Dinnertime

Nori is a local spot one can quickly appreciate. Having recently been born from a combination of several excellent factors—the desire for culinary excellence in super-tasty pan-Asian cuisine based in a lifetime of experience and experimentation, meeting the search for the freshest and most wholesome foods available—Nori may easily become one of your favorite choices for a night out. The fact that Nori is a locally-owned and independent establishment may also spur you onwards in your search for a cohesive balance between the elements that all lead to you to a plate full of food.

I have been on a quest for some time for the ideal location to sample a few of the things that I like, I have found this trek from kitchen to kitchen to be no short order. While there have been some occasional rewards, the inconsistencies have too-often proven to be the norm. Whether it was a lack of attention to gathering the most fresh and wholesome food from the markets, an imbalance of skill in the kitchen, or worse—a restaurant that features delicious, fresh food but in an eternally over-crowded, impossible-to-hear-your-shorty atmosphere that you have waited a bold (bold I tell you!) amount of time be seated in. Bold.

Seriously, think about this the next time you are going to muse over a cappuccino with a book or your personal choice of 'happy electronic addiction time'. You could be instead, chilling at Nori with a pot of Jasmine Tea. Or perhaps it is your team that needs to get the right focus before your wiffle ball game in the Square with the scotch and bourbon to complement your wasabi-inspired path to victory. Do it right. Win that game.

My path to victory began with a Seaweed Salad which arrived as a neatly arranged mandala of thin slices of cucumber encapsulating a fresh and brain-enriching mound of seaweed, lightly scattered with sesame seeds. Yes, that's good salad. The Vegetable Spring Rolls are Nom de Plume-endorsed.

If you are in the mood for some soup and noodles, then you might need the Pho solution. This traditional Vietnamese noodle soup can be the cure for anything, if prepared with the right intent. Another noodle solution that hits the spot, is the Pad Thai, the classic stir-fry noodle dish that brings the savory impressions of chicken in a rich and spicy peanut-infused sauce. Don’t be afraid to encourage your new friends to spice it up either.

The follow-up visit introduced us to the Spicy Combo Roll, with some of that spicy tuna, salmon, crab, cream cheese and avocado that you love.

With a new menu coming this Spring we should look for more creativity. When you go, ask about the Black Widow Roll or put in a request for something inventive to enhance your special occasion.

For our overall impression we must report total satisfaction. Truly, to beat this folks... I don't know. The fresh and wholesome food and house made philosophy cause me to think to the last time I ate some sushi rolls this tasty; it was when I was in fact sitting a few feet from the Pacific Ocean in a restaurant that had been enhanced by the culinary arts of one Japanese family for decades.

Nori is going be maintaining the Retro Sushi Nights vibe on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the Spring and Summer so you know what to do when your late evening bike rides or pre-whiffle ball championship team meetings are taking you in that direction.

Nori is located at 1931 Cumberland Avenue in Fort Sanders. (865) 673-3032 www.noriknoxville.com