Japanese Hibachi

[scarlet knight]

What's the name of the Japanese hibachi restaurant at the site of the former Toscana on Alvin Place in Montclair?

We're in Livingston and we want to take our 8 and 9 year old niece and nephews for entertainment's sake. We ate the regular Japanese food at this place and we were impressed.

I welcome any other suggestions in our area.

[hitmanoo]

What's the name of the Japanese hibachi restaurant at the site of the former Toscana on Alvin Place in Montclair?

We're in Livingston and  we want to take our 8 and 9 year old niece and nephews for entertainment's sake. We ate the regular Japanese food at this place and we were impressed.

I welcome any other suggestions in our area.

←

Okayama

4 Alvin Place

Upper Montclair, NJ 07043

973-783-5680

I haven't done the hibachi here, but the sushi is exceptional. After East Tokyo closed in East Hanover, we were looking for a new sushi place. Okayama has fresh, delicious sushi. It's much tougher to get a table on the weekend, but it's well worth it. I think they do a better job than Dai Kichi, though I wish they'd change the specials more often.

For other hibachi in the area, Ekko on Northfield Ave in West Orange does a good job, though I find them to be a bit overpriced. They also claim to do a French fusion, and while they do use some influence in their food, I don't find them to be a true fusion restaurant.

Ekko

481 Northfield Ave

West Orange

973-243-1020

[scarlet knight]

Thanks, hitmanoo!

[Tamar]

Somewhere along the way (I don't know, I just moved to town) Oyakama changed its name to Daruma. Just so you know. We went for hibachi; my 7 year old son got a kick out of it. I thought the food was overcooked, with WAY too much butter. Chef gave a good show, though.

[scarlet knight]

Can my wife and I order sushi if we sit at a hibachi table? Is it OK? Bad form?

[Tamar]

Can my wife and I order sushi if we sit at a hibachi table? Is it OK? Bad form?

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I'm sure you can order sushi, but I have no idea what the proper etiquette is in this situation. I think someone at our table just had sushi and not hibachi, but it was a few months ago now and I can 't remember for sure. If I went back, that's what I'd do, though!

[hitmanoo]

Can my wife and I order sushi if we sit at a hibachi table? Is it OK? Bad form?

←

There's no problem with you ordering sushi at the hibachi table. However, if it's just the 2 of you, and you're both ordering sushi and not Hibachi, it would be a little rude to occupy the spots at the table if there is a decent wait for seating.

However, if one or both of you is ordering hibachi, it's not a problem for one or both of you to order sushi.

I just went last night, and the wait for hibachi was very long. We made a reservation for a regular table, but I don't think there would have been much of a wait for that. The sushi was delicious!

I didn't even notice the name change of the restaurant.

[scarlet knight]

We had fun with our niece and nephews at Daruma. The hibachi show went over well with the 8&9 yr.olds with us. The hibachi food is so-so, but we ordered sushi as an appetizer and it was above-average. This was what we were looking for.

Edited February 28, 2006 by scarlet knight (log)

[Peter Conway]

We had fun with our niece and nephews at Daruma. The hibachi show went over well with the 8&9 yr.olds with us. The hibachi food is so-so, but we ordered sushi as an appetizer and it was above-average. This was what we were looking for.

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Above average compared to what?

My kids have gone to Daruma, and they loved it.

I have not been bold enough to give it a try myself.

[scarlet knight]

We had one tuna and avocado roll and a two pieces of salmon sushi. It wasn't enough of a sample to do a scientific study, but it was very good. I would prefer to eat at the less raucous Ariyoshi in South Orange. We do enjoy the sushi there, as well as Nabe Yaki Udon.

If you go to Daruma without kids and you do not want hibachi, ask to be seated on the side of the restaurant away from the hibachi tables.

I did enjoy the reactions of my nephews and niece to the hibachi show, however.