Hokkaido is a Japanese steak and sushi bar on Tuscaloosa’s 15th Street that possesses an expansive and vast menu that covers traditional dishes such as sushi, dumplings and hibachi dishes. With a strikingly stylish and angular exterior and classy interior design, Hokkaido is a defining establishment for exquisite Japanese food with a fine dining atmosphere.
Upon entry into Hokkaido, ones sees a blend of themes that create a unique environment. The array of colors and textures that decorate the floors, walls and ceilings reference multiple different time periods. The polished wooden, sectioned floors and the dark brick sections of the wall are reminiscent of a Japanese zen garden. The numerous potted plants and Japanese inspired lamps and tapestries add to that same theme. However, that isn’t the only influence that Hokkaido exudes. The bar and hibachi tables bring the restaurant into modern times with colorful walls tell the costumer that Hokkaido is a place everyone can have a great time.
The menu offers many options as mentioned before, and after looking over it, I decided on edamame, fried dumplings, spring rolls and calamari salad.
The first dish was the edamame, a simple dish that consists of steamed soybeans that are lightly salted. One of the benefits of edamame is that it is surprisingly unsatiating and is best consumed as a sort of a snack while the rest of the meal is worked on. That being said, the salt combined with soy sauce created a double dose of saltiness on the freshness of the soybeans.
Next came the fried pork dumplings. The dumplings were fried perfectly, with a chewy outside that had a slight crunch. Mixed in with the pork was an assortment of vegetables that gave the dumplings an earthy feel. Dipped in soy sauce, they became sweet and salty pockets of flavor.
The spring rolls were similar. They had squishy vegetable filling and a crisp outside, but the sauce differed. It was a very spicy and had elements of duck sauce and red pepper flakes. This sauce also paired wonderfully with the calamari salad, which was complete with fried onions, lemon, and jalapeno peppers – that upped the spice ante when combined with the sauce. Despite the amount of food ordered, it satisified me perfectly, showing Hokkaido’s perfect portioning.
While it has excellent food and service was quick, the small details like the ideal portioning, simple and powerful flavoring and blend of design themes make Hokkaido in its simplest form, an extremely pleasant dining experience for the mind, heart and body.
