On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Wed-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Wed-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
the place is so cute! i would say theres only about 15 seats in the whole place. its traditionally operated... so what i mean by that is that there's one chef and one waitress... husband & wife. also, besides in Japan, i've never seen food plated the same way. the restaurant is very homey and the waitress is so nice! she liked the chopstick holder that i folded and said shes going to keep it on the sushi bar! =]
i remember the grilled squid vividly because i havent had that in soooooooo long. yum!
My quest for great ramen in the Bay Area starts here. After watching the film "Tampopo" for the first time (which I highly recommend), I really REALLY needed to get my fix!
This restaurant is totally cute & cozy. When you're here, you feel like you've been transported to japan in the 90's : origami, tiny figurines,and stuffed animals like Totoro adoring the space.
I got the shoyu chashu ramen. It was pretty good. El dente noodles and and a savory-but-not-too-salty broth. However, the hubby said the pork was not fatty enough. It was dry and very lean.
The Atarime (sun-dried calimari) appetizer didn't seem like it was grilled. I felt that I've had better packaged squid found in markets than this. Next time i'll just buy some and heated it up in the microwave. Add a bit of japanese mayo.
Aji Hiraki (spanish makarel) dinner was also not impressive at all. The makarel was over-cooked, dry, and small. The fish they serve at korean places (the one you get for free) is better than this fish! The little plates served with the dinner was pretty bland. The yellow daikon was flavorless! How can that be?!
Overall, I don't think I would come back here again.... maybe for the ramen if there's nothing else. However, it's pricey for the quality and quantity that you get.
We came here for lunch on Sat. because of the high-rating reviews. I like the sliding door and the decors inside, it made me feel like I am in Japan.
However, the service was nothing compare to any Japanese restaurants I have been to in U.S. and in Japan. We sat down and expected to be served with menu and glass of water or tea. That's the basic customer service. But instead, we sat there for more than 5 minutes and the old couple (not sure if they are the owner) totally ignored us. They had no smile on their faces, no greeting, and no service! The old lady was doing something in the back and kept checking her phone. The man was doing something in the kitchen, but he was not cooking. We looked around and there were 3 other tables; two were waiting for food and one was waiting for the owner to take the credit card. Basically all the customers were waiting!
After 5 to 10 minutes of being ignored, we didn't even get the chance to see the menu. And we left! This restaurant is ridiculous. Really bad service and we will never come here again!
Taste: 3
Value: 3
Service: 4
We decided to go here over noodle theory because of the yelp ratings. I'll be sure to try the other place next time I'm in the neighborhood. I don't thing there was anything special about the meal. The ramen was good, but not exceptional. There were not a lot of sides to the noodles, which makes it less interesting. We also had some Roto-something (grilled kabobs), flan, and egg custard soup. The soup was the best tasting of all the dishes.
DO NOT GO. The service is bad...to the point where we got up and left. The waitress was rude. It felt awkward walking into the restaurant Their vegetarian food is not really vegetarian, they use chicken broth and a seafood item in the miso.
I lived in Japan for 2 years and when i get nostalgic I come here. This place is really authentic and very homey. From the adorable owners to the sushi-less menu, this is a mom & pop shop straight out of Japan. When I've gone I've ordered grilled fish and it's been solid. One thing I might advise against ordering is the taiyaki. It was clearly frozen and microwaved. Other than that I'd say this is one of my favorite Japanese places in the East Bay so far.
This is definitely my favorite Japanese restaurant in the east bay. They have dishes you won't find anywhere else, except in someone's home. If you think Japanese homestyle food is sushi and teriyaki, think again.
I stumbled on this place years ago when I was feeling homesick for my mom's cooking. This place cheered me right up. My favorite is the soba noodles. And where else can you get fresh-made onigiri, oden and nikujaga?
I mean, these are easy to make but sometimes it's awesome to just go somewhere and have someone do it for me, as if I'm at home.
Support a mom and pop operation. They are a really sweet couple.
Yum yum!
I love Norikonoko! My mom is from Japan and this is the real thing. Just like eating at someone's house. The only staff are a husband and wife team and two servers. Whenever there is downtime they all do the dishes - you see everything because the kitchen is in the super-cute dining room.
Yes it is pretty expensive but it is worth it for both the quality of the food and for the ambience. I don't have a lot of money, but I save it for the experience. There is no sushi on the menu, which I appreciate a lot since a lot of other places put it on the menu even if they know they can't do it the right way. Here they focus on Japanese home cooking which is not sushi! Their robata, grilled items, are great. The dining room is full of small, kawaii things (cute) and they have a great collection of cool books and magazines to read during your wait. My boyfriend and I like sitting at the bar where we can see all the cooking happening and talk to the cooks.
This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the East Bay.
Norikonoko is an unexpected little gem on Telegraph that takes me right back to Japan. There's none of that nasty thick tempura mess here and rolls bursting with disgusting things like cream cheese and whatnot. They have perpetuated what is good and pure about everyday Japanese cuisine from the ingredients down to the delicate presentation.
I decided to try out this place with the boyfriend due to many great reviews on Yelp. We were not disappointed. Our little joke is that we took a little side trip to Japan after he flew in to Oakland airport. It's THAT good here! I was already getting tingles from the adorable little door that you slide open (which I almost wrecked in my excitement to eat) to the kitschy decorations littering the place. Just like the cute little places in Kyoto!
My udon came with some lovely little side dishes that were carefully arranged in a tray. Everything tasty and the noodles were perfect. I hate super chewy udon but also hate it when it's gross and mushy. I hate it even more when it isn't even udon and all but that's what it says on the menu..but that's a different story.
Anyway, the udon here is totally authentic with some really tasty broth. Same could be said of the boyfriend's buckwheat noodle soup which finished to the last drop.
I also had the grilled squid, which was surprisingly not over-charred. My boyfriend had the salmon and shrimp on skewers and the salmon had the most perfect texture..again, surprising for salmon on a stick. We shared the gyoza and it was LIGHT AND DELICATE, if you can even imagine gyoza like that. Best gyoza ever.
I came back again with my parents and had the shioyaki saba, which was lightly salted mackarel. Soooo good omg, just wonderful, no frills fish goodness. It came with several side dishes that were all perfectly complementary to the dish and a great authentic touch. One of the proprietors even arranged it nicely on our table!
My dad had the miso spanish mackarel which was not as good as mine, but I may be biased. I don't usually enjoy food with too much sauce. This is why I am wary of the usual teriyaki grossness that happens in most "Japanese" restaurants in the bay area. My mom did have the teriyaki salmon though, and she claims it was not disgusting at all. Was too engrossed in my grilled mackarel to bother with anything or anyone else. Oh, and we also shared the gyoza which was perfect again. My dad loved the food so much he went back a few days later. This is just about the first restaurant I've recommended that he's EVER liked because he hates almost everything.
A note on the miso soup..I know a lot of reviewers are complaining that it was salty..but maybe it was just tasty? This was some of the best miso I've had in the bay. It was none of that gross, watery stuff that's practically yellow...or clear brown (can't think of a better color to explain that ickiness). Whatever, so gross. You can actually taste the miso in this soup, and it's great. Also, I had tofu and seaweed in mine, so maybe the restaurant stepped it up a bit?
Love love love Norikonoko . I will definitely be back every time I have a craving for real Japanese food..which is fairly often. I just love little places that are just about good food with none of the bother and pretense. Sometimes you just need a nice, clean, hot meal.
I finally found it:
Japanese Mom & Pop Heaven!!!!!!
We had dinner here on Saturday 8-8-2009, and also came back for lunch the following day 8-9-2009 (yeah, it was THAT good) during our visit to the Berkeley area. This is real Japanese homey-style cooked food in a restaurant owned & operated by real Japanese people, not some pretentious sushi joint masquerade.
Where do I begin? The natto, my beloved natto, so fresh and yummy in my mouth and tummy. Ika (sugata yaki) off the robata grill, superb! The goma-ae with a nutty richness that I've never experienced before, ever. The shioyaki sanma, skillfully grilled to yakitori-style perfection. The yaki nasu, smokey and delicious. A perfect miso siru that warmed both my soul and my bones. A whole butterflied and grilled aji hiraki that would make Miyagi-san weep with joy reliving memories of his boyhood past.
The crafted plate of sides in small dishes; korokke, o-shinko (cucumbers/daikon/beets), a gobo salad, a traditional salad, and a juicy orange section. We also had the marinated black cod Chef's Special, so sweet and delicately tender. The handmade onigiri (which we ordered to go for a later snack) with a variety of different treats inside; shiozake, ume, and ume katsuo (and tarako, which we didn't order). I topped off my dinner by ordering custard for dessert. It was surprisingly quite good!
Here is a link for the rest of the wonderful menu. Get in ma' belly!!!!!
http://www.themenupage...
The sake menu is a bit lacking, available by the glass only, mediocre quality, and not inexpensive ($8.50 - $9.75/glass for cold filtered, only 3 selections). You can quickly rack up your bill this way. They offer a $12 corkage fee, so I would highly recommend that those who like quality sake bring along a bottle of their choosing instead. I was so caught up in the food and atmosphere during this first visit that it didn't matter to me. I drank what was available and chalked it up to experience.
Service was adequate. Look, this is M&P, actually Grandma and Grandpop, so there are either young kids, be they the grandkids or friends of the family or local college n00bs, or the proprietors themselves serving the bar and tables. You can't expect butler service here. Ask me if I care that I may have to ask for something or it's not johnny on the spot. I don't. If you want eclectic snobbery, go somewhere else and leave this place to the people who can really appreciate what a sparkling jewel Norikonoko truly is. If you're upset that there's no sushi, please - GTFO.
Parking is on the street. Despite towing a large car trailer we had no problem finding a spot on the street within a block of the restaurant, both Saturday evening and midday Sunday. The area is not the trendiest location in Berkeley, but only someone born with a 24k gold spoon in their mouth would refer to the area as "seedy" (one of the previous review comments I read), LOL. There is definitely an ethnic culture vibe here, but this pair of lilly white gaijins never felt the least bit unsafe or threatened in any way.
Despite all this, Norikonoko gets a 5 stars from me regardless of anything else. We were the last customers to leave and the proprietors treated us as if we were cherished guests eating at their house. We were treated with such respect, sincerity, and friendliness that is rarely ever experienced from the usual "hurry up and leave so we can go home" restaurants at closing time. On Sunday, Noriko-san made us creamy onion korroke (not on the menu) as a special request from us. These are people who believe in the art and tradition of homey Japanese cooking with all their heart and soul.
We love you, Norikonoko!
I've only had a couple dishes there and it gets 4 STARS already. If you're looking for close to authentic Japanese restaurant as their is, this may be the place. Entering through the delicate, shoji sliding door, I felt like I was going into a little cafe in Shinjuku. Very cool.
I went there for the RAMEN and was not disappointed. There were many unique Japanese items, but I stuck to the ramen. The shoyu broth was excellent, and you can tell made from homemade DASHII. The miso was a bit salty, but that's how miso is. The noodles were great. The DAIKON SALAD with tiny fish in a vinegarette was excellent and very unique. Hajimete!
Finally, a Japanese-owned Japanese restaurant that do it correctly!
Looking forward to more Norikonoko food adventures! If other dishes are consistant, the 5th star will come.
Norikonoko's motto is "Homey dishes from Japan"... I've never been to Japan, but if this is what homey dishes are like in Japan, then I am all in. Definitely a small mom and pop hole-in-the wall establishment, but the food is delicious and service is very friendly and attentive.
If you are looking for sushi, this is not the place to visit; however, if you are looking for simple bento's made with care, then you are on the right track. You can tell they put a lot into the prepping, and cooking when the dishes arrive to your table.
The door is a wood framed sliding door with rice paper accents. When you slide it open, you feel like you are entering the restaurant owners quaint home. The decor is ecclectic from the pickachu stuffed toy to the antique cash register that holds their after dinner candies.
We ordered the Shoyu ramen and gyoza for the kids (we tasted the noodles, and they were definitely fresh). My wife had the Robata Bento (I would definitely recommend this dish), and I had the pork curry dish.
Overall a fun and delicious experience. I highly recommend this place if you are in the UC Berkeley area.
It truly feels like being in Japan. Food is what I would eat at my parents' or grandmother's house, and the plates, soup and rice bowls are like the ones they would use. My friend and I totally pigged out here today. We got Maguro Yamakake, Yaki Nasu, Saba Misoni, Chashu Ramen, and Tai Yaki. Heavenly. I will be back for more. Gochisou Sama Deshita!
Cute place from the moment you walk in.
I've been searching for a good Japanese restaurant that serves the food Japanese people eat OTHER than sashimi and sushi. Its ridiculous how hard it is to find. Going to a Sushi place and getting any of their "alternative" menu items does NOT cut it in ANY way or sort.
The place is a small cozy little location that consists of a small bar area, along with tables lining the walls. The size and decoration of the place reminded me of a couple of places I ate at while visiting Japan. The place is pretty popular, and combined with its small size, is often packed. They have strict hours, and I have a funny eating schedule, so often times I arrive during their mid-day closing session and have to sadly find another place to eat.
The biggest thing I have to mention is that the food feels like its authentically Japanese. Don't get me wrong, I'm not actually Japanese, but it tastes WORLDS away from the stuff my ethnic Korean brethren try to put out and pretend is the real stuff. I LOVE the ramen that they serve here. Every time I come back, I want to try something new and delicious on their menu, but the ramen somehow always tempts me back into its noodle-y embrace. Next time perhaps.
I would come back here every day if possible, but for a recent college grad like me, the price turns this place into one of those locations to splurge once in a while. This place is a must try. And try again. And again. And again.
Its nice to come across a small 'mom & pop' restaurant.
Their menu is different from typical Japanese restaurants. (Its more home-style based) So don't expect Sushi.
Great service, and the interior is nicely decorated.
I love this place. Very cosy feel. Food is delicious. Had the sashimi diner and it was worth the $$ for melt in your mouth sashimi.
Norikonoko wa DAISUKI desu!
Seriously, it doesn't get more authentic than this. Everything is fresh, delicious and presented in a traditional manner.
This is NOT a pop-sushi/trendy-fushion Japanese place- it is a tried and true, just-like-my-lunch-everyday-in-inaka(rural)-Japan- elementary-schools Japanese food.
And nothing beats a steamy bowl of Chikara Udon on a blustery day.
I was recommended to try Norikonoko by a fellow Yelper "Lainie L." when she read my review/critique of Nama Sushi. While I have no issues with Korean people, I do have issues with them trying to fake a Japanese restaurant. Take Drunken Fish, Yoshino, etc. I'm tired of folks who claim these are great restaurants- you don't know Japanese food from Bulgo-ki. Anyway, enough of my rant against KOJR (Korean Owned Japanese Restaurants)- Here is my short answer on how Norikonoko- it is authentically Japanese.
So I read through people's review of any Japanese restaurant, and I gotta tell ya...I don't trust people who eat Teriyaki chicken or beef skewers. Read my other review of Nama Sushi as to why. As for Norikonoko, as a someone from Japan, let me just say that I had a dining experience very close to when I lived in Japan. People complaining about how tiny the place is? They are bigger than many "Izakaya" I've been to anywhere in Japan. People complaining about miso soup being too salty? Look- Chef Taniguchi-san is from Kyushu. They are southerners (my grandpa was from Kyushu, so I know.) and they tend to like their food well seasoned.
I ordered Cha-siu Ramen, Gyoza, Onigiri w/salted salmon for my first meal there at lunch time. I tell ya...take a day off from work (I happened to be unemployed at the moment) and go for lunch. You'll have a totally different experience than waiting in line being all cranky and suffering through bad service becuase they cannot handle high traffic.
I was chatting with the chef about how his ramen has the true component of a Japanese ramen: Naruto, Menma (look it up, folks), good/fresh ramen noodles. Put it this way- I've had too many ramen bowls that had a piece of broccoli floating in it. Please. No broccoli. what happens is that in an effort to save $, because of you inexperienced ramen eaters leave Naruto behind, thinking it's just for decoration (speaking of which, how many of you eat Shiso with a delicious piece ot sashimi, huh? Same thing- too expensive and heart breaking for someone at the restaurant to have to throw it away), they quit putting it in.
Any of you tried Chawanmushi? Another must-have item in it is "Ginnan" (look this up too please)- they of course add it, instead of substituting it for the lower cost and more available soy bean. Look- I'm not trying to be a snob, but I'm getting too old to be disappointed by having a non-Japanese experience, when I'm craving for comfort food. Sort of like craving for a real good biscuits and gravy and being served REAL atrocious gravy, but that's another review...
p.s. I forgot to mention- Onigiri and Gyoza was yummy. The plates they came in were nice (=not cheap plastic) and the presentation was meticulous (three types of o-shinko with Onigiri, nice and hot and good rice, Gyoza had nice Nira taste. I did want my sauce (La-Yu, ponzu combo on the side, but I guess it must be a popular dish so they would save serving time by having the sauce on the plate?) I'm looking forward to having other dishes next time.
Pros: the food here indeed seems very authentic, and most of what I ate was quite tasty. We arrived late in the evening, so there wasn't a wait and we were served within minutes. For these service and quality of food alone, I would definitely give this a 4.
Cons: the price. This place is so TERRIBLY overpriced that it's become the punchline of a joke about poor value. My dining companion and I are both light eaters. We normally doggy-bag half our meal, so we weren't put-off when Yelpers suggested that portions here are small. What they should have said is...doll-sized. We purchased several "small plates" (at $5-$8 per plate). Each plate is about half the diameter of a teacup saucer, and held no more than a few bite-fulls of food. The tofu that we ordered contained 5 cubes, about 1 inch each. The plate of mountain yams contained exactly 6 yams, each half the size of my thumb. Each "small plate" held less food than what's typically given for free at most other restaurants. The special (a seared tuna) that costs over $25, consisted of only 6 slices--smaller than your average sashimi order at the grocery store. The portion was at most 3 ounces. After spending $60 on a meal for two, my stomach was still rumbling. We grabbed pizza on the way to the car.
If they doubled the amount of food and halved the price, I would love to go back. However, I can't afford to pay for expensive meals that can't sate my relatively small appetite. I have heard wonderful things about the ramen (another group ordered it--and the serving size for that dish is quite generous), so I may try that and increase my rating.
I got the chicken teriyaki here, and it wasn't so great. However, they are one of the only places around that have chawan mushi! The chawan mushi here is pretty darn delicious too.
The service was good, and the couple who work there are really nice. The store itself is really cute and tiny. I love looking at all the interesting things they have decorating the store.
I've heard great things about the deserts, so I'm definitely willing to give this place as second chance!
They have the *best* sashimi! And the owners are sooo nice and dining there feels "authentic" Japanese...not like some mixed up japanese-chinese-korean-vietnamese-thai place they make for haoles yano.
I had high expectations for Norikonoko but perhaps it was a faulty selection for Valentine's day.
Norikonoko welcomes its patrons with its discrete location as tale-tell sign of its authenticity. As you walk through the sliding wooden door, you are walking into the traditional Japanese open-kitchen decor infused with multicultural coziness. I was at ease & ready to compliment the waitress. However, my dining experience drastically took a nose dive after 35 minutes of patient waiting, I was ignored by the rude service. Service here is very bad if it is busy, they mistook my order, repeatly asked for what we ordered and dropped food accidentally.
As for food quality- contrary to what most Yelper's thought, the quality is just so-so. I dare to say it is drastically overpriced. A chef's special dinner, miso-Mackeral was not worth the $20. Edamame is cold. Miso soup is too salty, no tofu, no seaweed. The udon was flavorless but well-textured. I liked the udon best.
Needless to say, I won't be eating here again. Once of this experience was bad enough. I walked out both dissappointed & angry because Norikonoko "doesn't have rice because the kitchen is too busy"- if they want to stay in business through this tough times, being Japanese & Zagat-rated is not going to get them more business. Sooner or later, people will realize they are wasting their money on simple home cooking that takes forever.
It was my first time in Berkeley since last February; Mellie P. had suggested that we go to Norikonoko to try the place out. The restaurant is located in a quaint little shopping/food court-like area on Telegraph, closer to the "gritty" area of town. We had to walk by some interesting characters, but it wasn't like I hadn't seen those kinds of characters before.
Norikonoko's atmosphere is very "homey" Japanese style. Even their logo says "homey dishes from Japan", with a little bear as their "mascot". The restaurant is located behind a sliding door, which makes it have an even more Japanese feel to it. The restaurant isn't too big, but it still accommodates a decent amount of people. A lot of the knickknacks in the restaurant reminded me of Japan; they even had a huge stuffed Pikachu at the front door.
The food: Mellie P. and I both ordered mackerel dishes, which came with Japanese pickles, croquette, small salad, miso, a slice of orange, and a bowl of rice. The mackerel was cooked well, a little hint of salt, and had all the bones still in it (makes it more home-like that way). The presentation of the food was impressive: the side dishes came on a square tray, neatly arranged. My general thoughts on the food? It was home-style indeed; not overly greasy, not overly Americanized.
Other menu items also looked enticing and "very Japanese" as well; even had several kinds of mochi on the dessert menu. I don't remember at the moment, but I don't think they really offer sushi here, which is fine with me (too many sushi joints these days).
The price: A little more expensive than I would have liked ($15 for my meal, $17.50+ for Chef's Specials); the price may be worth it for those who want to go out of their way for more authentic Japanese food. However, I do believe Miki Restaurant has cheaper prices for roughly the same kind of food.
Service: Pretty good; there was one server at first, and she was very attentive towards our needs. The second server arrived later and was the one to follow up on what we thought about our meal. The owners/cooks were a cute older couple; they were cheerful and appreciative of our business.
Overall, I liked the place, but I'm not sure if I'll go back anytime soon due to 1)I do not live in Berkeley and 2)The prices didn't appeal to me so much. Still, Norikonoko is a cute place to go to if you live in the area and want some good, homestyle Japanese cooking.
This is a small Japanese restaurant operated by a charming and friendly couple. You almost feel like you are eating in a country side inn in Japan. We tried the ramen and gyoza and didn't leave anything including the broth of the ramen. The broth is what distinguishes a good or bad ramen. Of course the noodles are important as well and we were not disappointed. I'll be back to try other dishes if I am in the area.
The "mom" owner does a wonderful job talking with the young Japanese students (patrons) attending UCB. I was quite impressed when she spoke to them to keep healthy and study hard. They bowed politely when they left. They know that they have a "mom" away from home.
Check out their hours before you come. They are closed M/Tues and only serve lunch on Wed., Thurs. and Sunday.
Fresh, chewy noodles immersed in shoyu broth and accompanied by salty sweet gohei - it just doesn't get more comforting than this.
Adorable little place that reminds me of being in a cabin. This is definitely my kind of restaurant, and I can't believe I waited this long to go here. The food is delicious, there is nothing artificial about it. You can tell by the open kitchen area, where an old man and woman prepare the dishes.
Miso ramen on a cold day = perfect.
I had to run some Christmas presents down to my sister in Berkeley this weekend and we decided to go get some lunch. Soup sounded good on a rainy day, so we searched Yelp! - keyword: Ramen.
Norikonoko was the result that looked most promising, so off we went. Parking was a monumental pain in the ass as always in this area, but we found a spot and wandered in the restaurant. It's a very small and homey kind of spot, and the staff are very sweet if a bit rattled. The place was pretty full, but the one server seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time just standing in front of the kitchen waiting for food to come out, rather than provide beverages, etc. I noticed some food sitting at the pass for a bit longer than it should have, but our food was delivered promptly.
Being totally unoriginal, we both ordered the shoyu chashu ramen with gyoza. The presentation was quite nice, with good-sized slices of pork, and delicate bits of scallion. The vegetables were nice and uniformly cut. The broth was very good too, and I left hardly a drop in the bowl! The gyoza were small and not too doughy, served with some finely sliced red chilis and a few drops of soy and vinegar. Yum!
The bill was not excessive - it was comparable to the prices one would pay for pho or ramen in Sacramento (under $10.00), for instance, so I would still consider it a pretty good pick for the budget-minded.
Overall, definitely a repeatable dining choice!
I can't believe I ever gave this place less than 4 stars!
Yes, like my previous review asserts, it can definitely be a little pricey, but it is definitely quality. There are also not many places you can get authentic homestyle Japanese food here in the States, especially served up in such a welcoming and warm atmosphere.
Had Noriko's special pork curry a few days ago, and it was true comfort food -- spicy, warm, filling. My friend ordered the grilled saba and it, like all of their grilled fish dishes, was out of this world. Perfectly cooked fish served with grated daikon and a few small side dishes. Beautiful, delicious, and good for you!
I could eat here at least once a week. I think I may try, if my pocketbook can stand it.
Like eating at a family table in Japan, complete with typical Japanese household decoration in the… Read more »
It's a big shame I was never this far south of the university in my student days, I could have easily made this place a weekly hangout in my routine. Norikonoko is a cute little place tucked away in the indoor plaza on Telegraph just south of Blake. Luckily the sign of the shop is very visible so it's hard to miss.
I do love the decor, really, it is a lot like tiny places back in Japan, the kind you might find that someone runs outside of their home. Tiny knick-knacks collected throughout the years by the great Japanese couple that runs the place. I also do enjoy that they've endured my attempts to speak to them in Japanese while I was studying it.
Food wise, I'm never disappointed here. They have a good sampling of various Japanese dishes, none of which are sushi (yes, there is more to Japanese food than sushi) but all of which have that pretty tasty home-cooked feel to them. I will admit that the prices a bit higher here, but I feel that it's needed to survive with such a tiny shop in a lesser visited part of Berkeley. You want legit Japanese food? Come here.
Heartwarming.
Warm fuzzy feelings abound in Norikonoko, with its teddy bear icon, plump pikachu plush, fish-shaped lanterns, Guinness World Record Books, and other knick-knacks.
Norikonoko is nestled in downtown Berkeley, further down Telegraph where the streets are a bit less busy. Open that sliding door and you'll find a homey little restaurant staffed by four people only (at least on this night). My sweetheart described it as similar to one of those family-owned restaurants in the countrysides of Japan.
Service was splendid. Food doesn't come quickly--they don't exactly have a lot of cooks, and I would recommend calling before coming in case they close early.
Menu options include all sorts of traditional Japanese appetizers, Bentos (Chicken, fish, steak), specials, rice bowls, udon, soba, and ramen. Mochi and other Japanese goodies are available for dessert.
After a bit of debate, I settled on the Grilled Sanma with grated Daikon. This came with side dishes, miso soup, and a slice of orange.
-Miso soup: Very flavorful, but too salty for me. Would have liked some seaweed too.
-Side dishes: Absolutely splendid--perfectly complemented my fish. These dishes consisted of a small salad with creamy yummilicous dressing, some delicious potatoes, and steamed spinach in a soy-based sauce.
-Grilled Sanma: Very fresh and full of flavor...not too salty either. Tasted perfect with the grated daikon, which definitely refreshed my palate. My only complaints would be that this fish has way too many little bones...and the intestines taste absolutely nasty.
The sweetheart had the Spicy Pork Curry and loved it, although I must mention that it has very little, if any pork in it.
Verdict: Norikonoko is perfect for a cozy date with that special someone. I know we will be back...there's nothing like filling up a tummy with something that's not only delicious, but healthy and cooked with care.
The location as other Yelpers have noted is a bit on the seedy side on Telegraph Avenue. We came here after an awesome performance of the 40th Annual Taiko Dojo Festival at Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus a few blocks away.
Once inside, the place is homey and welcoming. Knick knacks of Tweety Bird and Marvin the Martian could be seen hanging on the walls as well as some pseudo-Pottery Barn rustic looking pieces.
As for the food, it was good. I had the Salmon and Chicken Bento which both pieces were grilled to perfection. Smoky tasting yet tender. For my huge appetite, the portions were a bit small. The accompanying sides, croquette and spinach (mixed with a tasty peanut sauce) were also very good.
Prices are also on the higher side. It was just under $20 for my Bento combination. Ramen and Soba are available for under $10, which I thought to be a better value. The couple sitting next to us ordered a couple of bowls, and they looked to be generously sized.
Since I spend the majority of my time in San Francisco, Marin and the Peninsula, I would come here again if I were in the neighborhood. Otherwise, I can't recommend going out of the way to come here.
Glancing at the bad reviews for Norikonoko, I am reminded that with many restaurants, a good experience depends on an balance of ambiance, service and picking the right thing on the menu to eat.
As for ambiance, Norikonoki is unparalled in its adorable knick knacks and comfy charm. My partner and I have lounged on many rainy afternoons, sliding the screen across the window to be transported from a dirty Berkeley street, with some warm sake or a crisp Asahi to unwind. The atmosphere is so pleasant that it never fails to put us at ease.
We always get the miso-ramen, which is usually cooked to perfection, but has on occasion come to us chewey; I douse it with black pepper and my partner goes further with chili oil and red pepper. We often get a delicious and overpriced corn robata, and sip a slightly overwatered genmaicha (it falls on the more pleasant side of watery).
The service is generally friendly and attentive, the owners know us and ask about us when we've been away for months. I will always go back here for ramen on a rainy day-- perhaps you should try it that way?
Sometimes I get nostalgic for my days in Japan. A fab-friend brought me here, and it truly was comforting - the ambiance reminded me of a blend of growing up in my Nissei home and my year abroad in Japan. The food and staff are lovely.
I'm still thinking about the Udon noodle soup 5 hours later. The noodles are fresh-silky-chewy-firm, and the broth tastes clean and delicious. We also tried some of the other smaller dishes and all were oishii (yummy!) - especially the grilled eggplant with bonito flakes - these flakes also dance for added entertainment.
Other bonuses, the cool Japanesque sliding entrance door, I almost feel like I should take off my shoes and say 'tadaima' - I'm home! + the cool candy tray in an old school cash register to pick up an extra sweet on the way out.
I'm looking forward to going back soon.
PS: They are closed Monday, Tuesday & Saturday lunch.
Yes, probably this place is much better than most of Japanese-ish places in Berkeley, except for Chaya, however, it is overpriced. I had druken snapper grill( well, it is Tarano Kasuzuke, really), it was too fatty...You can really tell if the restaurant is good or not by Tarano Kasuzuke, because it is a delicate process, of course, if you are in Japan, Uokyu(http://www.uokyu.co.jp/) is the best. It cannot be too fatty, and Sake is supposed to diffuse the fatty taste, however, this place completely failed to do so. Plus $21? The way too expensive. Rice was ok, although, it was not really fresh.. Miso-shiru was good, although it was not really my taste---our taste differs one another, so it is ok, although I make much better on..
Kinpira was good. It was not too hot, too oily. I liked it.
Probably, Japanese izaka-ya, Teishoku-ya place, it is... still, it is the way too expensive.
Well, I can do much better job with less price...
Found this place at random with a friend the other night, had to resist the urge to use what little Japanese I know here...
Ordered the Udon which was absolutely awesome. Also had a Ramune and tea. Definitely will be coming back when I get my paycheck. Most of the menu is a tad on the pricy side but if the Udon was any indication its all good.
Norikonoko is about as far removed from the typical Berkeley eatery as can be and the soul of the chef-owners permeates every aspect of the dining experience here.
Everything is exactingly crafted with understated dignity and customers are treated with the utmost respect and care. You can watch the chef slice the tuna ("from South America today," he says) or expertly fry a whole pike. The housemade pickles by themselves are a reason to eat here.
The ingredients aren't pristine because the clientele can't sustain such a restaurant in Berkeley but dining here is such a pleasurable experience, and mighty tasty too!
This restaurant is the reason I added fish back into my diet. My teriyaki salmon was the best, most perfectly cooked (sorry dad) piece of fish I have ever had in my life. I am not exaggerating. It came with a bunch of little yummies...I haven't got a clue as to what they were but they were great! There was a squishy green (spinach?), some sort of pickled stuff, and a little bowl of oddly prepared tasty potato, mushroom, and taro (?) stuff.
They had plum wine which I love...and theirs was really good. My miso soup was tasty, and I loved the tea they brought us. Plus...this place is SOOOO cute!
Yeah, yeah, they don't have sushi. Life goes on. There are plenty of places in Berkeley for sushi. No, they don't give you a super-sized big mac meal's worth of food. My dinner was perfect. I was full...but I wasn't sick and I wasn't still hungry either. If all you want is 2300 calories of bargain basement sushi, I think Trader Joe's has something for you.
I have been searching for a good bowl of Ramen near campus for some time. Decided to check out Norikonoko from a family tip (and from reading all the nice Yelp reviews).
Upon entering the restaurant, it felt more like what I would envision a traditional Japanese noodle joint to be like. As other reviews mentioned, it is not by any means a BIG restaurant...and probably seats 20-25 (and 25 would be pushing it). However, it seemed obvious that this mom and pop joint takes care in "hand-crafting" their dishes for their customers.
I had the Chashu Ramen (w/Gyoza) for $10. I decided to go with the Shoyu broth (which is a soy based broth) and will definitely try the alternative, Miso broth, next time. While waiting, they served a very nice mild cup of green (w/rice?) tea. Since i was by myself on this visit, they were very hospitable and I had a nice conversation with the "mom" behind the counter.
The Ramen was FANTASTIC! This is the best ramen i've had in a long time (maybe ever?). The portion was not too small nor too big. Their ramen included a sliced hard-boiled egg, a small bit of spinach, fermented radish (i think), and of course several slices of the Chashu (pork). I thoroughly enjoyed the broth and nearly drank all of it. The chashu was quite mild (dare i say plain), but that perfectly accompanied the flavor of the broth. The gyoza came (three), already lightly dressed with soy and pickled ginger.
My only complaint: there were only THREE gyoza, cause i definitely could have had more...they were simple but delicious. Also, some might find the broth to be on the saltier side, but i personally enjoyed the strong flavors.
All-in-all, i really appreciated the best bowl of Ramen i've ever found in Berkeley, and am definitely making plans to return. Their hospitality really made the visit worthwhile as well.
when strolling down the skeeziest part of telegraph, witnessing a decrepit bum hitting his crack pipe and some drunk peeing on the wall across the street, one would never expect to wander into the home of a little japanese family. it's kind of like walking through the wardrobe and discovering narnia. you are completely transported to another place and time where you will be welcomed with a piping hot cup of freshly brewed green tea.
while i will admit that the price of their bento boxes seems a little high, i don't care because i came here craving noodles. and noodles are what i got. the udon bowl was DELICIOUS but i have to say that i preferred the miso-based broth that accompanied alex's bbq pork ramen and next time will request it. the waitress was very friendly and helpful and even warned us not to order the squid because it's not what most non-asian people expect. i have to say, though, that my favorite part of the meal was dessert. i ordered the taiyaki (which upon returning home and doing a web search i discovered is a pretty common japanese snack but i have never seen it before). adorable fish-shaped waffle filled with red bean paste? yes, please!
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Elmwood
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Category: Japanese
preferences amongst nigiri, sashimi, agedashi,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Noodle soup is my fave comfort food (apart from…
It's not just 10 for $1 at Safeway. Are all these…
Places on and near the UC Berkeley campus...and by…
Romantic yet affordable eats and diversions within…
Most of my reviews so far have been located in SF;…
Some of my favorite Japanese dining and drinking…
Loading...
