Noku Bistro And Sushi - South Bend

What a fantastic late lunch experience. Everything was made fresh to order. Makyo was our server. She was so very pleasant and attentive. Every recommendation she made was spot on excellent. From the appetizer through Hibachi and each sushi roll was beautiful and delicious. My wife ordered a fantastic Lychee smoothie as well. We will be back!

I can say with full confidence that south bend has a new hit spot that everyone should try. The level of service and food quality is on par with fine dinning establishments I have visited across the United States. The server (Jevonte) was vary professional and helpful for us since it was our first time there. He made us feel welcome and made great recommendations for our mains and sushi roles. He was vary attentive and was vary knowledgeable about the menu. Starting with the appetizers, we had the lobster rangoons were the best we have ever had. The filling was sweet and savory with nice portions of well prepared lobster. Next we had the tuna tar tar. The brilliant mind behind this new take on tar tar transcended my taste buds to the same level if not higher than the tar tar at cafe Navarre. The shredded tuna was mixed with Japanese panko to great a smooth sponge like texture that retained and absorbed all of the flavors from the tuna and soy sauce. It was topped with perfectly ripe slices of avocado, caviar, and a raw quail egg. When mixed together at the flavor combinations transport the diner to island paradise of fresh seafood flavors and creamy earthy tones. 5 out of 5 would recommend. For our mains I had sushi rolls made with thinly sliced beef wrapped around green onions on a bed of scallions and topped with what I can only fathom as home made teriyaki sauce. The beef was so tender my chop sticks would plug the rolls in half and the veggies were perfectly cooked and crisp. The bed of scallions were perfectly cooked to keep their crush and also absorb the flavor of the sauce that dripped to the bottom of the plate. The sauce, the main star of star of this dish. This sauce tastes like it is straight out of a moms kitchen. Something that has been refined and handed down through the generations perfecting its self with each iteration. The consistency and viscosity was perfect to stick to the beef but still be thin enough to absorb by the rice and onions. If this sauce was not made in house then I would buy a life time supply from the comspny that makes it. My guest had the beef and broccoli in brown gravy. The beef was also extremely tender and the broccoli was the freshest I have ever had at any establishment I have reviewed. It was perfectly steams and retained its crunch perfectly. The brown sauce of this dish was also amazing too. The subtle combination of simplistic seasonings allowed the broccoli to shine while also supporting it. For a meal ended we had the snow mountain roll. This roll as far as I am concerned put every other sushi place in South Bend and Mishawaka to absolute shame. The outer layer was perfectly chilled while the hot tempura shrimp retains its head. The rice coating was thing and contained generous amounts of fish and other fillings. During the course of the evening both the manager (Makyiyo) and the server (Jevonte) ensured that we had a great experience and inquired about the quality of our food and service. The employees here take they positions and quality seriously and are step above the rest. On a side note the water they serve is crystal clear and left no after taste which most city water leaves. My guest and I were happy we chose this new place and plan on returning. I personally plan to switch all of my client and business dinner to this establishment because the value you get for what you pay here trumps most other places in the area. We also learned this rare is a one of a kind non franchise which this review supports full heartedly. We need more unique gems like this and less cookie cutter franchise restaurants. But to just testify again how good the food was at Noku. The flavors of every dish were so intense and perfectly balanced it felt like my soul transcended out of my body and was able to high five god for being this gift of Noku to this plain of existence.

I got the lunch special teriyaki tofu bento box with white rice and miso soup, California rolls and fried shrimp shumai which cost $11. I checked online and it says it comes with a salad but I did not receive a salad and I don’t recall what the menu said when I ordered at the establishment. The miso soup was kind of bland, I added some soy sauce to make it taste better. Everything else I tried tasted amazing! The tofu was nice and crisp outside with a soft center. It came on a bed of onions with only a little bit a veggies, i feel like it could have used a bit extra veggies. The bento box came with California rolls and fried shrimp shumai, I wish it had vegetarian options because I can’t eat these (they’re for my husband). I liked the decor a lot. It wasn’t very busy for a Tuesday lunch date (there was no wait), and I found it to be very affordable. The staff was also very nice! I would eat here again for a casual outing during lunch for the affordable price.

Absolutely delicious, wonderfully friendly service, great experience! This was our first visit, we will be back! Update it has stayed just as good in visits and ordering for delivery. Recommend very much as a local eatery!

Lots of stores to shop at. Great parking spots. Crumbl is coming!!