Kobe offers different, fresh option for lunch

I could eat Asian cuisine every day. And sometimes I do. So it seemed strange that though I had sampled hibachi meals, I had never actually sat down at a grill to enjoy the full flame-throwing, knife-juggling, culinary performance that defines the hibachi experience. Thankfully, that changed when I visited Kobe Hibachi located alongside Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.

Kobe Hibachi

Location: 2603 Battlefield Pkwy, Fort Oglethorpe, GAPhone: 706-861-8588Hours: Monday-Friday: 11:00 am- 2:30pm and 4:30 pm-10:00 pmSaturday: 11:30 am- 3:00pm and 4:30 pm-10:00 pmSunday: 11:30 am- 9:00pm

I arrived at 12:45 p.m. and was seated at a grill with eight other diners. A server greeted us, took our orders - I ordered the hibachi shrimp lunch - and advised us that our chef would be along momentarily. Across the room a hibachi show was already underway. The grill sizzled and steam billowed. The diners "oohed" and "ahhed." A few minutes later, our server reappeared with fresh house salads and hot miso soups. At 1 p.m., chef David Wang wheeled out a cart stacked with plates of rice, veggies, meats, eggs, oils and sauces.

The show was about to begin.

A hibachi show, I learned, is equal parts food preparation, theatrical flair and comedy routine. Chef Wang began by squirting a spiral of oil onto his hot grill, then lighting it on fire. A flame shot so high I got nervous and scooted my chair back. Next, he grabbed several eggs and began to juggle. He tossed them into the air and caught them ... on top of his hat ... while it was still on his head. "Hey, whoa, here's one for you," he said, pitching an egg at an unsuspecting diner who gasped and scrambled to catch it ... unsuccessfully. Luckily, that one was not a real egg.

The chef then heaped a pile of white rice onto the grill, splashed it with sauces and mixed in the eggs. He patted the rice into a heart shape, slid his metal spatula beneath it and flicked it up and down, causing the rice to pulsate. "The beating heart," he explained before divvying up the fresh, soft rice onto each of our plates.

Next he prepared the vegetables, chopping and dicing so quickly that my eyes couldn't keep up. He added the meats to the grill and seared them to order. Then, in one fluid movement, he scooped a helping of veggies with the still-sizzling meats and slid them onto our respective plates. "Thank you, thank you," he said, grinning widely. "You've been wonderful." He pushed his cart away as I dug into my delicious hibachi shrimp - fresh, hot and tender.

At 1:30 p.m. I laid my napkin on the table. In less than an hour I'd had an interesting and delicious new experience. Kobe definitely offers an out-of-the-ordinary experience that easily fits in one's lunch hour.

Of course, Kobe also offers hibachi dinners as well as a full sushi bar. Customers even have the option of creating their own sushi roll using any number of Kobe's quality ingredients. There are many creative options at Kobe Hibachi. Come sample the ways. ?

Upcoming Events