There is nothing quite like coming back to a place for a meal and having it be exactly how you remember it. This is often a tricky proposition given a varying set of variables: Was the food really that good or was it perhaps the experience that surrounded the food that makes the meal seem like a larger then life gastronomic experience? Very often or memories betray us and that can lead to bitter disappointment that is really our fault and not the restaurants.
Recently we traveled back to where we came from before moving across the pond to England. This forgotten land would be Houston, Texas (and it really isn't forgotten, I'm just being melodramatic). We had lived in Houston for almost 5 years so we had definitely found our favorite places to eat and we were very excited about going back to them. It's not that we haven't found good places to eat in our new 'neck of the woods', but we really have a few all time favorites that beckoned us back. We even made a culinary itinerary of all the places we were going to eat for our meals every day. Two places on our schedule stood out among all the rest, but in this blog I will cover just one (so not to bore or make you insanely hungry with too much food talk). This place of culinary delight in Houston is called
Nori, formally found along Kirkwood but now in it's new location and swankier venue on
Westheimer.
Nori had pretty much become our sushi restaurant of choice as soon as we experienced it for the first time. We owe that occasion to our friends Derek and Lisa Unger. This was a place that they were established regulars and now were gracious enough to allow us to share in the experience of Nori. Don't you just love it when friends share a new place, whether it be a bar, pub or restaurant with you, and it is just the cat's meow? We sure did and soon became regulars at Nori too.
Close to our departure to England, Nori closed down to change venues (which happened to be even closer to our apartment, Yeah!). Unfortunate Shira (my now fiance) moved before the restaurant reopened. I on the other hand was lucky enough (since I had to wait for our cats to be cleared for transport overseas) to make the Grand Opening (regulars only)and had as many visits as I could justify before I too in turn moved.
Upon arriving back in Houston, we drove to our friends the Ungers house and then preceded to make our way to Nori for our first meal back (and by the way it was also out last meal before departing). The restaurant may have moved but the spirit that made it so great at the old location was still alive and well. Once through the doors we were greeted heartily by all our names (I had been gone for 5 months, but Shira for 10). Drinks were ordered and the feasting begun. Lots of restaurants, when they move try to improve their menus with changes and in fact actually diminish the quality of their food. I'm glad to say that even with a few new items like the Soba, the Tartar's, and the new rolls, the food was as good as it ever was. I definitely ate too much, but loved every minute of it.
What sets Nori apart from the other sushi joints in town is their relaxed and welcoming attitude toward their guests. This isn't a place to be seen with all the 'beautiful people' or a funky downtown sushi bar that is really more about the decor and its guests then the food. Nori is a place where Brian , owner and Head Sushi Chef, let you know what's good on the menu and are more then ready to chat about local sports, currents events, our what you have been up to lately.
So to summarise, if you find yourself in Houston and have a hankering for some damn tasty sushi, go to Nori for a bite, ask Brian what's fresh and tell him that Dan and Shira from England sent you and say Hi! Enjoy the experience, I'm already jealous!
