Kobe Hibachi's dining area still smelled fragrantly of hibachi steam left over from the lunch rush. Servers moved about in the dark room, readying the restaurant for dinner hours. One by one, the overhead lights clicked on - the illuminating yellow bulbs over the bar; the rainbow lanterns dangling above the sushi bar. Sushi chef Kenny Lin appeared behind the counter in his crisp white uniform and began prepping the richly colored fish and vegetables. And just like that, Kobe was transformed into a fun and festive environment.
Kobe's sushi chef Kenny Lin"I think we are moving in the right direction," said Copper, who manages the restaurant. "We are getting busier and busier."
With its five-year anniversary just around the corner, Kobe is certainly doing something right. The lunch crowd is picking up. The weekends are too. The restaurant is constantly hiring more help, which, Copper points out, helps decrease customers' wait time.
One reason Kobe is garnering so much attention is due to its private tatami rooms. Tatami refers to the traditional Japanese floor architecture in which a table is set low to the ground so that diners can kneel to eat. Kobe offers two tatami rooms. One sits up to 10 people. The other sits 20. Either room, however, can be reserved for a minimum of four people.
Copper also credits Kobe's increasing popularity to its new cocktails, which are as fun and festive as the lighting. For instance there is the Super Mai Thai swirled with red and yellow juices, topped with rum and garnished with an orange wedge, a cherry and herbs.
Copper placed a martini glass on the bar, filled it with ice, then splashed in a variety of bubbly liquids and colorful liqueurs. "Icy Peach martini," he exclaimed. "Are you still on the clock?" He slid the drink toward me. Regrettably, I told him I was. As a consolation he offered me a soda, then a water. Then he glanced across the room at Kenny. "The sushi is done. Do you like sushi?" He headed toward Kenny. When he returned, he placed before me a beautiful platter of sushi, sashimi and nigiri.
There were sushi rolls filled with crab and topped with fresh tuna and slices of avocado. There was a variety of nigiri. And salmon and tuna sashimi arranged to look like roses sprouting from a bed of freshly pickled ginger and wasabi. Copper turned back to the bar where he continued to craft cocktails with a smile on his face.
Indeed, Kobe is definitely doing something right. It tastes like flavorful fish, smells like steamy hibachi and feels like warm hospitality. So make sure you stop by for the pending anniversary party. Stay tuned for details on celebratory specials as it will certainly pay to be a patron - perhaps literally.