Kobe appeals to the senses
Behind the bar at Kobe Hibachi, manager Mike stood mixing colorful liquors into a bright blue cocktail glass with a squiggly translucent stem. A splash of grenadine, a dash of blue curacao. He added a taste of green apple vodka and a spritz of orange juice.
The drink, he told me, was so new it did not yet have a name. However, he did know it would be featured alongside another one of his concoctions, the Daiquiri Deluxe, every Monday from 5 p.m. to close during Ladies’ Night, when women can take advantage of twofor-one mixed drinks, glasses of wine or beers.
As the delicately piquant aroma of alcohol floated before me, movement at the other end of the dining area caught my attention. It was Kobe’s sushi chef, preparing one of his extraordinary platters, featuring bright pink tuna, orange salmon and even purple octopus.
Indeed, flavors and colors abound at Kobe. As if in agreement, a round of applause suddenly rose from the back dining hall. I followed the sounds, and there hibachi chef Kalen Sosua was, beginning one of his shows. He tossed an impressive bounty of meats on the spitting-hot griddle: scallops, steak, shrimp and lobster tail. Then, he got to melting butter, chopping vegetables and cracking eggs.
Delightedly, I watched as he diced and flipped his foods. Then, he scooped up a generous portion and heaped it onto the plate before me. It was almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. But I was starving, and the culmination of Kobe’s flavors and colors was about to become my epic lunch.