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- Address:
- 951 U.S. 80 E., Clinton, MS, 39056
- Phone:
- 601-925-8777
- Overall User Rating:
-
(3 ratings)
- Hours:
- Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-10:30 p.m., Sun. noon-9:30 p.m.
Since opening earlier this year, Takara Grill & Sushi Japanese Steak House has filled a culinary void that has long existed in the city of Clinton.
That’s right, Takara is the first place to bring traditional Japanese cuisine to town (sorry, but the sushi bar at the Kroger doesn’t count), and Clintonians no longer have to head to north Jackson or the reservoir to get their sushi and hibachi fix at established favorites like Sakura Bana, Nagoya, Kyoto and Bonsai.
Thankfully, though, location isn’t the only thing Takara has going for it, as this rookie restaurant has food, atmosphere and service that can stand proudly shoulder-to-shoulder with any of those aforementioned Japanese gems.
The food: With a massive menu of 134 selections running the gamut of appetizers, sushi, sashimi, soups, salads, hibachi grill selections, udon, soba, tempura and more, one could get a full education on the cuisine of the Land of the Rising Sun with multiple visits to Takara.
Not surprisingly, the menu can be quite daunting to the Japanese dining uninitiated, and even a somewhat seasoned pro like myself had a lengthy decision-making process upon first sitting down.
For an appetizer we opted for one of our favorites—oshitoshi ($4.50), which is the Japanese version of boiled spinach, and it was bold and flavorful and comparable to what I’ve had at other places.
With 21 other varied choices of appetizer, ranging from the familiar—edamame ($3.95), gyoza ($4.95)—to more intriguing offerings—usuzukuri (thin-sliced fluke with ponzu sauce, $9.95), ika shoga yaki (barbecued squid, $7.95)—they’ve got something to entice any appetite.
My party was celebrating a birthday, so we opted for the dinner-and-entertainment option of being seated at the hibachi grill, and it surely did not disappoint. Although our hibachi chef was a little less theatrical and outgoing than some I’ve had the pleasure of being served by (no throwing broken egg shells into his hat? He did make a mean onion volcano though), his skill with the spatula made up for it, as it was one of the better-tasting hibachi meals I’ve had.
I opted for the chicken and steak ($18.95), which was excellent and just one of 22 choices that included every possible solo offering or combination of chicken, salmon, steak, scallop, shrimp, swordfish, filet mignon, lobster tail and calamari you can imagine, as well as a vegetarian option ($10.95-$30.95). All meals come with a salad, miso soup, shrimp appetizer, veggies and fried rice.
As a sushi fan though, I of course couldn’t resist ordering one of the 16 unique chef’s specialty rolls available on the side, choosing the king eel roll ($9.95), which was an eel, caviar, avocado and kani roll rolled in thinly sliced cucumber. Not only was it an absolute work of art, it was mouthwateringly fresh and delicious.
I’d like to return soon to try other offerings like their version of the Boston roll ($6.95) and iso fantastic (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, cucumber and tobiko wrapped with white seaweed, $13.95). And sushi fans will be glad to know their extensive menu includes a wide variety of maki, temaki, sushi and sashimi available in combos, full rolls or a la carte, including old standbys like kani (crab stick) and sake (salmon) to more exotic offerings like uni (sea urchin) and mirugai (giant clam) ($1.75-$9.95).
And though I didn’t sample any, they also have six varites of udon dishes (Japanese noodles, $9.50-$15.95), teriyaki and tempura meals ($10.95-$22.95), and an extensive lunch menu featuring combos, Bento boxes and other variations of the aforementioned delights ($8.95-$18.95).
I did however sample a dessert, of green tea mochi (ice cream with a rice shell, $3.95), which was a unique flavor experience—not sure it was my cup of, er, tea, but it did make for an excellent palate cleanser.
The drink: Though we did not delve into the bar offerings—sorry, y’all, we dined on a Tuesday, I don't drink unless the day starts with an F or S—they of course serve a variety of sakes, wine by the glass, beer and more as well as all the usual soft drinks. They also have a variety of teas, which you could get served hot traditional Japanese style for an authentic experience—relax, though, they know they’re in Mississippi and serve up iced sweet tea too.
The scene: Being a brand-new restaurant, the interior of Takara is pristine. Not only that, it looks like what you’d imagine a high-class sushi bar in the heart of Tokyo would look like—the entire place just exudes class. The restaurant is divided into two parts: the sushi bar with ample bar seating as well as tables, and the hibachi grill area.
One touch that struck me is that when you first walk in by where you’d have to sit if you had to wait for a table, there’s a HDTV playing a slideshow of photos of some of the chef’s most beautiful sushi offerings. If that won’t whet your appetite while you wait, nothing will.
The bottom line: I was a bit disappointed to see that the sushi bar area was largely empty whereas the hibachi grill area was packed when we visited. Perhaps it will take a while for Clintonians to warm up to the wonderful world of sushi?
I hope so, because they couldn’t ask for a better place to do so, and it’s even worth the trip from the Japanese dining-saturated area of north Jackson to try a different but no less worthy take on the cuisine.
Takara seems to have all the bases covered for serving up an authentic and memorable Japanese experience, from beautiful sushi to gorgeous atmosphere to a fun and tasty hibachi show. It’s definitely a place you should say "konnichiwa" to.
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