Nordel Sushi

There is always one constant in life - change.  Yes, I do realize the contradiction, but really, things do not remain the same, no matter how hard we try.  Hence, restaurants suffer the same challenges due to a variety of reasons (including changes in staff, ownership, menu and so on).  That is why I've been doing quite a few revisits, in particular, to restaurants that I haven't been to in 5 years. This time around, I revisited one of my first awful experiences in the life of the blog - Nordel Sushi.  The food was less-than-acceptable, even for an AYCE.  Keep in mind, I have tried the a la carte menu on several other occasions and it was pretty average.

Once again, I tried the AYCE lunch menu for $16.00 ($22.00 for lunch).  If this price raises some eyebrows, it should since many other places charge closer to $12.00.  However, there are a few items such as sashimi and ebi tempura that somewhat justifies the cost.  Furthermore, with no competition nearby, they can get away with those prices. On that note, the Sashimi (limited to 6pcs a person) was acceptable (unlike last time where they were chopped into Chiclets-sized pieces).  I found it a bit on the softer side though.  As for the aforementioned Ebi Tempura, it was cripsy despite the fact that the batter was flat (missing enough baking soda?).  The Beef Yakisoba was okay as well with chewy noodles and enough seasoning that had a nice zip.  Light and crispy, the Agedashi Tofu could've benefited from some grated daikon.

With the appies, I found the Miso Soup to be typical, but at the very least, it was not salty.  I didn't mind the Spinach Gomae since the pieces were tender while still being vibrant in colour.  Although the dressing looked to be candy sweet, it really wasn't.  Instead, it did have a discernible sesame essence with the typical sweetness. I found the Ebi Sunomono to be strange as the noodles were the super thin variety.  Hence, the texture was more rice noodle chewy rather than slippery bite from the thicker kind.  It did taste okay though with a good balance. Moving onto some cooked items, I was not a huge fan of Chicken Teriyaki as the meat was firm and dry with far too much syrupy sauce.  The Beef Teriyaki was slightly better as it was somewhat moist and tender.  The Fried Gyoza were decent with a crispy exterior encasing a good mix of pork and veg.

Similar to the sashimi, the Nigiri was also acceptable.  It was neatly prepared with a decent ingredient-to-rice ratio.  As for the rice itself, it was on the drier side with only a mild amount of seasoning.  In terms of the Maki Sushi (California Roll, Dynamite Roll, Tuna and Salmon), it was neatly constructed and once again, acceptable (especially for an AYCE).  As evidenced in the picture, there was a good ingredient-to-rice ratio.  Well, this return visit to Nordel Sushi pretty much exemplified change for the better.  Now, I'm not trying to say the food was anything to write home about, rather, it was far better than the last time.  Considering it was AYCE and in an area where there is no competition, it does the trick.

The Good:
- Despite what others have said, I've never had bad service here
- Acceptable for AYCE
- Okay pricing for a la carte

The Bad:
- Pricey AYCE
- Limited choices
- a la carte menu is pretty average