Sapporo Korean Barbecue and Sushi Restaurant

Sapporo Korean Barbecue and Sushi Restaurant
Take a dining journey that satisfies
By Kate Daly Assistant Editor

PHOTOS/KATE DALY Sapporo is conveniently located on East Main Street in Westborough.

Westborough - Walking into Sapporo Korean Barbecue and Sushi Restaurant is like taking a deep, relaxing breath. The lighting is subtle, the music soft jazz, the colors soothing, the predominant artwork large, glowing engraved glass sculptures of Japanese figures.

Don't let the ambiance fool you. The food is anything but dull.

The evening my two guests and I ate there, we were immediately greeted and off ered a table. We settled in to study the lengthy menu, including a wide variety of sushi and sashimi, traditional Korean soups, stews and barbecue, noodles, rice dishes, and more. Prices range from $4 for sushi rolls to $69.95 for a Sapporo Combo Boat of assorted sashimi and sushi with many moderately priced items in between.

We decided to order several dishes and share. We started with a combination tempura appetizer ($8.95), a California roll ($4.50) and an avocado roll ($4).

When they arrived, they were almost too pretty to eat, each with a carrot flower on a bed of lettuce in a cellophane noodles nest.

Sushi chef William Son uses only the freshest ingredients in Sapporo's sushi.

The tempura was crisp and warm, and included large shrimp, green pepper, carrot and sweet potato. Both sushi rolls were among the freshest I've tasted, and came with plenty of ginger and wasabi.

We were never left waiting or wanting by the attentive, yet unobtrusive wait staff, and as our orders arrived, they carefully rearranged plates so that we could all reach easily the different dishes. The Nabe Yaki Udon ($13 .95) was served in a pot with bowls for each of us. The thick noodles (udon) came with shrimp tempura, chicken and vegetables in a hot, tasty broth. Once again, the shrimp were large and flavorful. The tempura that rested in the broth softened, adding a new texture to the meal. Our last dish - if you can call it last, since we lingered over all of them for more than an hour - was barbecue. The Pork Bul Go Ki ($17.95) was accompanied by eight traditional Korean side dishes, including the kimchi I've ever had. The spicy dish was remarkable. The meat was tender, the spice hot enough to enjoy, but not so hot as to require dowsing. Served with sticky white rice, it was a real pleasure to enjoy at a leisurely pace.

With our check, we received pieces of sweet watermelon that was more refreshing than any dinner mint could have been.

My younger guest summed up the experience.

Sapporo Korean Barbecue and Sushi is located at 50 East Main St. Westborough. The phone number is 508-898-1880. The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 12 noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant does not have a liquor license, but you can bring your own, and they provide wine glasses and a corkscrew.

"It felt like a journey," he said, and I couldn't agree more.