The name is a spin on nori (Japanese for seaweed), but as soon as you walk in, the Latin influence is immediately clear. The music is Latin, and many of the drinks and bites infuse Latin flavors to create a blended experience.
I visited the day after Nohri's soft opening, which gave me a very early glimpse into how the restaurant was doing. I had considered the tasting menu, but instead decided to opt for the individual handrolls to customize my experience. I knew I wanted the toro, and the server suggested the spicy tuna roll "hands down" so I had to try it, even knowing that meant I'd have two tuna handrolls.
I was expecting the turnaround to be pretty quick, but alas, it was about 45 minutes before I got my two-bite order. The staff were quite apologetic, and even brought me chawanmushi (foie gras and uni) on the house. Alas, I couldn't have it due to dietary restrictions (shellfish), which they unfortunately hadn't checked for.
With plenty of time on my hands, I had ample opportunity to take note of the ambiance. The counter spots helpfully have hooks for coats or bags, and there are also hooks in the book for a small number of coats along the wall. I was delighted with the compressed "magic" towels that expand from a tablet to single-use wet wipes--it felt incredibly Japanese!
While I've been to several handroll bars around town, Nohri was unique in its presentation of the handrolls themselves. The server came with a box holding the pieces of nori along with tongs to pick it up, the better to keep the nori dry before ready to be consumed. Then the neta (filling) was served on a separate wooden apparatus (check out the pictures!) with a sliding piece. You're meant to slide out the filling, place the nori around it, and then carefully remove the wooden piece before taking a bite.
It was quite an interesting experience. I'm not familiar with this particular apparatus, and I expect it would have been helpful to other patrons as well to include guidance on using it--either on the back side of the menu, or verbal instruction when served. The other issue I unfortunately experienced is that the filling can, at times, be a bit lopsided and unstable. The staff that brought out my food came in with a little too much speed, and the neta fell off the wooden holder. So after a 45 minute wait, they had to re-make my order. While the tool lends itself to an interesting experience, it perhaps should have been served on a larger plate or dish.
Between the two handrolls, I preferred the toro. The fish was finely ground, which imparted a creamy texture, and the overall flavors were quite traditional. On the other hand, the spicy tuna was a clear product of fusion. The corn nut and pepper are quintessentially Peruvian, which in my view overpowered the handroll itself.
For what I got--both in terms of the quantity of the food and the very slow service--Nohri was certainly overpriced, and they didn't provide any sort of concession (that I could actually make use of) for the inconveniences. However, I assume that this can be largely attributed to simple growing pains as they get on their feet, so I wouldn't mind visiting again in the future once they're more established. read more