SIGNATURE DISH: Mikata Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar — Try the Chef’s Special
Eatery features good food with the “best fried rice in Albany”
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — When the subject of Japanese steakhouses in the city arises in conversations among friends, one of the first places usually mentioned is Mikata Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar, located at 2610 Dawson Road.
Sun Kim is the owner, sometime hibachi and sushi chef. His family migrated to the U.S. from Seoul, South Korea, in the late ’70s and operated a convenience store before Kim struck out on his own to learn his chosen trade. He was just 24 when Albany beckoned.
“I have a friend who lives in Columbus and he recommended I come to Albany and open a restaurant,” Kim said. ”I got here in July and it was 86 degrees. It was very hot. I love it here. The people are so nice; they are very, very friendly.”
That was in the early ’80s and he’s been here ever since.
“It was hard at first because we had to get adjusted to the people and them to us and that took a little time — like two years. There’s not too many Asian people who live down here,” Kim recalled, “but I have never regretted opening a restaurant in Albany.”
In Japan, food preparation is considered a true art form. Teppanyaki, or table-top cooking, is a self-expression of the master chef. It is characterized by an intricate combination of hibachi grilling and entertainment, which showcases the chef’s culinary skills.
“Before we opened up in Albany I had steakhouse experience up in New York at Benihana and I worked in a couple of restaurants in different cities,” Kim, 59, said. “What I learned working in those restaurants was there are three things.
“One is the food quality, second is management and third is the service. And I re-created that here in Albany, and that’s why we are successful. We use only the best ingredients.”
The Albany Mikata offers typical Japanese steakhouse fare, but the food is far from typical.
Thursday night, after a bowl of miso soup and a salad with a tasty ginger dressing, Kim brought a “Chef’s Special” — steak, chicken, shrimp, fried rice, fried rice and vegetables — plate to the table. The fried rice was divine and just the perfect texture. The chicken was moist and tender, the steak seared to perfection and the shrimp was plump and made better after a dip in a sweet ginger sauce.
The veggies — mostly broccoli, zucchini and carrots — were crisp without being over cooked. The shredded cabbage was crunchy.
All were placed on the table for less than $30. As a bonus, the portions were large enough to fill a to-go box for lunch the next day. A word of advice — if you ask for steak, substitute with the filet for around $3 more. You won’t regret it.
Kim’s formula for success worked so well that over the years the little restaurant that began in Albany has expanded to six other Southern cities, including Macon; Columbus; Dothan, Ala., and Enterprise, Ala. It’s a family affair with all five of Kim’s brothers running a restaurant.
According to Kim, the most difficult part of running a successful restaurant are people who complain about “unnecessary stuff.”
“I go into restaurants, but I don’t ask to see the manager or the owner,” he said. “That can make things get stressful for everybody. Most problems can be handled at the table.
“I worked seven days this week and I enjoy the people, being social with the customers. I enjoy working. I ‘ll work as long as my body lets me.”.
Japanese steakhouse fans, rejoice.
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