Mizu Hibachi Japanese Fusion: Our Usual Stop for our Hibachi Cravings
Written: Sep 10 '09
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| noangels's Full Review: Mizu Hibachi Japanese Fusion |
As a child, I was a very fussy eater. Chicken nuggets, french fries, and pizza were high on my acceptable foods list, though strangely-enough, canned spinach and carrots made the cut too. In my early twenties, I started becoming more adventurous with food. My husband had suggested we try hibachi for one of our weekly date nights a few years ago. A new hibachi restaurant had just opened adjacent to another restaurant we frequented, Docks Clam Bar. Since then, Mizu Hibachi Japanese Fusion has become one of our regular haunts!
Location
Mizu is located in a shopping plaza with Top Tomato, CVS, and a number of other establishments. The parking lot is very large and I've never had a problem with a lack of available spots, despite the plaza being quite full. The restaurant is located in Tottenville, two minutes from the Outerbridge and easily accessible from the West Shore Expressway and Korean War Veterans Parkway.
Mizu's address is:
240 Page Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10307
(718) 608-8809
Reservations aren't really necessary, though you may want to call ahead for large parties. Even on busy Saturday nights, my husband and I have never waited more than twenty minutes when we've gone on dates or had dinner with friends.
Atmosphere
Mizu has a very modern, hip atmosphere. A bar area is located near the entrance. It's small, but provides a comfortable area to sit for a short wait. Diners may sit at hibachi tables or in a separate dining area. The hibachi area is minimally decorated, leaving the focus on the large hibachi tables which seat about seven to eight people. The hibachi chefs provide plenty of entertainment, cooking customers' orders within inches of their seats. It's fun for adults and even more so for children. It's a great place for loud gatherings of friends, but not the best place to converse.
I usually prefer the main dining room, which provides tables in a more intimate setting. The room is draped in sheer fabric on one side with the opposite wall providing ambient light. The entire wall is made of some sort of translucent material with a backlight that slowly cycles through various colors. These elements in conjunction the candles on the tables give the room a very organic feel. The atmosphere is both fun and romantic. During lunches and dinners with friends, it has been a great place for boisterous conversation and plenty of laughs. The restaurant has also been the site of some of my favorite dates with my husband, allowing for quiet conversation.
Food and Price
Mizu offers a wide selection of Japanese cuisine, including an extensive sushi and hibachi menu. The menu is diverse enough that it has pleased even the most fickle of our friends. It's also our go-to place when our vegetarian friends visit, offering plenty of options for those with special dietary concerns. The food is well presented and delicious!
The menu incorporates a variety of hot and cold appetizers, as well as sushi that provides a perfect start to the meal. Edamame is my most frequently ordered appetizer, and it's always perfectly seasoned. Another favorite is the honey barbeque ribs. They're sweet and savory, presented in a tin on a flaming plate. I would advise against ordering the fried calamari - my husband ordered it and much to his dismay, it was octopus. That was the only problem we've ever had with the food.
Most often, my husband and I order from the hibachi menu. Each hibachi dish comes with soup and salad. The soup is an onion-mushroom soup, which I'd describe as kind of bland and average. I'm not typically a fan of onion soups, though. The salad is a simple iceberg lettuce salad with a sweet and tangy ginger dressing. The dressing is exceptional; by far, my favorite salad dressing.
There are a number of hibachi entrée choices including hibachi steak, chicken, salmon, lobster, shrimp, filet mignon, and vegetable. I order the filet mignon most often and it has always been perfectly cooked to order. My husband often orders the hibachi filet mignon and chicken. The latter portion of the dish is very tasty, though I prefer the taste of beef with the soy sauce-based hibachi sauce. Hibachi vegetables are included as a side dish, and consist of a mix of broccoli, baby corn, carrot slices, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. They're prepared in the same sauce as the meat. I love these as well, especially the zucchini, which isn't usually one of my favorite vegetables. My husband has ordered the hibachi lobster, but felt it wasn't worth the extra money since lobster takes on the flavor of the sauce and doesn't have a distinct flavor like the other options.
Each hibachi entrée also comes with three shrimp and an order of white rice. I always ask for chicken fried rice instead, which is one of my most guilty pleasures. The ingredients are always fresh and much to the detriment of my diet, this side dish satisfies my salt and carbohydrate cravings.
The dessert menu is very limited, with a few fried dishes like fried bananas. Ice cream is available, and two scoops are included with every hibachi dish. Mizu has a decent bar selection. Though I rarely order anything but soda and water, the few alcoholic drinks I've ordered there have been above average. The Sex on the Beach wasn't too strong for me, though it may be weak for a big drinker.
Mizu's prices are reasonable. Appetizers range from $5-$13. The hibachi menu runs $18-$25, with combination hibachi dishes priced at $1-$4 more. Side orders of fried rice are an additional $4. Entrees from the rest of the menu range from $15-$25. Couples can expect to pay $70-$90 for dinner with appetizers, dessert, and drinks. Lunch offers a great value. On Mondays through Saturdays from 11am-3pm, hibachi lunches cost $10-$13, which includes soup or salad, the entrée, vegetables, and white rice.
Service
My experiences with the service at Mizu have been good. The service is slower at the hibachi tables since they typically wait for the whole table to fill up to start cooking. In the dining area, the service is very attentive. I've never had to wait long for my food. My order has never been messed up. Plates are removed as we finish them. We have had a problem more recently with waiting too long for the check. There have been a few times when we've spent twenty minutes or more talking to friends before realizing the waitress never brought the check.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
noangels
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Member: Jamilynn
Location: Staten Island, NY USA
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