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Hibachi Shrimp and Scallops

Hirosaki Prime was beautiful inside and it felt very romantic upon entry. It was dark but not too dark and there were warm tones highlighting the whole place with well done lighting. We were seated next to one another along a bar around a cooking top. The waitress, who was very nice, came and took our orders with efficiency and a smile. No matter how complex the ordering got she was on top of it all night long. We ordered a sushi app to start out. It was called a Lacholita Roll. All wrapped up snugly was shrimp temporah, cucumbers, avocado, spicy mayo and sesame seed.  It was quite good. The wine we shared was light and fruity and went well with the whole meal. Dinner included soup and salad, a small shrimp app, fried rice, grilled veggies, all along with the main choice I’d made of Shrimp and Scallops. Everything was cook right on the table top in front of us and the chef entertained us as he cooked. There was plenty of interaction – yet he managed to cook everything quite perfectly. Once he’d portioned off our meals to each person we were able to dip the various bits into the option of two sauces -a ginger sauce and a savory creamy sauce. I liked them both as they had very different flavors but were yummy additions.

The whole meal with drinks, apps, dinner, and dessert came to around 100.00 plus tip. It was a fun evening and we’d likely return. -DD

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Ramen with beef and La Cholita Roll

Ramen Noodle with Beef

Having lived in Japan for a few years, I’m always up for testing new Asian restaurants. Hirosaki Prime did not disappoint. The atmosphere is decent, dimly lit for date nights, but I could easily picture a family coming here in the afternoon. The only hangup I saw was the grills are installed between tables with a wide space in between. If you have a very large group (say, more than eight people), half your party will essentially be sitting at another table.

Ramen Noodle with Beef

I decided to mix and match my two comfort foods from my time in Japan – sushi and ramen. The ramen, which came first, was warm and filling, with a good ratio of broth to noodles, veggies and meat. Ramen makes for a good lunch, too, and I’d recommend stopping by for a hot bowl before the end of the winter.

When it comes to sushi, I’m a purist, so I asked to hold off on the avocado and spicy mayo. The cucumber and tempura shrimp worked well together, though I would have liked a little more nori to add some salt flavor.

The service was spot-on, and the two grill-masters added a little pizazz to the evening. I’m psyched I caught the flying mushrooms in my mouth. And I’m still wondering how they can toss an egg in the air and split it perfectly with a spatula. I’ll have to ask him to teach me next time I go back. -BJH