Food Review: HAIKU

Written by Ruth Kagan

Sandwiched among old Mamaroneck Avenue favorites such as Sal’s Pizza and Garden Catering is a delightful new arrival, Haiku. A beautiful restaurant serving varied Asian fare, including Thai, Chinese, and Japnese cuisines, Haiku is a welcome addition to a stretch better known for fast food.

The spacious restaurant maintains a serene environment, with a waterfall trickling down a sculpted stone wall behind the sushi bar. Toward the back, a more secluded area is perfect for going out to dinner with several friends.

For appetizers, my party stuck with Japanese food, which makes up the majority of the menu. We shared shrimp and vegetable tempura and miso soup. The tempura was light, crunchy and sized to share. The soup had a full broth and plenty of tofu, though the seaweed was a bit tough. However, it was early in the day, so perhaps with more simmering it would soften up.

The menu offers a variety of both traditional and special sushi rolls. The salmon sashimi was fresh and simple. The more sophisticated Dancing Eel Dragon roll, with eel and cucumber wrapped in avocado, roe, and eel sauce, proved the perfect combination of ripe vegetables, sweet sushi rice, and succulent eel.

All of the entrées were cooked to order, including the excellent chicken Pad Thai. With transparent, delicious noodles and plenty of egg, the dish was presented as a lovely plate of oriental pasta and very finely chopped peanuts with a complex and spicy sauce. Also tasty were the Japanese stir-fried udon noodles. Served steaming hot, the udon were slightly smoky with some sweet red peppers and thinly sliced chicken. As a side, the vegetable fried brown rice was also satisfying and garnished with onion and fresh peas.

Located in the center of Mamaroneck and with plenty of parking in back, Haiku is a short distance from the movie theater, making it an ideal place for pre-movie dinner with friends or a date. Haiku also has three other locations, including one in Bronxville, and plans to open another restaurant in White Plains.

Haiku is open from Monday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Haiku is located at 265 Mamaroneck Ave. (914) 321-3200.