Tanaka of Tokyo

My birthday was earlier this month...I turned 28. For me there are "big" birthdays and then regular birthdays. Of course when you're younger all birthdays are BIG...but as you get older I think there are biggies...16, 18, 21, 25, 30...and then every 5 years. Not so say you shouldn't celebrate every birthday...but for me the huge hubbubs are reserved for the biggies. So one of my oldest friends was on a trip the day of my birthday, but she still wanted to celebrate with me! So she decided we'd have dinner at Tanka of Tokyo.

Tanaka of Tokyo opened its newest location at the Ala Moana Shopping Center earlier this month.

The idea of Tanaka of Tokyo is teppanyaki style cooking. Steak and seafood is prepared on a table top grill, while patrons sit around this grill. All meals come with salad, miso soup, a grilled shrimp appetizer, pickled vegetables, grilled teppanyaki veggies, and rice.

The salad...it had a weird dressing, but was good.

Standard Miso soup...nuttin' special.

Rice and veggies.

Okay...first things first. Tanaka of Tokyo does not serve sushi! The closest thing to sushi is some seared ahi appetizer, but everything else is cooked. Thinking I was going to have some sushi...I really didn't know what to order. Malinda ordered the Lobster Tail, which was like $40. It came with all of the above and the lobster. Emily came along and ordered the Salmon.

The salmon dish came with all the above. It cost around $28. It was pretty good. Basically just a grilled salmon with some lemon juice and a whole bunch of garlic. So I still had no idea what I wanted to order. Malinda took it upon herself to order me the Shogun. A $60 entree, yes, you read hat correctly! $60!! It included a select choice Tenderloin, Whole Lobster Tail, and deep sea scallops.

Here's the lobster and deep sea scallops.

And with the tenderloin steak. It was a good meal, but I thought it was a bit overpriced. Here's our teppanyaki chef, Jonah.

He had some pretty unreal knife skills and was a pretty funny guy too! Check out his grillin' skills!

Wow'n us with some fire!

He stacked these onions and made a "volcano" after the fire died down he poured shoyu in the middle. It started to bubble and boil and it looked like lava!

The lobster tails, salmon, and some scallops.

All meals includ your choice of chocolate, vanilla, pineapple, coffee, and green tea ice cream. Suprisingly I enjoy myself some green tea ice cream. It was a nice dinner...not sure if I'd go back. It was pretty pricey, but so nice to hang out with Malinda.