Nozomi Japanese Cuisine in Carlsbad, California: A Restaurant Review

With so much great dining in the San Diego area, choosing a place for lunch can be difficult. For an interesting and inexpensive Japanese dining experience, Nozomi Japanese Cuisine in Carlsbad is worth serious consideration.

Conveniently located off the I-5 near the Carlsbad Village Drive exit, Nozomi shares a building with a Thai establishment. It is beautifully appointed and large with three floors of seating and plenty of parking in the rear.

The wait staff and sushi chefs are courteous and friendly. We were quickly seated and given menus.

The word "nozomi" refers to the fastest train service in Japan. Nozomi the restaurant compares by providing swift lunch service. Led by Chef Ken Lee, Nozomi brings a bit of fusion to traditional Japanese fare.

Diners must first consider Nozomi's extensive Japanese green tea selection, the best I've ever seen. These include several organic teas including Matcha, Hojicha and Gyokura. Tea connoisseurs can also choose from Sencha Fukamushi, Golden Gyokura (beautifully presented and featuring gold flakes) and Super Premium Matcha. We settled on the Genmaicha, which has a pleasant bouquet and a hint of popcorn in the flavor.

Nozomi has taken a page out of traditional Spanish cuisine and adopted the tapas or small plates approach to their menu. These items can be considered appetizers, or diners can elect to build an entire dinner from a variety of selections. Many of the dishes are traditional and low key, like seaweed salad, gyoza dumpling and tempura appetizers but there are more premium offerings like Lemon Grass Tiger Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp and Lobster Tempura, and Misoyaki Butterfish. The appetizer menu ranges in price from $5 and up.

Of course, the sushi chefs can prepare anything your heart desires, from sashimi to the elaborately designed and portion-huge specialty rolls. With names like King Kong, Oh No but Oh Yesss, and a Surf and Turf, an adventurous diner should be able to find a monster roll to their liking. The diners can also list favorite ingredients and the sushi chefs will construct a sushi roll made especially for them.

The lunch menu was what I was drawn to. There is a full menu of bento boxes all under $11. Bento box lunches include miso soup. The box itself is artfully presented and an excellent way to get a small portion of many different tastes. I chose the chicken teriyaki ($8.50), while my guest decided on the beef teriyaki ($9.50). Bento boxes come complete with rice, seaweed salad, gyoza, tossed green salad and a pickled radish and carrot salad, making it an excellent value. All items were well prepared and tasty.

Other lunchtime choices include chicken katsu-don bowl ($8), yaki soba ($8), pork tonkatsu ($8.50) and cold cha-soba with California roll ($10).

Nozomi also offers a full range of saki, wine and beer.

Nozomi is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is served 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Nozomi Japanese Cuisine

3050 Pio Pico Drive Suite A

Carlsbad, CA 92008

760-729-7877

http://www.nozomicarlsbad.com/