There are two truisms of restaurants – A chain is never as good as a stand-alone and nothing that good ever lasts.
Leave it to the industrious people of the East to prove both wrong!
For 15 years, the Boston base of the national set of sushi palaces known as Haru (which translates as “spring”) has been demonstrating what a great sushi restaurant can be. With an outrageous but just-short-of-overwhelming list of creative (and customizable) combinations of fish, fresh vegetables, and delicate rice, easy-in/easy-out but just as delicious mid-day specials, and a separate menu of waters, wines and sakes and specialty drinks that change with the season, and a downtown location that makes it perfect for a quick lunch, longer meeting, romantic evening or even a serene and satisfying solo excursion, Haru has something for every appetite and schedule and makes you feel at home even when you are racing back to work.
Combining woodsy colors with natural fabrics and finishes and even a meditation garden, Haru offers a welcome respite from the hectic of Huntington and Back Bay. Even the restrooms are restful and the outdoor seating is sectioned off to allow patrons to take in the city without having it forced down their throats. All the better, as you will need every part of your digestive system to appreciate the delicate and daring offerings Haru presents.
Among the special appetizers are seasonal tempuras that feature whatever the farmers’ markets are offering at the time, each dipped in a light, flavorful batter that accentuates and emphasizes the fresh filling. Other fun starters are pomegranate crab cakes, tantalizing trios of fish tacos, sets of ceviches, plates of shishito peppers (which are even fun to say!) Or the fish crab “symphony”. The selection of soups includes miso, lemongrass, hot and sour, and a set of noodled offerings with meat, veggies, or tempura, and the seaweed salad is elegantly presented and utterly edible right down to the curvaceous plate.
Among the featured fish are the gold-plated Boston Uncommon roll, a pleasantly crabby Spider Monkey and the Louisiana Red Hot Mama, made with crawfish and southern spice. For those who wish to avoid the fish, Haru has a surprisingly large selection of land-based entrees, including a selection of teriyakis and even filet mignon. However, as the sushi and sashimi selections are so vast and varied (and as the staff is so knowledgeable and happy to help), even a closet ichthyophobe can probably find something to enjoy. From caviars and clams to flounder and fluke to salmon and sea urchin, Haru has more fish than even the most hardy New Englander may have known existed, all plated with panache and delivered with all the fixins.
As your meal winds down, be sure to investigate Haru’s dessert offerings and selection of brew-at-the-table teas. From a tempura cheesecake that puts their neighbor’s “Factory” to shame to mocha-wrapped ice cream and banana spring rolls, the creativity does not stop until the last bite.
For those who do not have the time to relax amidst the waterfalls and greenery, Haru also offers a rosy marbled bar area up front and a sushi bar in the main dining room at which patrons can belly up for a quick bite or to meet friends and catch the game. For those who want a place to get away, the restaurant also offers a glassed-off room with all the A/V accouterments that are needed for a civilized business meeting. If you want the meeting brought to you, Haru also delivers!
No matter what you order of when you come by, the full menu is available. If you cannot decide or want something totally different, each item can be prepared to avoid shellfish, gluten, sodium, and other potential health hazards (the freshness and cleanliness of the fish are never an issue) or to accent favorite flavors. Even when the place is packed, the staff makes sure that you have everything you want (or to help you figure out just what that is). And do not be surprised to see the manager wandering around with a plate in his hand! Such are the special touches that have kept this serene sushi spot strong for 15 years.
Haru
55 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA
617 536 0770