Nori Sushi and Teriyaki — Restaurant in Olympia

I want to like this place but I've ended up disappointed both times I tried it. The first time I ordered the Delicious Roll, and maybe I just didn't know what to expect, but the crab meat was heavily breaded and deep fried and half of the roll was just rice. In defense of the roll, the flavor was very strong and the rice helped balance it. I asked for and received $5 off my next order since I wanted to try them again. The service on this visit felt slow. The original table where I was placed didn't seem like it had been scrubbed clean. Oh yeah. And there was no mango puree on top - I was told the menu was out of date. Today I ordered the 3 for $33 special. The service was very pleasant. When I got home I checked the order and what I found was Lion king: check. Tasty enough, no regrets. Green grin: the picture on the website made it seem like the yam would be baked, and what I got instead was a thin strip of yam deep fried. This left the roll being mostly deep fried batter where the other flavors are irrelevant. Not what I was hoping for or expecting. I doubt I'll finish it. Golden California: I did not receive this. What I received was a California roll with avocado on top. Not at all what the description says, so somehow they messed up the order, which the woman confirmed over the phone.

Response to the owner: I heard Golden California over the phone. I don't recall a confirmation when I picked up the order. I almost completely finished the first roll before I said anything because I was very hungry and nobody came by to check on me. The menu does not specify deep fried clam, but I believe you when you say it's always deep fried and this is my own ignorance. It did specify a puree topping which didn't exist. For the green grin the menu specifies "deep fried asparagus and yam" and the picture online looked like yam I would get at Thanksgiving, not deep fried slices. I did not read the menu as deep...

The server was friendly and seated us right away. The sushi cracker appetizer was excellent, so I don’t doubt the sushi chef is skilled, but the fried food we ordered was disgusting. My daughter is a katsu fiend, but she wouldn’t eat theirs because it had a ton of black pepper on it. We ordered tempura vegetables and orange chicken with fried rice. All 3 dishes, but the chicken especially, was unusually dark and tasted bad, like the oil hadn’t been changed and/or they use the same fryers for different meats. It also had lemon slices in it instead of orange, but that was the least of the dish’s problems. I can say without exaggeration that the orange chicken and fried rice you can get from a Safeway deli is superior to what I was served. I spoke with the owner and rather than being apologetic, she was immediately defensive and asked me to walk back and look at her fryers. I should’ve called her bluff, but we only wanted to provide feedback and go. There are a lot of sushi and teriyaki spots, so this one won’t see us again.

Addendum: I was given a 30% discount on the bill. I did not ask for this, I just wanted to express our dissatisfaction for the food we all received. I had several bites of mine, both because it was the first meal I had today, and to confirm my suspicions. I still ate less than half of the serving. Most of the tempura also remained , and all but two pieces of the katsu were left on the table. And yes, they were clearly lemon slices, not orange slices, in the orange chicken. More defensive remarks in her response. Maybe the food is great most of the time, but this was our first and only impression. I’m not saying this to be rude or hurtful, it just wasn’t good at all, but I hope the criticism is taken...

edit Try the specialty drinks! The peach lemonade is beyond good, and so are the new Yubu Bomb fried tofu skin rolls. The best rolls I have had in YEARS!

So, LET ME TELL YOU about Nori Sushi and Teriyaki in Olympia! The food is d.e.l.i.g.h.t.f.u.l. My coworker Judah and I stumbled into this restaurant after work last week, and I have been 4 times since. I have brought my wife, and other friends to this spot, and I have also gotten takeout. All has been consistently the #best Asian food in the city!

The staff is the #friendliest that I have ever met. They literally remember your name every time you enter, which always makes you feel #welcome. My coworker eats meat, and really digs all of their chicken menu items. I and my wife are #vegetarian. I always get afraid going out to eat, because you never know what the ingredients are, but the staff work with you to make sure that your food is #meat/#shellfish free if that isn't what you enjoy eating. All of the vegetarian options are delicious, and savory. Let me tell you, the #veggie #sushi option that Chef Kevin has crafted is the best vegetarian sushi because of the #kobocha puree that lays on top of the delightfully tempura crisp of the #vegetables inside. It is creamy and so good you might just cry! It is always great to eat somewhere #healthy and tasty!

Also, Chef Kevin, and Chef Stephanie ALWAYS are making new creations! I always like to go into Nori, because I like to see what they come up with....and let me just say that the GARLIC BUTTER EDAMAME is not something you should EVER sleep on! CHEF'S KISS.

We love you guys, and recommend you to everyone! I am going to try and take pics the next time I come in, but we always get too excited and eat quickly! Expect photos soon to water...