Itchy for Ten-Ichi - Natick

Ten-Ichi is Asian fusion. Fusion, especially the Asian kind should be approached with caution. Like stingrays...too soon? Asian fusion has the potential to be delicious, but it also has the potential to be a deadly. Fusion is diverse when done right but can sometimes spread itself too thin. Fusion can be a good-sized collection or a huge variety of assorted disasters. Believe me, quality always beats quantity. Needless to say, I was weary of a Natick sushi place that serves dim sum, but I was pleasantly surprised by both. In sum, it turns out the chefs here are anything but dim.

The Rice Crepes with Fried Dough are a fun way to start. It’s a fun texture – usually the deep fried stuff is on the outside so this one shakes things up even more than Sean Paul. Just dip it well – water-based sauces don’t stick well to rice noodles so your bulging mouthful can get bland quickly.

We also get dessert first but don’t judge. I finished my oshinko and Yash finished his vegetables - take that, mom! Although to be fair, vegetables are all Yash can really eat in an Asian restaurant… When it comes to desserts, the Nile may be huge, but the Egg Custard Buns are baked with denial longer than any measly river. These not-so-sweet buns are unspoiled by the sting of refined sugar, but the soft filling and crunchy topper make a deadly combination, almost as deadly as drinking water out of any given river.

The Egg Custard Tarts have a crust flakier than the second season of Firefly…thank for cutting the best show ever, Fox. Will never forgive you for that one. When was the last time you ran a brilliant TV show? That’s what you get for doubting Joss Whedon! Angry rant aside, there’s nothing angry about the egg custard tarts. They’re good. I’d go with the buns because they’re exceptional and I’ve never seen them anywhere else, but sometimes, tradition can win too.

When it hit me that the dim sum was delicious, I was filled with more dread than a drug-seeking patient in no real pain when I realized that the sushi I ordered was coming next.

The sushi and Japanese dishes were surprisingly awesome. Thailand Café in Central Square once taught me that a restaurant can only make one cuisine well, but it looks like Ten-Ichi is the one exception. The Idaho Maki was a light sweet potato tempura with much less tempura than most places. The sweet potato was actually sweet, and if I were a vegetarian I'd probably eat sushi anyway because I love it that much, but I could settle for the Idaho maki pro tempura. Both maki had perfect rice. The Avocado Roll was an avocado roll. It was there. Then it was gone. It was gone quickly. That means it was good in case you’re slow.

The Sake Don is topped with sweet salmon, fresh and pretty pink on a bed of exceptional vinegared rice. I know I shouldn't be all that impressed that an Asian restaurant makes fantastic rice, but this was particularly good. The flavor and the texture were just right and just the bed I was looking for...I guess I'm Goldilocks but Asian. So Goldilocks minus the gold. But not Blacklocks because that make me sound like a serial killer…or a pirate.

The Una Don is good for the comfort-cravers or those who just want a hot meal. I'll get the salmon every time from now on because the eel doesn't come with vinegared rice, but the slices of unagi are tasty and well-grilled with just enough eel sauce. And the slices of oshinko are a good reprieve when the eel becomes too rich.

So all in all, Ten-Ichi scratches your itch whether you’re feeling the dim sum or the Japanese dishes or the sushi. I’ve heard that they offer hot pot too, and the tables look too wide and empty without a boiling pot in the middle. I’ll hafta try the hot pot one day, but I may need to wait for the day I’m sick of sushi. Guess I’ll never try the hot pot…Oh well, bring on the sushi.