Sakura, a new sushi restaurant has opened this week in Chelmsford Center. I are lunch there today. The food was very good. The place is bright and clean. The service was very attentive. Prices are fairly normal for sushi restaurants - $8 for a sushi special lunch (maki roll and 6 assorted pieces of sushi, w/ miso soup and salad). The sushi chefs, while busy, answered questions with good humor. I arrived at 12:40, and the place was full except for 2 places at the bar. I had a sushi & sashimi combination. (10 pieces sashimi, 4 pieces sushi $12.50) Sashimi was 3 pieces tuna (maguro), 3 pieces salmon, 3 pieces octopus, 2 pieces mackerel. (yes, I know that's 11) Sushi was a HUGE piece of tuna, 1 piece yellowtail, 1 piece salmon, 1 piece shrimp. My only complaint - no sake to drink. They did serve beer. I am no sushi expert (I have sushi 2-3 x per month), but everything was very fresh, clean and tasty. A little better than Sushi House in Concord (which I've found to be a bit inconsistent), and as good as Osaka Tea Garden in Nashua (which is my "standard" sushi place), except for the sake :-(. Sakura is in the "Summer Crossing Plaza" on Summer St. in Chelmsford Center. (978) 244-1228. They are in the same strip mall as my favorite Chinese restaurant, Tai Shiang Garden (incomparable noodle soups!). I'll be hitting this mall just about daily for lunch, it seems. - Steve Stein
Boston, MA