Relaxation and Sushi in the Suburbs
Written: Dec 16 '02 (Updated Dec 07 '05)
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Pros: good prices, lots of entree choices
Cons: small variety of sushi
The Bottom Line: A pretty restaurant serving tasty and affordable food.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Cafe Misono |
We passed by Misono several times before stopping in. It is located in a strip mall with a liquor store, blockbuster, CVS, a bank and a pizza/pasta restaurant among other stores. The strip mall location didn't appeal to us. That was a mistake however, because once we went, we kept going back. The food is pretty good, although not the best we have ever had. The service is friendly. We can usually get a seat right away. The check is never shocking. Overall, it is a good, reliable experience.
THE DECOR
This is where they rise about the usual strip mall restaurant. This very pretty restaurant is long and narrow. One wall of the restaurant is made up of strips of blond wood. One wall has slate tiles. The rest is painted beige. There is some very pretty modern-style lighting. The aesthetic is both modern and calming.
The restaurant has about 15 tables plus another 10 seats at the sushi bar. Some of the seats are along a wall with bench seats. The rest are individual tables and chairs. All of the tables are spaced far enough apart that you can have private conversation. There are no booths.
The best part is the fish pond right in the front of the restaurant. Peer inside and you will see lots of real live fish in the pond. There is also a fountain in the pond and the splashing water adds soothing background noise to the restaurant. Plus, it provides entertainment for the kids between courses. On our last visit, it took a lot of convincing for my 3 year old to believe that goldfish do not like to eat udon noodles.
The dining room of the restaurant is always clean. You can peek into the kitchen during a trip to the rest room and it also always looks clean.
THE FOOD
A big portion of this restaurant is taken up by the sushi bar. So, it is surprising that there are not more sushi options. They have all the basic choices you would expect: tuna, salmon, eel, etc. However, there is not too much on the wild side. Unlike some other restaurants, they do not have daily sushi specials. They do a good job with the sushi that they have. The pieces are fresh and a generous size.
They have a very large selection of appetizers and entrees for a small restaurant. There are a lot of Japanese and Korean options as well as some Thai.
We almost always stick to the Japanese dishes. The appetizers include gyoza, shumai, edamame and tempura, among others. Entrees include udon noodles (our kids love the thick noodles), sukiyaki, teriyaki, sushi combinations and dinner boxes with a variety of food included.
I see many, many Korean offerings on the menu. We have not tried these, however friends report they are very tasty. Pad thai is also included on the menu and I find it very good, not too sweet or greasy with lots of fresh ingredients and flavor.
Desserts include some canned fruit and standard ice cream: ginger, green tea and red bean. This is not an area with lots of choices and dessert addicts will be disappointed. There is an ice cream shop a few store fronts down in the strip mall.
Appetizers run around $2-6, entrees are around $8-18 and desserts are a few dollars. There is a smaller lunch menu that is a little cheaper.
THE SERVICE
Many of the servers do not speak a lot of English so there is a lot of smiling and nodding and not too much small talk. The service is generally very attentive. They are very open to special orders and accommodations.
FAMILY-FRIENDLINESS
A lot of families eat in this restaurant. During a weekend, you can see lots of tots gathered around the fish pond. There is no children's menu and it can be expensive here ordering entrees for kids from the regular menu. Also, picky eaters may not find something they like.
AMBIANCE
A variety of diners come to Misono. There are a lot of families, people in business suits, couples on dates and groups of friends. Although some people are dressed up, the majority are very casual. You could feel comfortable here in jeans.
THE BATHROOMS
The bathrooms are the only area where Misono falls down. The woman's room looks worn and there are no paper towels - only an electric blower to dry your hands!! Of course, these blowers never work completely and you end up having to wipe your hands on your pants. In my opinion, any restaurant that serves $18 entrees should have paper towels in the bathroom.
MORE INFORMATION
They take credit cards. They have a beer and wine license.
They rarely get busy so reservations are usually not necessary. We have eaten there at least a dozen times and never waited for a table.
They are open seven days but they close between lunch and dinner. Don't show up at 4pm looking for a meal.
The restaurant is all ground level and well-spaced out. This would be easy for anyone to negotiate.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
This is a great neighborhood spot. The food is reasonably priced, you can always get a seat and the service is friendly. They probably won't win awards for cuisine or service, but it is always good enough. We love the fish pond and would recommend it to anyone in the area.
HUNGRY FOR MORE? TRY THESE BOSTON-AREA RESTAURANTS:
BOSTON: Radius; Caffe Vitoria; Excelsior; Jacob Wirth; Cottonwood Cafe; Imperial Seafood House; Sibling Rivalry; Fleming’s; 29 Newbury.
BROOKLINE: Mr. Sushi; Fugakyu; Takeshima; Tsunami; Anna's Taqueria; Zaftigs Delicatessen; Bangkok Bistro; Golden Temple.
NEWTON: Appetito; India Paradise; Blue Ribbon Barbeque; Ice Cream Works; Baker's Best; Bill’s Pizzeria; Cafe Nicolas; Union Street; O’Hara’s; Yeradi’s; Johnny’s Luchonette.
CAMBRIDGE: S&S Restaurant; The Japanese Mall; Jasper White’s Summer Shack; Dali .
BRIGHTON: Tasca.
ESSEX: Woodman’s.
SAUGUS: Kowloon.
CHAIN RESTAURANTS: Not Your Average Joe’s; Bertucci’s; Legal Sea Foods; Cheesecake Factory; Rainforest Cafe; Fire & Ice; Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse; Friendly’s.
COFFEE, BAGELS AND DONUTS: Bruegger’s Bagels; Finagle a Bagel; Dunkin Donuts; Peet’s Coffee and Tea.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations There are lots of entrees to choose from at dinner. Lunch is more limited and less expensive.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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modernmarvel
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