A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

We tried Basho this weekend-Basho is a Japanese noun meaning “a place where things happen”. I had a Buywithme coupon, but we ended up not using it-saving it for when we go back for dinner. The space is quite large, the room to the left was empty-everyone was being seated in the room to the right. There was one waitress working and the hostess was trying her best to help out. There were about a dozen tables seated mid afternoon.

Basho is spacious, with white walls mixed with dark wood and a splash of lime green make the restaurant feel very modern. Clean lines and minimalist decor add to the modern feel.

The booths give you a bit more privacy, as the walls around them are high. The tables out in the open have a cafeteria like quality. There are large windows in front to let in lots of light to the space.

We start with the edamame, with salt and a lime ($4.75). I’m thinking to myself, what is this, tequila? We skipped the lime and stuck with just salt. They were good, but they were a little overcooked.

My dining companion gets the chicken teriyaki lunch ($8.95). The chicken is tender and the sauce is really flavorful-I really enjoyed the few bites of this dish I had. The chicken is served over a bed of rice with a side salad.

I order the shrimp tempura bento ($9.95) that came with three pieces of tempura shrimp, and 1 each of tempura red pepper, squash and broccoli over a bed of white rice.

The other half of the bento had a salad, and I use that term loosely. There were a few pieces of lettuce and 3 slices of tomato and as you can see from the picture, the tomatoes aren’t even red/ripe. The sauce/broth that came with the tempura was excellent since the tempura itself was basically flavorless. The broth was flavorful and salty-yum! The tempura was light and was not greasy at all.

The service was a little lacking, and I felt bad that there was only one waitress. We are going to go back again and try Basho for dinner, and see what the atmosphere is like at night-it was pretty laid back during the lunch crowd. I wonder the Red Sox fans will like this place-if it will be as crowded as the sports bars near by.

Basho

http://basho.douzosushi.com/

1338 Boylston Street Boston MA (Between Kilmarknok and Jersey)

Validated parking at 1330 Boylston Street garage $4 for 3 hours after 5pm

(617) 262-1338

Lunch 11:30am-3pm; Dinner 3pm-1am

COLD APPETIZERS
Homemade Organic Tofu  6.00
with seasonal mushroom, yuzu and soy dashi. Served chilled.
Spicy Tuna * 10.25
on crispy sushi rice
Tuna Tartar * 12.00
on crispy seasoned rice cake
Tuna Tataki * 12.25
with apple mustard and ponzu
Escolar Carpaccio * 14.75
Oyster or Cherrystone on Shell * 6.50
Kobe Beef Carpaccio * 26.00
highest quality Japanese beef
Beef Tataki * 10.25
with ponzu
Monkfish Pate * 9.00
with ponzu
Yellowtail Usuzukuri * 12.50
with yuzu sauce
Tuna Kimchee Sashimi* 14.75
with spicy garlic sauce
Snow Crab Sunomono   9.00
with light sweet vinegar sauce
Sashimi Appetizer * 10.75
salmon, tuna and white fish
Sashimi Naruto * 10.75
tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and asparagus rolled in cucumber
Naruto * 8.00
crab stick, shrimp rolled in cucumber with tobiko, avocado and spicy mayo
Baby Octopus  6.00
with spicy sauce, cucumber, orange, and ponzu
Lobster Ceviche * 16.00
with yuzu yellow pepper sauce
Torched Salmon Salad * 8.25
with crabmeat, shiitake and mayo
Ohitashi   (v) 5.75
steamed spinach with sesame sauce

HOT APPETIZERS
Crispy Shrimp   9.50
glazed with creamy spicy sauce
Steamed Edamame  (v) 4.75/5.25
choice of salt and lime or spicy ginger and garlic
Shumai  6.75
steamed or deep-fried shrimp dumpling
Gyoza 6.75
pan fried or steamed pork ravioli
Scallop or Seafood Kaiyaki  9.75
baked on half shell
Sautéed Shrimp 9.50
with black vinegar and garlic sauce
Steamed Bun Sandwich  7.75
with Kurobuta pork and pickled cucumber
Foie Gras Teriyaki * 15.00
with braised daikon, miso cured cheese and Sauternes soy
Roasted Eggplant 8.25
with red miso and mozzarella cheese

YAKIMONO
GRILL
Hamachi Kama   10.75
broiled yellowtail collar
Beef Roll* 7.50
glazed with teriyaki sauce
Rack of Lamb* 9.25
with pesto sauce
Miso Black Cod  10.75
caramelized with sweet miso
Grilled Duck* 12.25

ROBATA GRILL
(ON SKEWER)
MEAT  VEGETABLE
Tsukune seasoned ground chicken 4.00 Grape Tomato (v)  2.00
Chicken Thigh 3.50 Shiitake Mushroom (v) 2.00
Chicken Breast 3.50 Trumpet Royal Mushroom (v) 2.75
Kawa chicken skin 2.50 Asparagus   2.00
Kobe Beef 6.75 Japanese Eggplant  2.00
Spicy Duck with mushroom 6.25 Kabocha Squash 2.25
Pork Tenderloin and Scallion 3.75 SEAFOOD
Pork Belly and Mustard 3.75 Shrimp with miso 5.00
Pork Belly Rolled on asparagus 3.75 Squid Roll with Shiso 5.00
Pork Belly Rolled on grape tomato 3.75 Scallop with Mentaiko Aioli 5.75

AGEMONO
FRIED
Agedashi Tofu 6.25
with spicy daikon, scallions, and soy dashi
Softshell Crab Tempura  11.95
with cauliflower puree, spicy cognac aioli, and ponzu
Fried Chicken Thigh  7.75
with sansho aioli
Fried Chicken Meat Balls  8.00
with robata teriyaki sauce

TEMPURA
(2 PIECES PER ORDER)
Water Eel 4.50 Bell Pepper 2.00
Scallop 4.50 Broccoli 2.00
Shrimp 4.95 Eggplant 2.00
White Fish 3.75 Green Beans 2.00
Avocado 2.00 Zucchini 2.00
Cauliflower 2.00 Sweet Potato 2.00
Asparagus 2.50 Shiitake Mushroom 2.00
TEMPURA ROLL
Lobster Tempura Roll  12.95
fried lobster, asparagus, and avocado wrapped with soy paper
California Tempura Roll  10.95
fried California roll with a touch of spicy mayo and eel sauce
Yellowtail Tempura Roll 10.95
fried yellowtail, crabmeat, avocado and tobiko
Salmon Tempura Roll 10.95

SUSHI/SASHIMI
(first price is for sushi, second price is for sashimi)
Fried Bean Curd 1.50 N/A Tobiko **-fish roe 2.50 5.00
Egg Omelet 1.50 3.00 Salmon Roe ** 2.50 5.00
Crab Stick 1.75 3.50 Sea Urchin ** 3.00 6.00
Squid * 2.00 4.00 Water Eel 2.50 5.00
Octopus 2.50 5.00 Sweet Shrimp * 3.00 6.00
Cooked Shrimp 2.00 4.00 Fluke * 2.50 5.00
Striped Bass * 2.50 5.00 Kobe Beef M/P N/A
Scallop * 2.50 5.00 Salmon * 2.75 5.50
Tuna * 3.25 6.50 Wild Salmon * 3.25 6.50
Pickled Mackerel * 2.00 4.00 Yellowtail * 3.00 6.00
Snow Crab 3.00 6.00 Albacore Tuna * 2.50 5.00
Smoked Salmon * 2.75 5.50 Chutoro * fatty tuna  M/P M/P
Escolar * 3.00 6.00 Toro * tuna belly  M/P M/P

Sushi: 1 piece per order
Sashimi: 2 pieces per order
** Available to add quail egg for $0.50 per order

MAKI ROLLS/HAND ROLLS
Crab Stick 4.50 Avocado   (v) 3.50
Cooked Shrimp 4.75 Cucumber   (v) 3.50
Salmon * 5.00 Asparagus   (v) 3.50
Tuna * 6.00 Natto   (v) fermented soybean 3.50
Yellowtail Scallion * 6.00 Oshinko   (v) pickled radish  3.50
Chutoro * fatty tuna scallion M/P Ume   (v) plum paste  3.50
Eel Cucumber 6.25 Kanpyo   (v) marinated gourd  3.50
Eel Avocado 6.25 Spicy Salmon * 6.00
Futo 7.25 Spicy Yellowtail * 6.50
Spicy Tuna * 6.75 Spicy Scallop * 7.00
Spicy Seafood * 6.00 Shrimp Tempura * 7.00
Sweet Potato Tempura 5.25 Shiitake Mushroom Tempura 5.00
Alaskan * 6.00 California * 6.00
salmon, avocado, and bonito  crab stick, avocado, cucumber,
flakes   and tobiko
Philadelphia * 6.00 Salmon Skin 6.00
smoke salmon, cucumber, scallion  cucumber, pickles, fish flakes
and cream cheese   and scallion
Kamikaze * 6.75 Garden (v) 7.00
shrimp, cucumber, tobiko, and   lettuce, asparagus, carrot
spicy mayo  cucumber, and tomato,
wrapped with layer avocado

CUCUMBER HAND ROLL
Eel Avocado  7.00
Spicy Tuna *  7.00
Spicy Scallop *   7.00
Spicy Salmon *   7.00
Spicy Snow Crab   8.00
Spicy Yellowtail *   7.00

SIGNATURE ROLLS
COMBINATION
Basho Roll * 13.95
fried snow crab, lettuce, shiitake, asparagus, pickles with jalapeno
aioli wrapped with cucumber and soy paper
Caterpillar Roll * 10.95
eel, cucumber, tobiko, spicy mayo wrapped with layer of avocado,
unagi sauce
Dragon Roll  12.95
sweet potato tempura wrapped with eel, avocado, touch of unagi sauce
Green Monster Roll * 14.95
softshell crab, spicy mayo, wrapped with escolar and seasoned
with cilantro pesto
Phoenix Roll * 15.95
crab stick with spicy mayo wrapped with seared salmon and
tobiko, unagi sauce
Rainbow Roll * 12.95
shrimp, crab stick, tobiko, spicy mayo wrapped with tuna, salmon,
white fish and avocado
Red Spider Roll * 15.95
soft shell crab wrapped with tuna, tobiko, touch of unagi sauce
Russian Roll * 13.95
eel, salmon skin, cucumber, onion topped with caviar
Spicy Avalanche Roll * 15.95
spicy tuna, cucumber, wrapped with soy paper, with toasted
cheese & snow crab
Tiger Roll * 13.95
eel, cucumber wrapped with smoked salmon, torched squid
and salmon roe

TUNA, SALMON, YELLOWTAIL
Crunchy Roll * 12.95
fried onion, cucumber, spicy crumb wrapped with tuna, tobiko, salmon,
salmon roe, touch of mango sauce
Fenway Roll * 15.95
asparagus, cucumber, avocado wrapped with seared tuna, wasabi tobiko,
touch of wasabi sauce
Summer Roll * 12.95
cucumber, avocado, tobiko topped with spicy tuna
Torch Toro Roll * 19.95
cucumber, onion, asparagus, layers of torched toro and jalapeno
Yuzu Yellowtail Roll * 15.75
avocado, cucumber & spicy mayo, wrapped with seared yellowtail,
black tobiko, touch of yuzu sauce
SHELLFISH
Alligator Roll  15.95
shrimp tempura wrapped with eel & crab stick, touch of chili paste
Amaebi Mango Roll * 13.95
mango, cucumber, grilled pineapple wrapped with sweet shrimp
touch of mango sauce
Boston Roll * 10.95
lobster, lettuce, tomato, asparagus, tobiko & spicy mayo
Crazy Roll  8.00
shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber & spicy mayo
Dynamite Roll  11.95
avocado, cucumber wrapped with torched spicy seafood salad and cheese
Scallop Kiwi Roll * 13.95
mixed seafood, seaweed salad, tempura crumb, topped with scallop, kiwi,
black tobiko
Snow Mountain Roll  12.95
shrimp tempura topped with snow crab
Spider Roll * 10.95
soft shell crab tempura, avocado, cucumber, tobiko & spicy mayo
Volcano Roll * 8.00
crab stick, tobiko, avocado, cucumber toasted with spicy mayo & unagi sauce

Black Cod Miso Yaki Dinner 21.00
Tuna Steak Teriyaki * 24.50
with grilled veggie and teriyaki butter sauce
Pan Seared Scallop  22.00
with shiitake risotto, pine nut and lemon butter sauce
Grilled Salmon Teriyaki  19.95
Shrimp Tempura Dinner 21.00
MEAT
Sirloin Steak with Ginger Teriyaki 21.00
with steamed seasonal vegetables
Grilled Chicken Teriyaki 17.00
Kobe Beef Stew* 35.00 with seasonal vegetables in sukiyaki broth
Grilled Duck Teriyaki* 21.00
with sauteed seasonal mushrooms and mango tamarind teriyaki sauce
Katsu Dinner 19.00
choice of pork or chicken with katsu sauce
Grilled Rack of Lamb 21.00
with mushroom sauce and mustard miso
VEGETABLE
Vegetable Tempura Dinner (v) 17.00
with tempura sauce and sansho aioli
Steamed Seasonal Vegetables (v) 17.00
with ginger dressing
SUSHI
Sushi Sashimi Platter * 45.00
Sushi Dinner * 21.00
Sashimi Dinner * 25.00
Chirashi Dinner * 23.00
RICE & NOODLES
White Rice 2.50
Brown Rice 3.00
Sushi Rice 3.50
Smoked Salmon Fried Rice 12.95
Vegetable Fried Rice  (v) 10.25
Kimchee Fried Rice  (v) 10.25
Yaki Udon/Ramen  (v) 10.25
add Chicken 12.00
add Shrimp 14.00
Pan Seared Duck Udon/Ramen in Soup 12.50
Kurobuta Pork Udon/Ramen in Soup 12.50
Veggie Udon/Ramen in Soup  11.00

SOUP
Miso Soup  with tofu and scallion 3.00
Spicy Lobster Miso Soup 8.00
Cherrystone Ginger Soup simmered with fresh ginger 5.75
Dobin Mushi served in pot with seafood and chicken 7.50
Shiitake Mushroom Soup  (v) 6.00

SALAD
House Salad (v) mesclun greens with house dressing 5.50
Spicy Tuna Salad with mesclun greens 12.25
Seafood Salad with spicy mayo 7.50
Seaweed Salad (v) with cucumber in light vinegar 5.25
Grilled Chicken Salad romaine lettuce, carrot, crispy noodles 9.95

BEVERAGES
Ice Green Tea 3.50
House Green Tea 1.50
Coffee 2.95
Mineral Water 4.25
Sparkling Water 4.25
Soda 1.95
Juice 2.50

Tags: fenway, restaurant, sushi