My first hibachi experience

For few days we were thinking where we could eat out. I was really indecisive. I was reluctant to have Italian, because I didn’t in the mood to have cheese. I didn’t want to have Thai or Chinese food. Indian food was strictly no-go, as we have Indian food every day at home. My husband was not very keen to take me to Japanese restaurant. My first ever sushi eating performance was not mention-worthy. I don’t know why I couldn’t like sushi. I asked my husband, whether we could try other Japanese food . Still he was skeptical to take me to any Japanese restaurant . Lastly I told that I want to try hibachi. 
The experience at Kobi Japan was simply awesome. After finishing other scheduled works when we reached the restaurant it was 2 o’clock in the afternoon. My husband booked table before. When we entered the restaurant, it was almost empty. I started thinking, would the food be good? Actually the reason was different, that was a big day, that was the “Super Bowl” day. So, that was the reason, the restaurants were empty.

We sat around the hibachi. It was my first time there. So, I was pretty excited. Before I heard from one of my friends about her hibachi experience. She was super excited when she told me about her experience. The hibachi is a traditional Japanese heating device. It consists of a box-shaped open-topped container, made from or lined with a heatproof material and designed to hold burning charcoal.  Anyway,we ordered all kinds of non-veg item. I’m not at all fond of steak like my husband. So, we ordered chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, all of the them. I knew, it was crazy. 

Then came the chef with his cart full of all food item and equipments. First the chef started with a juggle with knife cum spatula and the frying fork. Wow! That was exciting!! My son was so excited he literally jumping on the chair. What a show!! Throwing them upward, catching them with hand, it a little acrobatic way.  Though I was excited, still I was thinking, if any of them landed on us, what would had been happened! But in the middle I couldn't tell him to stop juggling. While watching the spectacular show, the stomach was calling it was high time to give it some food.  First the chef gave a three different kind of sauce. My son was thinking that, what were those. So, the chef with pseudo seriousness put three drops of different sauce in his plate to taste. My son thought that he got a special importance, so he also tasted them and gave some “serious” comments. 

Then he fried the vegetables. Oh!! What a skill!!! He had been cooking and juggling at the same  time. He just fried the vegetables and shrimps. With grace and ease he cut the middle of the shrimps, and the chopped the tail off from the shrimps. He put one of the tails on my son’s plate and asked him to taste. This time my son understood that the chef was joking with him. So, he denied to taste. :) 
Next came the volcano. He had a thick piece of laterally cut out onion. Only with the spatula and cooking fork he separated the rings one by one , and place them one top of one another starting from bigger to smaller to give conical shape. Astonishingly none of them fell at any time in the whole process. It was really a big problem. I was undecided, which one I should do, would  I see the art of cooking or I should give some peace to my stomach? Anyway, after arranging the rings he told, “here comes the volcano”. My son stopped eating in much excitement, to see the volcano. After pouring some oil inside “conduit” of the “volcano” he torched it. “whoosh”… The volcano erupted. Then in high speed he chopped down the onion and served us. 

Next he cooked the fried rice, He put the vegetables on the table and fry them within no time, and add to the rice. That was  ok, nothing special. Wow!!! He took out eggs and started juggling. He threw them in the air, caught one of them on his chef-hat, and started spinning another on the flat spatula he was using. I thought those were boiled eggs. I was wrong!! He broke one of the raw egg and mix with the fried rice. My son wanted to see the other egg. So, he searched in his hat, and instead of a “ducky” came out. Exciting!!! Then he laid out the steak, the chicken pieces, fish fillet, and the shrimps on the board. With the same ease he put oil and fry them, flip them, chop them and served us on our plate. And that was the end of enjoyable cooking. The food was no doubt awesome. In half and hour he cooked, he juggled, and he entertained us. It was a fabulous experience. 

I’ll go back again…