Ginger Japanese Cuisine

Ginger Japanese Cuisine

78 Great Road, Bedford

781-271-0788

Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.; Saturday 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Sunday noon- 3:30 p.m.

Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5-9:45 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5-10:45 p.m.; Sunday 3:30-9:45 p.m.

Major credit cards accepted

Handicapped accessible

Feeling adventurous, my husband recently agreed to try the newly opened Ginger Japanese Cuisine on Great Road in Bedford. But how well can you feed a meat-and-potatoes Irish-American man at a restaurant known for raw fish and exotic ingredients?

Quite well, it turns out. The restaurant offers not only sushi and various Japanese delicacies, but also a few more familiar dishes for those less gastronomically bold.

The restaurant, formerly known as Fujiyama, is a small shop nestled between two stores in Bedford center. The striking decor, with clean, straight lines of light teak accented minimally with art, works well in the small space.

We started with a mug of green tea and two appetizers. Ebi yasai kakiage was thick dumplings of deep-fried shrimp and vegetables, with a light dipping sauce ($4.75) that added just the right touch to the already tasty dish. Tempura ($6) came with long, thick slices of chicken and chopped vegetables dipped in batter, fried until golden, and served over a thick, pungent sauce.

A young waitress in a kimono suggested we try the tekka maki ($4.25), or raw tuna rolls. The chef worked behind a glass bar and, as we watched, deftly sliced four slabs of pink tuna, which he placed on rolls of sushi rice. It was fresh and succulent. Did the Irishman try a bite? Nope. Wouldn't even look at it, and said he was saving his appetite for the entree.

Good thinking on his part. By now we were about full, but had two entrees and two other sushi orders coming to our table.

Kappa maki, or cucumber rolls ($3.25), contained slivers of cucumber wrapped in rice and sealed with a thin layer of seaweed. With or without sauce they were wonderful, and we left that plate empty.

Crunchy rolls ($5) -- a mixture of crabmeat, fish roe, scallion, tempura flake, and spicy sauce rolled in rice -- is one of my favorites, and these were an explosion of wonderful flavors. The only drawback to these large rolls is that it can be difficult to eat them in one bite, and if you take bites they can fall apart.

Chicken teriyaki ($13.50) arrived looking picture perfect and, according to my husband, tasted even better. It was served with savory miso soup and a small salad dressed with ginger and vinegar, to which he also gave a thumbs-up. Sukiyaki ($15.50) -- sliced beef, vegetables, and tofu cooked in sauce -- was my choice. It also was presented attractively and tasted scrumptious.

The experience amazed my husband, who said he would eat here again.

On a return solo visit to try the luncheon menu, I found the specials equally inviting. The restaurant offers a daily lunch menu of a dozen choices. Lunches are served in black and red enamel compartmentalized boxes. The main dish comes with a small salad, soup, daikon pickles, and dense white rice that just melts in your mouth. Prices range from $6.50 to $12.

DENISE DUB