Conquering The "D" One Plate at a Time
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Hibachi House
The old adage is that "good things sometimes come in small packages" and in the case of Hibachi House I would tend to agree. Located in the now torn-up and disheveled downtown of Rochester, MI, Hibachi House is one of those literally little spots with a big voice.
The layout is slender, simply decorated, and incredibly boisterous. However, when it comes to a Japanese Steak House I think that everyone's vibes play off each other and makes for a better dinner and a show. There are commercialized restaurants out there and they may be a bit cheaper but really, what are you trading price for? I am a big believer in supporting the local business and with the untimely demise of the roads in Rochester, I think Hibachi House is going to need all the support it can get. Far too often a good restaurant goes out because the world around it passes it by...even if they have a great product and this place has a great product.
Address: 335 S. Main St., Rochester, MI 48307
Phone: (248) 266-6055
Website: Couldn't find one...they have a Facebook page though!
The layout is slender, simply decorated, and incredibly boisterous. However, when it comes to a Japanese Steak House I think that everyone's vibes play off each other and makes for a better dinner and a show. There are commercialized restaurants out there and they may be a bit cheaper but really, what are you trading price for? I am a big believer in supporting the local business and with the untimely demise of the roads in Rochester, I think Hibachi House is going to need all the support it can get. Far too often a good restaurant goes out because the world around it passes it by...even if they have a great product and this place has a great product.
Address: 335 S. Main St., Rochester, MI 48307
Phone: (248) 266-6055
Website: Couldn't find one...they have a Facebook page though!
Well, I have had the fortunate luck to have visited Hibachi House twice. The first time was on their unofficial opening night, which kind of works to my advantage at a critic. If there are any glaring errors they would be apparent but still fixable. The second time was several weeks later and wow, what a difference. The first trip there were maybe five other people in the restaurant the second time it was packed to the seams. The first trip we had Jimmy, the head chef and I'm glad we had him. You could definitely tell that Jimmy has been working the hibachi grill for a while and was a pro with both his knife skills and show presentation. He was witty, picked on the Big Guy, and made the kids we were sharing the table with feel just as important as the adults paying the dinner check.
Both visits I have ordered exactly the same thing, the filet, shrimp, and lobster combination. Partially because I am spoiled and enjoy a good lobster tail now and again and partially because in this business I want their best...it's go big or go home right? Okay, enough cliches. The meal starts as most do with the obligatory soup and salad. The soup was light, and had the pungent aroma of onion without the overpowering acidity in the taste. The salad, well I am a lover of ginger dressing and on same days could probably have a ginger dressing cocktail, so let's just say I was pleased. Great balance of tartness from the rice wine vinegar and heat form the ginger. It was balanced with sweetness and the greens were extremely fresh.
Then out came Jimmy, after repeating our order he started his gimmick. He played catch with a raw egg on his spatula (Okay...I tried it at home with disastrous results) and then threw on these noodles. Wait what?? Noodle...oh yeah...noodles. They had a nice bite and were salty and full of garlic flavor. I'm pretty sure the Bug skipped the eating part and just inhaled them. Next the onion volcano, now the second time we went the S.I.L., my youngest brother, and The Squirt went. The flames from the volcano scared the baby to death and we had a good five minute scream session in the restaurant so parents...leave the little ones at home because the heat off the flaming smiley face and onion though dazzling could be a recipe for disaster. (Jimmy was not our chef the second time and to be fair after that the chef was more cautious around The Squirt.) The fried rice followed and then zucchini, and veggies. Now let's get to the dipping sauces. In all my years as a patron of Japanese steakhouses, they've had the dark brown sweet ginger sauce and the creamy but spicy mustard sauce. Not here, oh no they've raised the bar at Hibachi House. You do get the ginger, which the Queen adores but they also have a "Yum Yum" sauce. Its this light pink, creamy concoction that is so complimentary that the Queen actually dumped it all over her white rice and begged for more. It was delicately sweet and made everything have this unique freshness. It didn't hide the flavor of the meat or vegetables it only enhanced them. Does that make sense? If you said no then just go try it and you'll see what I mean.
Another shocking revelation is that shrimp do not come with every meal. If it doesn't say shrimp in the combination you get NADA. Disappointing but then again in Michigan I think there are fewer shellfish lovers than say coastal Carolina, so I can see the cost savings. I also never quite understood why they ask you how you want your steak. Because frankly due to the high heat and bite sized chunks they artistically dice it into...its always medium well to well. Has anyone every really complained? I mean the guy has a very sharp knife and can whip a shrimp tail 20 ft in three seconds...I wanted medium rare but I will take well done sir...no problem. It was a great cut of beef though, very tender and for some reason the soy, butter, and lemon they use in hibachi make everything better. The lobster is what I was worried about, if you overcook a lobster tail you could strap it on your shoe and go for run. Jimmy...good job my lobster was done simple, and perfectly. Did I mention the yum yum sauce please use with the lobster it's so darn good!
After the cooking was over, Jimmy put his little stamp or shall I say "squirt" on the evening. This I have never seen either. All during the meal this little ceramic boy doll was off to the side as Jimmy was cleaning the grill, he puts this doll on the hottest part of the grill and goes about his business. Then all of the sudden he pours hot water over it and the thing PEES clear across the table!! I mean it shot past the Queen's plate and hit the wall. We Foodie's have a sense of humor so I cracked up because you could kind of see where it was going but this "ain't your grandma's restaurant" if you aren't okay with some lewd humor then I want to pre-warn you.
There are only two downfalls to either visit. The first one has been fixed, and that was that they didn't have all the desserts the first night we visited. The second visit, it took a lot longer to get drinks be it refills on soda or a fresh beer than in any other steakhouse I've visited. And, it's tight in there. There are only six tables and there isn't much room between you and the person next to you, you and the wall, or you and the angry mob staring and drooling at the entrance waiting for a table. I haven't been there on a week night but on a weekend night I am so glad we made reservations the second time. It was almost an hour wait so CALL AHEAD. Parking is also a premium. That is the worst thing about downtown Rochester and it is one hundred times worse with the road construction so be prepared to walk. The bonus is that since converting from the old Jimmy John's to Hibachi House they have opened up the basement into a bar area with LED lighted walls, TV's, fun drinks, and on some nights even live music. So even if you have to wait or walk there are libations to soothe you.
In case you have trouble finding it...Hibachi House is on the West side of Rochester Rd. just South of
Fourth Street.
FOOD: 4 Plates
SERVICE: 3.5 Plates
ATMOSPHERE: 6 Plates
Both visits I have ordered exactly the same thing, the filet, shrimp, and lobster combination. Partially because I am spoiled and enjoy a good lobster tail now and again and partially because in this business I want their best...it's go big or go home right? Okay, enough cliches. The meal starts as most do with the obligatory soup and salad. The soup was light, and had the pungent aroma of onion without the overpowering acidity in the taste. The salad, well I am a lover of ginger dressing and on same days could probably have a ginger dressing cocktail, so let's just say I was pleased. Great balance of tartness from the rice wine vinegar and heat form the ginger. It was balanced with sweetness and the greens were extremely fresh.
Then out came Jimmy, after repeating our order he started his gimmick. He played catch with a raw egg on his spatula (Okay...I tried it at home with disastrous results) and then threw on these noodles. Wait what?? Noodle...oh yeah...noodles. They had a nice bite and were salty and full of garlic flavor. I'm pretty sure the Bug skipped the eating part and just inhaled them. Next the onion volcano, now the second time we went the S.I.L., my youngest brother, and The Squirt went. The flames from the volcano scared the baby to death and we had a good five minute scream session in the restaurant so parents...leave the little ones at home because the heat off the flaming smiley face and onion though dazzling could be a recipe for disaster. (Jimmy was not our chef the second time and to be fair after that the chef was more cautious around The Squirt.) The fried rice followed and then zucchini, and veggies. Now let's get to the dipping sauces. In all my years as a patron of Japanese steakhouses, they've had the dark brown sweet ginger sauce and the creamy but spicy mustard sauce. Not here, oh no they've raised the bar at Hibachi House. You do get the ginger, which the Queen adores but they also have a "Yum Yum" sauce. Its this light pink, creamy concoction that is so complimentary that the Queen actually dumped it all over her white rice and begged for more. It was delicately sweet and made everything have this unique freshness. It didn't hide the flavor of the meat or vegetables it only enhanced them. Does that make sense? If you said no then just go try it and you'll see what I mean.
Another shocking revelation is that shrimp do not come with every meal. If it doesn't say shrimp in the combination you get NADA. Disappointing but then again in Michigan I think there are fewer shellfish lovers than say coastal Carolina, so I can see the cost savings. I also never quite understood why they ask you how you want your steak. Because frankly due to the high heat and bite sized chunks they artistically dice it into...its always medium well to well. Has anyone every really complained? I mean the guy has a very sharp knife and can whip a shrimp tail 20 ft in three seconds...I wanted medium rare but I will take well done sir...no problem. It was a great cut of beef though, very tender and for some reason the soy, butter, and lemon they use in hibachi make everything better. The lobster is what I was worried about, if you overcook a lobster tail you could strap it on your shoe and go for run. Jimmy...good job my lobster was done simple, and perfectly. Did I mention the yum yum sauce please use with the lobster it's so darn good!
After the cooking was over, Jimmy put his little stamp or shall I say "squirt" on the evening. This I have never seen either. All during the meal this little ceramic boy doll was off to the side as Jimmy was cleaning the grill, he puts this doll on the hottest part of the grill and goes about his business. Then all of the sudden he pours hot water over it and the thing PEES clear across the table!! I mean it shot past the Queen's plate and hit the wall. We Foodie's have a sense of humor so I cracked up because you could kind of see where it was going but this "ain't your grandma's restaurant" if you aren't okay with some lewd humor then I want to pre-warn you.
There are only two downfalls to either visit. The first one has been fixed, and that was that they didn't have all the desserts the first night we visited. The second visit, it took a lot longer to get drinks be it refills on soda or a fresh beer than in any other steakhouse I've visited. And, it's tight in there. There are only six tables and there isn't much room between you and the person next to you, you and the wall, or you and the angry mob staring and drooling at the entrance waiting for a table. I haven't been there on a week night but on a weekend night I am so glad we made reservations the second time. It was almost an hour wait so CALL AHEAD. Parking is also a premium. That is the worst thing about downtown Rochester and it is one hundred times worse with the road construction so be prepared to walk. The bonus is that since converting from the old Jimmy John's to Hibachi House they have opened up the basement into a bar area with LED lighted walls, TV's, fun drinks, and on some nights even live music. So even if you have to wait or walk there are libations to soothe you.
In case you have trouble finding it...Hibachi House is on the West side of Rochester Rd. just South of
Fourth Street.
FOOD: 4 Plates
SERVICE: 3.5 Plates
ATMOSPHERE: 6 Plates
