"OK," he said. "Stick this in your pocket. It's one of the nice things about this place.''
With that friendly piece of advice, Andre Washington (AW) handed me an small wrapped mint as we parted ways after dinner at Sakura Japanese Steakhouse Hibachi & Sushi restaurant. He's right when he says the mints are extra special. They were a final touch on a fine meal.
AW is a graduate student in international studies at UND who also does some work for the Chamber of Commerce. He joined me on an Eatbeat adventure. And we agreed that dinner is very good at Sakura, although he usually goes there for lunch.
My scallop teriyaki dinner ($18.95) began with miso soup and a ginger salad. We shared an order of edamame. AW ordered hibachi chicken fried rice ($16.95). He loved it. And there was plenty to take home.
There are lunch time specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. And there are lunch bento boxes with choices including chicken, shrimp, beef, salmon, New York steak and scallops. There are more than 20 sushi rolls lunch specials. They include avocado, salmon, tuna, eel, avocado, shrimp, asparagus and the California roll. There also is an eel cucumber roll.
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For dinner, we sat in the lounge at Sakura where there were several booths with customers arriving for early dinners. This is a pleasant setting. Rather dark and quiet on a weeknight. Beyond the lounge, there is a sushi bar and a large room with 10 hibachi grills.
Although there are various offerings for sushi, the ultimate is the Sakura Love Boat for two (at $55.95). It includes 12 sushi choices, 12 sashimi and two chef's special rolls.
As you enter this spacious Sakura restaurant, you are welcomed by a giant Buddha.
The restaurant is operated by Xing Ming Lin, a UND alum who came here in June of 2001 from China. He joined family members who now live in New York. He attended Red River High School and went on to UND. And he says he likes Grand Forks so well he wanted to stay. His wife joins him in the restaurant operation. They have two young daughters.
Local manager of the restaurant is Patti Tedjasukmana.
The restaurant is pleasant - one of the largest and most attractive in Grand Forks. There are fountains. There is greenery. The women's restroom is clean and attractive.
The only problem we had was that the back of our wooden booth was thin. When people moved around in the next booths, we felt the movement.
Sakura Japanese Steak House
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3250 32nd Ave. S.
Telephone: (701) 757-3888
Operator: Xing Ming Lin
Manager: Patti Tedjasukmana
Hours: 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday with 10 p.m. closing Monday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Seating for 106 in bar restaurant, sushi bar and hibachi tables
Report card: Extensive, easy to read menu. Food generally good to very good. Generous servings. Servers cheery, helpful and extremely polite.
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