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Going Out > Dining Out

Japanese and a show for less than $10

Daily Record/Sunday News

Article Launched: 08/30/2007 09:25:55 AM EDT

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Hibachi chef Zu Zhang creates a flaming volcano from a few onion rings, cooking the onions from the inside while providing entertainment for guests at Tokyo Diner.<br />· <a href="http://w2.ydr.com/forms/sendPhoto.php?photo=29559">E-mail photo</a><br />· <a href="http://ydr.mycapture.com/mycapture/lookup.asp?originalname=082307-BIL-ZHANG.jpg">Order photo reprint</a><br />

At bottom: · Tokyo Diner

Aug 30, 2007 — Ever since I started eating Japanese food a few years ago, I've been fascinated by the art of it.

At Japanese-American restaurants, chefs wow diners with their amazing knife-and-food handling skills on the hibachi grill. Steaming volcanoes of onion slices, dancing eggs and flying shrimp all go directly from the grill to the plate. The food is always as colorful as the show.

While vegetable hibachi is the only dinner less than $10 ($9.95) at Tokyo Diner in Springettsbury Township, it's well worth the visit because you pay for dinner and entertainment. I say that's a good deal.

On a recent weekday, I went to Tokyo Diner for lunch. It was pretty slow at the hibachi grill with only two businessmen seated at one of the large tables. I was in the mood for sushi, so I took a seat in the back.

I only had $10, so I reminded myself to be careful

because it's easy for me to go overboard when it comes to sushi. Tokyo Diner has a 15-percent-off coupon on their Web site, which makes dining there a bit more affordable. It was in my purse.

I was immediately brought a water and a bowl of cucumber salad while I perused the menu. The cucumbers were crisp and fresh and lightly doused with a vinegar sauce and sesame seeds. My experience with Japanese food has always been a light blend of subtle flavors that I've always enjoyed.

For my meal, I settled on the vegetable tempura lunchbox. Anyone with an affinity for fried foods would enjoy tempura. It's a light batter that isn't too greasy. The lunchbox came with a California roll, salad, soup and rice.

I recommend miso soup. It most often contains tofu and seaweed. It's not a chunky soup, mostly broth, but it warms the stomach and takes the edge off hunger. That came out first. Not too long after that, the rest of the lunchbox came. I felt like a kid again - it's like an Oscar Mayer Lunchable. Each little compartment of the plate is reserved for a different dish.

I dug right in with my wooden chopsticks and ate everything but the rice. I was just too full. If you can't eat with chopsticks, have no fear. I have a friend who always asks for a fork, and no one ever said no to her.

Tokyo Diner's menu has sushi a la carte for those who want to try something a bit extra. The regular rolls range in price from $2.75 for tofu to $6.95 for lobster. A special roll menu, which boasts more complex choices of food, ranges from $5.95 to $9.95. I think most people will tell you they are full after two rolls, but I say three is more like it.

I was able to leave with a small bit of change after using my coupon and leaving a tip. The option to eat at Tokyo Diner for less than $10 is there, but if you want a true sushi experience or to eat like a king, take a little more.

Cheap Eats is a biweekly column on local restaurants' meals under $10. Suggestions are welcome. Reach Nicki Lefever at 771-2101 or nlefever@ydr.com.