1824 Blowing Rock Rd
Boone
(Next to Wal-Mart)(828) 263-0350
We had supper here one August night–it was the first Japanese restaurant we have reviewed.
Ray: I had the Hibachi Steak ($7.95), which comes with soup and salad (with ginger dressing), fried rice, and sweet cooked carrots, and a Kirin beer. I also opted to pay $0.70 more to substitute miso soup for the standard Hokkaido soup. The salad (iceberg lettuce with a few shredded
carrots) was good, with the veggies being crisp and fresh, and the ginger dressing having a good balance of tang and sweetness. The miso soup was likewise good, with lots of tender seaweed. The steak was cooked with very tasty mushrooms, was cooked just right, and came with an excellent shrimp sauce for dipping. The fried rice was especially good, consisting of rice with a few carrots and peas. It wasn’t greasy at all, which was a nice change from the usual fried rice one gets. I even liked the sweet cooked carrots, and I normally hate cooked carrots!
Tom: I asked the waitress my standard question: if I were never to be able to eat here again, what would she want me to have for my best memory of the evening’s offerings? She recommended either the Teriyaki Chicken or the Hibachi Chicken (either $5.50), saying she liked the latter more but some people prefer the sweeter tasting Teriyaki to the salty Hibachi. But I have had Teriyaki food before, so I elected for her favorite. It was a great choice–a break from the usual sweet/sour oriental routine. I started with the Hokkaido soup, since I am too cheap to pay the extra 5.5 bits for the upgrade. It was different if unmemorable. It came with the same rice, carrots and shrimp sauce (on the side). I washed it down with a Sapporo beer.
Ray: Huh? Well, I thought the presentation was nice, too–the dishes were presented in nice, matching bowls with an Asian theme. Basic but attractive and completely in harmony with the food. The restaurant is typical Japanese, with Shoji screens over the front windows, paper “lantern” shades over the lights, and Japanese paintings on the walls.
Tom: Yes, but the light jazz playing in the background did not fit! I like to have unrecognizable Japanese music with the food that I also cannot identify! My only complaint with the service is that while the meal arrived promptly, the courses arrived too close together–we had not finished one when the next arrived.
Ray: At least our server was courteous and friendly, joking with us and smiling. She was obviously relaxed and at ease in her job, unlike so many waitpeople these days. A very refreshing change!
Tom: The atmosphere was nice, too, with the eclectic mix of pub signs and Italian art.
Ray: That was the Thai Garden, you moron! And it burned down after our review! Sheesh!
Tom: Er, right. Well, I give it a thumb up! I’d give it two thumbs up if it were not for that chain saw accident!
Ray: While Hokkaido doesn’t serve traditional Japanese fare of noodles and seafood, it is a quiet, relaxing place, with very tasty food and lots of it. The prices are reasonable, the decor nice, and the staff very personable. The beer selection is basic but I’d like to see at least one “obscure” Japanese beer. I wouldn’t hesitate to take friends to this restaurant, and would recommend it heartily to anyone.
Tom: They do not have the flashy cook-it-in-front of you show that Makoto has, so if you want entertainment while you eat you might want to head over there. But, the food is just as good at Hokkaido. And neither should be confused with Macado’s, which is entirely different cuisine.
Ray: You moron.
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 11.792′
Lon: 81° 39.504′
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