We decided to head over to one of our favorite night spots recently, Tokyo Steakhouse. Known for their entertaining hibachi-style cooking tables, the restaurant features a wide selection of Japanese foods and beverages. While we have been there for several meals (it is a great birthday destination), this trip was solely for the purpose of having late-night sushi and beers. Not only do they offer numerous varieties of sushi and sashimi, they have a number of items that are half off after 8:30pm-fried rice, noodles, and several of the sushi rolls, to name a few.Now, I am a huge fan of sushi. I love the complex flavor pairings, most sushi is fairly nutritious, and the tradition involved with the preparation and consumption is fascinating to me. However, many of my friends and family hold the view (as I am sure many of you do) of, "Eeewww....raw fish!" They either don't like the pungent aroma and flavor of the fresh fish and various accompaniments, or the texture is what turns them off. For some, it is simply the idea of eating uncooked seafood that doesn't bear well. In any case, I understand that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for it. As such, it was no surprise that one of my companions was totally repulsed by sushi in general, while the other was curious-but not a huge fan. As such, I ordered the lion's share of the sushi that evening.
Speaking of ordering, there are several options for potential patrons of Tokyo Steakhouse if you are just there for sushi. You may be seated by the hostess at a regular table in the dining room, or you can choose to sit right at the sushi bar, where you can watch the sushi chefs masterfully prepare your selections. The third choice-what we opted for-is to sit in the bar section, which is separated from the rest of the restaurant with a sliding door and curtains. Upon choosing your seat, your server takes your drink order. At this time you are also given slips of paper that list the entire array of sushi, sushi rolls, and sashimi. You simply mark off what you would like on the forms, and return them to your server, who will deliver them promptly to your sushi chef.
I chose, as I usually do, the "Beginner" plate of sushi, with consists of an entire California Roll (6 pieces with crab and avocado), an Ebi sushi (shrimp), a Sake sushi (smoked salmon), and a Kani sushi (crab). I also ordered a Temaki roll (8 pieces with spicy tuna) and a Tako roll (6 pieces with octopus). As expected, the presentation was very clean and attractive, the ingredients tasted fresh and firm, and the vinegar rice was done just right. Add to that a 22oz. Sapporo Japanese beer, and I was in a very happy place.
My companions, neither being sushi fans, both ordered lo mein noodles, one ordered fried rice, and the other ordered a California roll to see what the fuss was all about. I tried the noodles (as I am always curious to see the quality of noodles in an Asian restaurant), and they were done just right-not too soggy, but not underdone, either. I also ended up finishing the last four pieces of my companion's California roll, which I am glad to report was exactly as well-prepared and delicious as my own. I have seen some sushi bars skimp on the ingredients in a sampler portion versus what you get in a regular order of sushi, but such was not the case.
As we arrived at around 9pm, and the restaurant closes at 10pm during the week, we finished up just as they were shutting down for the evening. We got our checks, paid our bills, and headed for home. I feel sort of bad for my companions, as they were only there to humor my taste for sushi; obviously they didn't have as full and satisfied bellies as mine. However, I'm not entirely upset, because who can feel bad about eating something they love?
In all, Tokyo Steakhouse has some of the best sushi in town. While the quality may be almost identical to other restaurants' offerings, the ambiance of the restaurant and the late night discounts give them a slight edge over the competition. Speaking of discounts: While the only one of my sushi rolls that was on sale was the Temaki roll, the cost for a full belly and a light beer buzz was still only $25. If I had ordered the California roll separate, and chosen another roll or two off the specials list, I could have easily walked out of there for under $15.
We'll be sure to post up a separate review of the hibachi-style cooking here, because sushi is obviously only one of the restaurant's attractions. In the meantime, if any of you would like to share your experiences, please do!
Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse is located at 1800 Tiffin Ave. (in the Findlay Village Mall). They can be reached for reservations or carryout at 419-420-8881. Their hours of operation are Mon.-Thurs. from 4:30pm-10pm, Fri. from 4:30pm-11pm, Sat. from 11:30am-11pm, and Sundays from 11:30am-9pm, and their full menu can be browsed at Allmenus.com.
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