THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Nombe Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Nombe Restaurant Review:

The beer-friendly fried small plates, grilled skewers, salads, pickles, and daily specials at this izakaya taste largely fully realized --- particularly the salty tsukune meatball with egg, a wooden spike of brittle chicken skin, and a warm yet refreshing cauliflower salad with cucumbers. But the effect conjured by such a procession of delights wilts like over-cooked cabbage in the face of strange, disorienting service. Servers, for example, won't advertise the specials unless a diner notices the very small board and asks about them. If one orders a saké that is momentarily unavailable, the bartender may not pipe up, but simply send over another variety without explanation. Ostensibly fusion-esque in spirit food-wise, Nombe actually riffs on traditional Japanese izakaya fare most of the time, turning out individual dishes guaranteed to make Japanese expatriates a little bit homesick. The daily sashimi specials aren't worth ordering (tuna, for example, was mealy and tasteless on one visit), but the unique late-night street food window and snack counter beg special mention. Look for chef Nori Sugie's ramen menu.