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Oishi Strikes Few Original Sparks
Tribune photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ
Oishi Sushi & Hibachi Grill covers all the bases as far as Japanese cuisine goes, but offers little to distinguish itself from competitors.
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Published: November 13, 2008
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TAMPA - There is no shortage of hibachi and sushi restaurants in the Tampa area.
It seems you can go to nearly any neighborhood in town and find some version of Japanese cuisine being served up either cold on beds of seaweed or hot on flaming grills.
So if you're going to operate a Japanese restaurant during these trying economic times, you need to offer something that stands out. Unfortunately for Oishi Sushi & Hibachi Grill, neither its food nor its presentation is enough to distinguish it from the pack.
Located in Tampa's Channelside District, the restaurant is connected to Thai Tani. Its decor features an interesting mix of Asian textures including bamboo reeds and paper umbrellas on the ceiling.
Diners can choose to eat at the sushi bar, tables, booths or at the hibachi grill in the center of the room. Hibachi can be ordered from any spot in the restaurant, but if you want your food prepared in front of you, the hibachi only seats about 16, and they don't take reservations (although large groups can use call-ahead seating).
We decided to get the best of both worlds by sitting at the hibachi for dinner and ordering sushi appetizers. We started with the sashimi and sushi samplers to sample a selection of items.
Diners receive wooden boats filled with a range of fish including eel, tuna and salmon. Although the fish was fresh, the samplers didn't offer many exotic flavors; the selection was comparable to what you'd find at a grocery store.
The hibachi dinners begin with an Oriental salad, pretty standard at all hibachi grills, and miso soup. The soup featured tofu, which added substance but not much flavor.
Next, it was time for the main event, and the primary reason we chose the hibachi table: the culinary tabletop performance by our chef. Unfortunately, it appeared our cook was having an off night.
Although he dazzled us with knife tosses and giant walls of flames, he kept dropping the food he tossed in the air and let a spatula hit the floor before placing it back on the grill. To be fair, he didn't use the spatula again to cook.
Hibachi diners should expect to eat their meals in stages if they want their food piping hot. This style is encouraged by the chefs. First we received grilled vegetables, fresh and crisp. Next, the chef served fried rice that we found a bit bland and undercooked. However, another diner preferred this stickier version and called it more authentic and easier to eat with chopsticks.
The hibachi meats were fresh and flavorful. The steak was cooked perfectly and had a nice seasoning, while the shrimp and scallops were large and tender. Diners can dip their entree into a trio of sauces, but the seafood sauce - commonly known as Yum Yum sauce - was watered down and lacked flavor.
The meal ended on a disappointing note with the Stir Fried Noodle. The thin noodles were limp from overcooking and had a burned taste.
We topped dinner off with fried green-tea ice cream, which was good but no different than what you can find in most Asian restaurants.
Overall, if you happen to be in Channelside, Oishi is worth checking out. But it's probably not worth bypassing another Japanese spot closer to home.
DINING REVIEW
Oishi Sushi & Hibachi Grill
BOTTOM LINE: Japanese cuisine
WHERE: 615 Channelside Drive, Tampa
HOURS: Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner: 2:30 to 10 p.m. weekdays and until 11 p.m. weekends
CREDIT CARDS: all major ones
RESERVATIONS: yes, except hibachi which is first come first served; large parties can use call-ahead seating
CHILDREN'S MENU: no
ALCOHOL: Full bar
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: yes
PRICE RANGE: $3 to $30
CALL: (813) 228-9202
Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-1523.
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