Exotic cuisine is enticing, but it doesn’t have to be an excursion, or even an expense. Try Etsogo on Merrimack Street in Lowell. Easy to find, the bistro-style sushi bar and restaurant likely has the most expansive menu in the area.
On a weeknight, I settle at a table by the sushi bar. Other guests sit in the glass storefront looking out over Lowell; some trickle in, placing and picking up take-out orders. There is a definite energy and buzz in the air at Etsogo. The large restaurant is subtly lit and simply, yet tastefully, decorated. Once I see the menu, it’s evident where the focus is.
The appetizer selection is impressive: favorites like Tofu Triangles, Crab Rangoon and Edamame. The grilled New Zealand mussels caught my eye, and that was before I laid eyes on them. The appetizer comes with six large shells on a long, narrow platter, each festooned with sweet mayonnaise and the chef’s special sauce, sprinkled with scallions and masago. The presentation is as colorful as the mussels are sweet and warm.
Etsogo offers a full sushi menu with mainstream rolls like California and Alaska, overwhelmed by many original, bistro-style rolls, like the deep-fried Paradise Roll, or the more literary Kerouac Roll with jicama. The Japanese section of the restaurant’s offerings is rounded out with bento box dinners that pair sushi with shumai and other combinations.
Among the salads, I noticed the house special, a Sashimi Mango Salad – a rare offering. When my salad arrived, it looked like a rainbow. The dish is a synergy of whitefish, tuna, salmon, mango, avocado, tempura flakes, cucumber, masago and a touch of spicy mayonnaise. The mixture of flavors was nothing less than brilliant. The salad was light and satisfying.
In addition to the Japanese menu, Etsogo offers Thai, Malaysian and Chinese menus. While you won’t find Pad Thai on the menu, there are both curry and tofu dishes. Spicy Thai Chicken piqued my interest. The dish was a large strip of deep fried chicken that was light and drizzled with a spicy basil sauce that was subtle and very tasty.
Etsogo host Davira Kuy and owner Janet Ng show off two of the establishment’s dishes. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
At Etsogo, patrons can wash down their delicious dishes with Asian beers like Tsingha, Sapporo and Kirin, hot and cold Sakes, as well as American beers and wines, all for reasonable prices at under $5 a glass.
After a pleasing meal, it was difficult to deny my desire for dessert. I chose fried bananas from a menu that included Hershey’s ice creams (fried or not) and fried cheesecake. The bananas were lightly fried and warm – the perfect complement to the meal. Also, to Etsogo’s credit, this feast only cost $40 before gratuity.
Owner Steven Lin appropriately named the restaurant after the word for satisfaction and delight. Janet Ng, a 16-year industry veteran, is also part of the team, greeting everyone who enters, more often than not by name. The pleasant, friendly atmosphere is another strength of Etsogo’s, especially when so many other bistro-style restaurants keep patrons anonymous and environments stuffy.
Lin and Ng previously owned and operated Asian Bay in Haverhill. While the menu has grown, and the new, larger location lends itself to increased clientele, their loyal patrons from years past still make their way in for personalized, friendly service and consistently expert cuisine.
Etsogo is located at 16 Merrimack Street in Lowell. It is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m., as well as Sunday from noon–10 p.m. Reservations are accepted. (978) 323-7878. etsogo.net.
Good Eats – Etsogo – March / April 2009
Photos by Kevin Harkins
Exotic cuisine is enticing, but it doesn’t have to be an excursion, or even an expense. Try Etsogo on Merrimack Street in Lowell. Easy to find, the bistro-style sushi bar and restaurant likely has the most expansive menu in the area.
On a weeknight, I settle at a table by the sushi bar. Other guests sit in the glass storefront looking out over Lowell; some trickle in, placing and picking up take-out orders. There is a definite energy and buzz in the air at Etsogo. The large restaurant is subtly lit and simply, yet tastefully, decorated. Once I see the menu, it’s evident where the focus is.
The appetizer selection is impressive: favorites like Tofu Triangles, Crab Rangoon and Edamame. The grilled New Zealand mussels caught my eye, and that was before I laid eyes on them. The appetizer comes with six large shells on a long, narrow platter, each festooned with sweet mayonnaise and the chef’s special sauce, sprinkled with scallions and masago. The presentation is as colorful as the mussels are sweet and warm.
Etsogo offers a full sushi menu with mainstream rolls like California and Alaska, overwhelmed by many original, bistro-style rolls, like the deep-fried Paradise Roll, or the more literary Kerouac Roll with jicama. The Japanese section of the restaurant’s offerings is rounded out with bento box dinners that pair sushi with shumai and other combinations.
Among the salads, I noticed the house special, a Sashimi Mango Salad – a rare offering. When my salad arrived, it looked like a rainbow. The dish is a synergy of whitefish, tuna, salmon, mango, avocado, tempura flakes, cucumber, masago and a touch of spicy mayonnaise. The mixture of flavors was nothing less than brilliant. The salad was light and satisfying.
In addition to the Japanese menu, Etsogo offers Thai, Malaysian and Chinese menus. While you won’t find Pad Thai on the menu, there are both curry and tofu dishes. Spicy Thai Chicken piqued my interest. The dish was a large strip of deep fried chicken that was light and drizzled with a spicy basil sauce that was subtle and very tasty.
Etsogo host Davira Kuy and owner Janet Ng show off two of the establishment’s dishes. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
At Etsogo, patrons can wash down their delicious dishes with Asian beers like Tsingha, Sapporo and Kirin, hot and cold Sakes, as well as American beers and wines, all for reasonable prices at under $5 a glass.
After a pleasing meal, it was difficult to deny my desire for dessert. I chose fried bananas from a menu that included Hershey’s ice creams (fried or not) and fried cheesecake. The bananas were lightly fried and warm – the perfect complement to the meal. Also, to Etsogo’s credit, this feast only cost $40 before gratuity.
Owner Steven Lin appropriately named the restaurant after the word for satisfaction and delight. Janet Ng, a 16-year industry veteran, is also part of the team, greeting everyone who enters, more often than not by name. The pleasant, friendly atmosphere is another strength of Etsogo’s, especially when so many other bistro-style restaurants keep patrons anonymous and environments stuffy.
Lin and Ng previously owned and operated Asian Bay in Haverhill. While the menu has grown, and the new, larger location lends itself to increased clientele, their loyal patrons from years past still make their way in for personalized, friendly service and consistently expert cuisine.
Etsogo is located at 16 Merrimack Street in Lowell. It is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m., as well as Sunday from noon–10 p.m. Reservations are accepted. (978) 323-7878. etsogo.net.