Restaurant Review - Yama Zakura

Yama Zakura

369 West Main Street
Northborough MA 01532

(508) 393-4187

After going to with Jess and Ann Fidrych of , we exchanged pleasantries about doing another review together. As I usually do on a Saturday, I went over to and was enjoying my breakfast. Well, the breakfast is always good at Chet’s, what I was really doing was contemplating how could get up so early to have breakfast at a nearby table.

With that, Jess came over and said, “Have you ever been to Yama’s?”  I said no. The expression on Jess’ face was a combination of amazement and incredulity. The truth is I worked for years in “the other direction”…be it Boston, Framingham, Milford…and lived in places like Natick, Milford, Blackstone, Boca Raton (ok, I made a wrong turn on I-95 and was there for a year) and now Westborough. My work takes me to places like Providence (great restaurants), Andover (yes, there’s a Chateau there), Lynn (Pho Lynn had great Vietnamese and have closed) and Boston again. So, I say without shame, “I have not been to Yama’s.”

And with that, we were scheduled for dinner at Yama Zakura. Researching Yama Zakura beforehand, the homepage of Yama Zakura boasts a large number of awards and recognition. “This looks interesting.”

I arrived just before the reservation time of six to an absolutely packed restaurant. Thankfully we had a reservation, otherwise the wait looked long.

The restaurant accommodated a seating request allowing new mom Jess the space to place baby David and all his accoutrements. In my mind that’s huge; the baby carrier and all that “stuff” takes up a lot of space, and it’s considerate of the restaurant to help for the party as well as other customers.

So here’s where my post falls off the tracks. Menu’s were placed, and were looked at for a half second. It seems this Yama Zakura novice was with a group of seasoned pros. Or was it the hot sake?

The pros went with “one of those lobster things,” “those ice cream cones,” and even some of those “lemon balls.”  I meekly suggested some spider crab or a caterpillar…and the spider made it to the order.  You’ll have to look at the pictures for what we had!

The restaurant website speaks to how “Owner Laddavanh "Anna" Bouphavichith matches traditional sushi ingredients with her customers´ unique tastes to create one-of-a-kind displays that delight the palette” with “an infusion of Thai and Japanese flavors.”

While I wasn’t always sure of what I was enjoying, everything was delicious. Personally, I don’t immerse my sushi in soy sauce (although am partial to a hint of wasabi). As a result, sometimes my sushi is rather dry.  Not at Yama Zakura. All our selections (except that Spider) were augmented with delicious sauces bringing out subtle flavors. This is Yama Zakura’s secret sauce (to turn a phrase.)

Leaving, I understood why Yama Zakura was so widely recognized. The food is unique and a special treat. It’s not your average sushi.

One more comment on reservations. The website states, “Reservations and call-ahead seating strongly suggested, especially on weekends.”  The place was packed when I got there, and even more packed when we left. Call ahead and get a reservation, you’ll be happy you did.

Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday to Thursday Lunch: 11:30am to 2:30pm Dinner: 4:30pm to 9:30pm
Friday Lunch: 11:30am to 2:00pm Dinner: 4:30pm to 10:00pm
Saturday Dinner: 4:30pm to 10:00pm
Sunday: Dinner: 4:30pm to 8:30pm

Yama Zakura gets a GREEN LIGHT…go and enjoy.

About the RAG scale:

       Green Light – Go and enjoy

       Amber Light – Use caution

       Red Light – Save your time and money

The Author

Gary Kelley has lived in Westborough since 1994. His reviews are what he would tell friends, and are not an academic analysis. You can follow him @glkelley or www.garylkelley.com