Category: Restaurants

Update: Review of Jidai Kaiten Sushi
We previously reported that a new sushi place was going to open in Boca Grove. We’re happy to report that Jidai Kaiten Sushi & Sake Bar opened for business four days ago.
We were very impressed. First, the restaurant manager, Asuka, is actually from Japan. People don’t realize this, but most Japanese restaurants in the US are run by Chinese people – even the restaurant at our beloved Morikami. Having a Japanese person in charge of the restaurant adds a substantial level of authenticity to the food. Many customers may not care about that, but as someone who has lived in Japan it really matters. Note that Sushi Yoshee appears to be run by Koreans, which we consider a step closer in our ethnically biased and politically incorrect view.
Second, and something most sushi lovers will appreciate, is the main attraction – the kaitenzushi or 回転寿司. The s in sushi becomes a z in Japanese pronunciation. The literal translation is something along the lines of automatic circle sushi, though it is also commonly referred to as “conveyor belt sushi.” In a typical kaitenzushi place (common in Japan and we’ve seen them in California), the chefs stand in the middle of a rectangle or circle making the sushi. They put each finished plate on the conveyor belt that goes around them, and the customers sit outside the loop, as you can see from a typical place in Japan, below.

Jidai takes it to a new level with a setup that covers a lot more ground. There is a main triangular area where the chefs stand and prepare the sushi. But the conveyor belt extends from the top of that triangle into a semi-circle that reaches out and over, forming a shape almost like a mushroom. So the sushi goes around the triangle, then up to the top, left down one half of the semicircle and then back to the right along the whole length of it, and back left and down to the other side of the triangle. And the setup is spread out so that there are chairs all along the whole span of the conveyor belt, so a large number of customers can enjoy the kaitenzushi.

How it works as a customer is different from typical restaurants in another way. There is a menu and you can order from it, but in kaitenzushi you usually just take plates off the conveyer belt and eat what’s on them. You save up the plates and at the end you pay based on the plates you have. Prices are based on the plate’s color, ranging from $2 for pink up to $5 for gold.

In a way, you can think of this like tapas or small plates. The prices are very reasonable, so you can try a broad variety of sushi without spending too much. And the quality is better than what you’d get at a typical sushi buffet. Below is a short video we shot showing the sushi plates rounding one corner of the triangle:

Unfortunately we had already eaten before we noticed that they were open, so we only had a couple of appetizers (shrimp shumai and pork gyoza). They were good, but we hope to visit with empty stomachs and do a full review sometime in the next few weeks.

Boca Grove will soon be home to Jidai Kaiten Sushi. Unlike most Japanese restaurant names, this one actually means something.
Kaiten sushi refers to a restaurant layout where the sushi chef stands in the middle and the customers sit around the outside of a circle, rectangle or other shape. The chef places plates of sushi on a moving platform, circling around. It is sometimes called conveyor belt sushi. And this restaurant also uses that term:

It is a fun way to experience sushi. The plates are color coded to reflect the price. On the menu outside Jidai, it’s $2 for pink, $3 for red, $4 for blue and $5 for yellow.
We couldn’t get a great shot but we think the area on the left is a somewhat triangular shape for the kaiten sushi.

The menu also has a broad array of sushi as well as about 15 hot entrees, plus soup, salad and a kids menu.
No word on when they’ll open but it looks like they’ll be ready soon.

Boca Kosher Bagel is now open. It’s next to Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in the Shoppes at Boca Grove, on Powerline between Glades and Palmetto. The plaza is also home to Bonefish Grill, Bravo Academy, and Le Macaron French bakery.

The interior is sparse right now, but they did open today for the first time. The menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, and – you guessed it – bagels.

The staff stand behind a counter to prepare your order. And this is not the best picture we’ve ever taken:

We asked about their hours and they weren’t even sure, but they thought they’d be open until 6 pm tonight.
When we learn more we will update our readers.

We were invited to a media dinner at The Meatball Room in Regency Court, a plaza on the northwest corner of Jog and Yamato. Our usual restaurant reviews are done incognito where we pay for our food. We must disclose that we were invited and treated for free. While we believe our review is objective, readers should understand the potential for bias.
The interior and exterior are both gorgeous as you can see in our photos. We were treated to a broad sampling of the menu, most of which was delicious. A couple things didn’t click for us but that goes to personal preferences rather than quality. The restaurant was full and reservations for dinner are probably necessary right now. There was still plenty of parking in the plaza. They are not open for lunch yet but hope to do so soon.
Here are some interior shots:

Here are two of the owners with the chef:

And here’s a shot of the exterior seating area with fire tables and an outdoor bar:

The tasting started with bread and butter. Seems like a routine thing but most restaurant meals start with it. The bread seemed freshly baked and had a sesame seed crust. The pats of butter were soft and it was a good start.

Next we were served Anaheim Peppers stuffed with beef, sausage, cheese and more. This was a very tasty dish. We like it and everyone else seemed to as well. The plates emptied quickly.

At the same time we were served Bsked Clams Oreganate. The chef went to great lengths to explain the process behind the bread crumbs. This is one of the dishes that didn’t click for me, but it’s not something I would usually order and everyone else ate them up.

There was a break before the next course. I should mention they have an extensive wine list and I had a Pinot Noir by Mark West that was very good.
Next up came three salads: a chop salad that was fine but not special; a kale salad that was both good and unusual; and a beet salad that was outstanding. Servers were pleasant and friendly.

After another break the next course included meatballs and pizza. We tried three kinds of meatballs. The “classic” were excellent, with great flavor and texture. The turkey meatballs with basil pesto is something I would normally not order but these were so good I could see trying them again. The pesto sauce was a delight and paired well with the meat. On the other hand the taco meatballs did not work for me. They were well made but I just didn’t get it. They did not have anything like a taco flavor so I was confused.

The event ran longer than I expected so I left before the dessert course. I did get a slice of the Harvest Pizza on the way out and it was brilliant. The other pie looked good but I didn’t get a taste. One of the other guests mentioned that he had been before and raved about the pizza.

We will definitely be back at The Meatball Room, probably when they open for lunch.