I crave for a sushi meal, once in a while, I admit. Whenever that happens, the nearest Japanese restaurant to go to that serves sushi is located 60 miles away — in Sioux Falls, SD. That is about an hour or so of drive just to satisfy a craving! When I heard that a sushi bar had opened in Brookings, it did not take me long to visit the newest dining scene in town.

Welcome to the Sake Sushi & Hibachi restaurant. It is located on 22nd Avenue South adjacent to Hy-Vee supermarket and the Brookings liquor store.

From the outside, the restaurant looks like it covers a wide floor area. Once you are inside, however, it feels small, yet homey, with few tables arranged in rows. Its medium-size space is complemented with a quiet ambiance in addition to the attractive lighting and decorations on the ceiling.

The menu choices are quite varied — from the classic to special sushi rolls to Teriyaki dishes! The service is generally okay, with the exception of the lady server who could not fully describe a specific sushi meal on the menu.

The Volcano rolls are just amazing. They are the perfect example of the crunchy-outside-soft-inside, incomparably-flavorful food that you want to eat every single day. The drizzle of hot sauce is particularly engaging, adding a little tang to the already distinct flavor.

I also ordered something familiar, the chicken teriyaki, which I usually have when inside a Japanese restaurant back home in the Philippines. There was nothing special about the chicken preparation, aside from the large portion of sauteed onions underneath the slices of chicken, swimming in sweet teriyaki sauce. Also, the taste is not too far afield from the type of serving I get in other Japanese restaurants.

The prices are reasonable, although a little higher than the Sushi restaurants in Sioux Falls. But I do not care. The reality is, there is now a sushi restaurant few blocks away from me. That alone makes me happy.

Will you try the sushi at Sake Sushi and Hibachi?

Sake Sushi & Hibachi opening hours:
Monday to Thursday – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday – noon to 9:30 p.m.