Sakura Sushi and Hibachi

Kate: Hibachi Chicken Lunch

YAY! Kristin and I got to share a meal. Woo hoo! We had a day off, and had some errands to run, so we said, 'Hey! Let's grab lunch at a new place!' So, we did. We checked out the newer (but totally new to us) hibachi place in the Target plaza near the mall. Now, I love hibachi. I don't know why. Something about watching my food be cooked right in front of me is really excting. I guess. So, I was pumped. And, it always seems like it is a good value. You get soup, salad, rice, veggies, some kind of meat, for a fairly low price. It seems like you get a lot for your money.
Sakura was no exception. The $9 for all of the above was a good value. My stomach was full, my wallet wasn't empty, good deal. The soup was your typical miso soup. Though, I thought it was a little strange that there seemed to be fried onions, like that you put on top of green bean casserole, in it. I actually kind of liked how it tasted, but thought it was strange nonetheless.
The salad was also fairly typical. A ginger dressing that I thought had just the right amount of tang. Kristin did not enjoy it, but I thought it was just fine. I tend to like this type of salad dressing and think it a good compliment to lettuce. Weird, I know.
Now, our hibachi experience could begin. Our chef, Rick, came out to prepare our chicken and vegetables and did all the fun things you expect from a hibachi chef. He was fun and engaging and took care of business quickly. The meal was nothing overwhelming. There is not a lot you can do to change the taste of hibachi chicken and vegetables, I think. For me, it is the sauce that makes the meal. Kristin missed out on this, as she is not a sauce person. There was a ginger sauce for the chicken and the typical white sauce for the veggies and rice. Again, nothing extraordinary, but it was satisfying. It did what it needed to do.
So, overall, the trip was just fine. Nothing that amazed me, but I would go back. I think this place felt a little cleaner and cozier than what I remember from Kumo Hibachi. We did not try the sushi at either place, so we can't use that as a basis for comparison. But, hibachi is hibachi. I like it. I think it tastes good. And, this did just that!

three golden forks out of five.

Kristin: Hibachi Chicken Lunch

Hahaha. I like how Kate said "We had errands to run." Someone should ask her what our errand was.

Anyway.

Kate suggested Sakura somewhere around Thursday of the week before, and I pretty much spent the rest of the week drooling until Monday. I heart hibachi. We got there half an hour before they closed, something I think really hurt my look on the dining experience. There are two "sections/ rooms/ big areas that are separated by a wall" within Sakura - the traditional restaurant style, where I assume they serve the bulk of their sushi (want to try that soon!), and the hibachi side with the grill you sit around and watch your food be prepared. The atmosphere was inviting and well decorated (though SUPER cold!), and I got a lot of time to look at it because we were the ONLY people in the hibachi section.

I agree with Kate, hibachi is hibachi. Perhaps the sauces can the difference between restaurants, but I've just never been a sauce/ dressing type of person (see also: why I didn't like the salad), so hibachi for me is made better or worse based on the experience of sitting at that grill, watching the people around you and enjoying the show the chef puts on.

Rick was certainly skilled with his knives and had a super kitchy little "fireman" (I'll leave the surprise ending out here so as not to spoil) that got a good chuckle out of me, but being the only two people in the place, I felt like the spotlight was stuck on Kate and I... and I am a people-watcher at heart. So that made it a little awkward.

Moral of the story - the food was good, but next time I will wear a thicker sweater and go when the place will be more populated. Until we meet again Rick the Hibachi Chef!

three golden forks out of five.