New Asian Fusion, Bubble Tea Restaurant Opens In Newton

NEWTON, MA — There's a new bubble tea and Asian fusion joint in town. The Japanese-American Style Hearty Teriyaki restaurant opened the second week in May serving fast food, cooked to order hearty meals with, yes, Teriyaki being the main theme.

Hearty Teriyaki is tucked into the space formerly occupied by Po Boys on Craft Street, the smell of teriyaki chicken fills the room as you walk into the tiny space that holds two tables and four counter spaces.

On one recent Friday the World Cup soccer game was on the LG TV in the corner as the owner worked behind the counter getting orders ready for three customers who'd just walked in a little after 2 p.m.

Owner Anson Wu, graduated from Suffolk University with a business administration major and always had a passion for food. He remembers fondly watching his grandmother prepare a feast for dinner every night that the family came home to.

But it wasn't until about the time he was meeting his now wife, that he learned to cook about eight years ago. He picked it up fast, and fell in love with creating food that he could serve to friends and family. And they didn't mind it either.

"I started thinking, hey, I seem to be gifted for this, maybe I should own my own place one day," he remembers. "I realized I had a calling."

The idea of having his own little restaurant never quiet left him and so, as he was working as a realtor in the Garden City he found the spot in Newton on Crafts Street. It was perfect.

He figured it would be a quick turn around and he's be open in no time. But when he went to City Hall, he found out the previous owner had left him with a few violations to fix up.

There was more work to be done than he first realized, getting everything fixed and getting the right permits. But, he said "I started this, I want to finish it," he told Patch.

And now that the place is open, he says, it was worth it.

He said he wants folks to know that he uses quality ingredients and meat from Cisco, and he's working with a company in New York on his bubble tea. The bubble tea is a work in progress, he said, but the most popular version is the coconut bubble tea. And yes, you can ask for reduced sugar if that's your thing.

His goal in creating this spot was to have a restaurant where anyone can run in and grab a quick bite and walk out with a healthy, hearty meal.

"As a realtor I'm always on the go and I wanted a place were I can just run in and grab something that wasn't pizza or a hot dog," said the Waltham resident.

He's actually decided to keep both jobs.

"When people hear I'm a realtor, a lot of people find it interesting, how can a realtor open up a fast food restaurant?"

But, he said he loves, both jobs. And even though they may seem like two different worlds, there's overlap in the people he gets to meet and help.

"It's so fulfilling. To be honest since we just started, business varies, we're still trying to find a rhythm. But I love to see people smile when they eat my food," he told Patch. "If I don't like it I'm not going to serve it to my customers. I like to treat my customers like my friends."

He's hopeful folks will feel that and show up for a hearty quick meal.

"I know this is an Italian area, but I feel like I truly love this food, and hopefully a lot of people like it as well. Teriyaki is for a lot of people."

The menu is simple.

Chicken Teriyaki, hand cut chicken with teriyaki sauce served on rice or noodles with veggies on the side runs $8.49, there's also Shrimp Teriyaki, a combo of the both or vegetable or tofu variants.

Look for NOLA Chicken (New Orleans style) for $8.99 or Pineapple Shrimp, spring roles, crab rangoon, or Taiwanese Sausage.

Bubble tea goes for $3.95 for a medium or $4.25 for a large, look for Mango, Coconut, Matcha or Thai among the options.

Hearty Teryiyaki: 67 Crafts Street @heartyteriyakinewton

Call (857) 404-0199

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Photos by Jenna Fisher/Patch