese restaurant and bar located at 18 Boston Road. The event, which will be held from 3 to 7 p.m., will feature a tasting of the restaurant’s food and drink offerings, including a presentation on premium sakes. A ribbon cutting will occur at 3 p.m., followed by a meet-and-greet with owners Theresa, Jonathan and Julian Yu and the rest of the restaurant team. Visit noborestaurant.com for information.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

To be honest, the majority of the public is still novice to the world of sake even though it has been around since 710–794 AD. The most common misperception is that sake is only drunk hot instead of cold. There are those who just don’t drink it because they believe it’s an acquired taste, but we’ve learned that most are afraid to try sake simply because they have never been educated on the contents and makeup of the wine. So welcome to the world of sake!

More often than not, the sake that has been served warm to you in the past is most likely what veterans like to call Table Sake or in Japanese terminology, “Futsu”. They are made from regular table rice and often times brewed through automated processes, mass produced, and using lots of distilled alcohol to yield greater volume of sake for manufacturers. Futsu, at 75%, represents the majority of all sake on the market.

The remaining 25%, albeit the minority, is by far a much more complex and rich genre of sake. The remaining market is made up mainly of three distinct categories: Jumai, Junmai Ginjo, and Junmai Daiginjo, with the level of quality, fragrance, and complexity increasing respectively. All of these contain hand selected rice from their own prefecture, which can greatly differentiate the sake profile in fragrance and flavor.

Between the three categories of sake, there is also a difference in how much the rice grains are milled. Starting with Junmai, rice grains are milled up to 70% of its original size, with 60% for the Junmai Ginjo and 50% for Junmai Daiginjo. The central location of the starch component in each grain alleviates the breakdown during the brewing process, thus generating purer and higher quality sake.

And it doesn’t stop there. There are more categories of sake such as Honjozo, Ginjo and Daiginjo which are important to know about. These categories also overlap with the prior three categories of Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, and Junmai Daiginjo in terms of milling rate respectively. But the difference lies in the fact that a small amount of distilled alcohol is added at the end of the fermentation process for these three categories to lighten the flavors, often creating drier sake. What we have covered is simply the foundation of sake 101. There is a plethora of other types of sake such as Tokubetsu, Nigori and Genshu.

We at Nobo Restaurant are proud to able to present our extensive line of Premium Sake. And just because it’s sake doesn’t necessarily mean that you can only pair it with your sushi meal. Sake also pairs exceptionally well with our cooked signatures.

About Nobo’s Drink Menu

As a modern Japanese Restaurant and Lounge, Nobo prides ourselves in offering as extensive of a drink menu as we do with our dishes. Besides being known for our premium sake list, we offer a full line of cocktails and beer to select from. In case you didn’t know, our friendly head bartender is a renowned mixologist who makes a mean mai tai. So whether you’re feeling sake or a martini for the night, we strive to satisfy your thirst.

We admit that many New Year’s resolutions can often fall short of completion as the year progresses, but we figure that if we come up with resolutions as a team, we will be motivated to support each other throughout the year. So with a little bit of faith and support, we present to you Nobo team’s resolutions:

Eat healthier: Health is the single most important element in life and often the first step to self-gratification. With good health, the sky’s the limit on what you can achieve. Hence why we have created a menu based on this ideology and our future menu items will continue to embrace this goal.

Spend more time with family: Work life balance is key to personal happiness. We’re very fortunate at Nobo that we get the opportunity to work with people who we can call family. Our busy lifestyles often times discount our actual families so this has become a goal for all of us this year. Fortunate for us, Nobo is a place of gathering and we hope to be able to host you and your families this year.

Work Happy: Being in the service industry, we try our best to satisfy our guests. But to do that, we must be satisfied with ourselves. Embedded in our roots is the belief that a happy team equates to happy customers and we strive to live by that.

Get involved with the community: As a community-owned business supported by local friends, we are committed to supporting the community in return. Immerse yourself in giving back this year. Volunteer. Get involved in life.Say a kind word. Encourage someone. Pay a visit. Get away from self-absorption and we will all live a more fulfilling life.

Try Something New: Take the opportunity this year to expand yourself and try something new. At Nobo, we consider ourselves a modern Japanese restaurant because although some of our ingredients are of Eastern influence, much of our cooking and palate blends other cultural flavors together.

Create something great: Make this year a memorable one and each year greater than the last. This year, we aim to offer something great to the area with Nobo. It will be something fresh and something different than what we are all used to. But with hard work and dedication, we hope to evolve Nobo into an acclaimed landmark in Chelmsford.

And there you have it! Our New Restaurant Resolutions. We’ve set our goals, and hope you set yours. Let 2015 be a year to make things happen! Looking forward to seeing you all this year at our place.

Yours truly,

The Nobo Team

By Liz Taurasi (Patch Staff)

November 10, 2014 at 12:37pm

Markus and Leslie Lewis of Chelmsford have been commissioned to execute at least three murals, including some sculptural work, at the soon to open Nobo Restaurant.

Nobo, at the newly redesigned Town Center plaza on Boston Road in Chelmsford, will feature Japanese and Asian Fusion Cuisine. Nobo is slated to open this winter.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

By Molly Loughman
mloughman@wickedlocal.com
Posted Aug. 15, 2014 @ 1:54 pm
Updated Aug 20, 2014 at 2:50 PM

CHELMSFORD – The former Stop & Shop and Marshalls plaza at 18 Boston Road will soon be revived into a new retail center after construction is finished this summer. Concord-based Winstanley Enterprises LLC purchased the 8.5-acre site during summer 2012 and began construction the following January. The real estate and investment company committed $4.5 million in renovation costs to transform the property into a retail space for the town’s Center Village area. With some spaces filled, vacancies remain.

“We’re about three weeks out from turning it over to the tenants for their internal work,” said Winstanley Enterprises Senior Vice President Barbara Green. “Everything that’s under the ground has been completed… They’re working on finishing up the brick work… the exterior finish.”

As for what’s left, construction on the storefronts has also been begun, along with the installation of dumpster pads, sprinkler systems, the roof, front overhangs and landscaping. Next week, the pavement for the front sidewalk will be poured. The last finishing pieces are glass windows, which won’t be put in for another few weeks, said Green. The new parking lot, offering 300 spots, will have LED lighting that will be installed next week, along with final paving.

Once totaling 63,000 square feet, the infrastructure size will be reduced to 41,000 square feet and flipped into a lifestyle-oriented, upscale retail center, featuring a total of seven stores. The first three leases signed for the retail plaza were Choice Fitness, an anchor tenant that will occupy 17,000 square feet of space, the Asian fusion cuisine NOBO Modern Japanese Restaurant & Bar, taking up 4,500 square feet, and the men’s hair salon Sport Clips. In addition, the indoor children’s play and party center Loch Ness Playcenter has recently signed on.

The first vacancy is a restaurant suite totaling 5,500 square feet. An adjacent suite amounts to 1,115 square feet, which can be put together into one large restaurant, totaling 6,750 square feet.

“We don’t have a tenant for that, but we have a bunch of prospects. What we don’t want to put in there is a chain-type restaurant. We want a more upscale restaurant and lounge that will really generate foot traffic in the area. We’ve been very patient with that, we really want to get the right fit,” said Green, noting a regional or local tenant is an ideal candidate.

A 1,400-square-foot space is vacant, where a small restaurant or service related business could go. A 3,600-square-foot suite is also vacant.

With various materials and colors, the renewed building boasts a sophisticated and modern appearance, accentuated by a brick façade, a clock tower, all new storefronts, pedestrian-friendly circulation and updated landscaping. The uprooting of invasive plants and the removal of debris along Beaver Brook also took place at the retail plaza, which will also offers a patio area for al fresco dining, and other ornamental aspects to revitalize Chelmsford’s downtown, as a part of its Master Plan.

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