Fresh fare, no fanfare at Shiki Sushi Bar

When my daughters were toddlers, hibachi grill lunches were in the rotation with parks, play dates and Pungo produce picking. The hibachi chef captured their attention with fanfare and fire, enabling me to enjoy lunch without fries and a play area.

It turns out that my preteen girls still love the hibachi fare even without the show that typically goes with it.

That might explain why they were so well-behaved in their younger days - they were too afraid of the fire to get out of line.

Shiki Sushi Bar & Hibachi Grill, opened by husband and wife Tony and Jennifer Pan three years ago on Chesapeake's Mount Pleasant Road, offers a good combo for us.

The 40-seat casual storefront restaurant had the single hibachi chef hopping - but mostly with to-go orders. When our hibachi chicken and steak ($15.95) and teriyaki salmon for the bento box ($14.25) were prepared in front of us, there was no fire, nor flying food.

Grilled chicken and medium-rare, tender steak were delicious with fried rice and sautéed zucchini, broccoli and mushroom accompaniments with two piquant dipping sauces.

The mixing of the grilled morsels reminded me of a stir-fry rather than hibachi service, where the food is typically served in quadrants of the plate.

Fortunately my daughter - no longer a toddler - didn't mind her meats mingling with mushrooms that were to be passed over to me.

The salmon was moist and tasty. Miso soup, salad, white rice, spicy shrimp roll and gyoza - fried pork dumplings - completed the bento box.

The gyoza was greasy; however, our shrimp tempura appetizer ($5.95) was perfectly light and crunchy, terrific in the fresh ginger-infused sesame-soy sauce.

A la carte sushi and sashimi, yellowtail ($2.25), salmon ($1.95), tuna roll ($3.95) and "chef's special roll," rich roll ($9.95), made with salmon, tuna and avocado topped with spicy salmon and "tempura crunch," were fresh and appealing.

When our Chinese-speaking server did not understand us, she sought help from her co-workers.

Our pleasant server, however, did not anticipate our needs for beverage refills and clearing of our finished dishes, even after we were served mochi - vanilla ice cream encased in rice cake ($4). The desire to serve, however, outweighed the awkward lapse.

Fresh hibachi and sushi fare offered

at a fair price in a comfortable venue without the antics makes Shiki a surefire visit.

Tammy G. Jaxtheimer, flavor@pilotonline.com By Tammy G. Jaxtheimer

Restaurant critic

When my daughters were toddlers, hibachi grill lunches were in the rotation with parks, play dates and Pungo produce picking. The hibachi chef captured their attention with fanfare and fire, enabling me to enjoy lunch without fries and a play area.

It turns out that my pre-teen girls still love the hibachi fare even without the show that typically goes with it.

That might explain why they were so well-behaved in their younger days - they were too afraid of the fire to get out of line.

Shiki Sushi Bar & Hibachi Grill, opened by husband and wife Tony and Jennifer Pan three years ago on Chesapeake's Mount Pleasant Road, offers a good combo for us.

The 40-seat casual storefront restaurant had the single hibachi chef hopping - but mostly with to-go orders. When our hibachi chicken and steak ($15.95) and teriyaki salmon for the bento box ($14.25) were prepared in front of us, there was no fire, nor flying food.

Grilled chicken and medium-rare, tender steak were delicious with fried rice and sautéed zucchini, broccoli and mushroom accompaniments with two piquant dipping sauces.

The mixing of the grilled morsels reminded me of a stir-fry rather than hibachi service, where the food is typically served in quadrants of the plate.

Fortunately my daughter - no longer a toddler - didn't mind her meats mingling with mushrooms that were to be passed over to me.

The salmon was moist and tasty. Miso soup, salad, white rice, spicy shrimp roll and gyoza - fried pork dumplings - completed the bento box.

The gyoza was greasy; however, our shrimp tempura appetizer ($5.95) was perfectly light and crunchy, terrific in the fresh ginger-infused sesame-soy sauce.

A la carte sushi and sashimi, yellowtail ($2.25), salmon ($1.95), tuna roll ($3.95) and "chef's special roll," rich roll ($9.95), made with salmon, tuna and avocado topped with spicy salmon and "tempura crunch," were fresh and appealing.

When our Chinese-speaking server did not understand us, she sought help from her co-workers.

Our pleasant server, however, did not anticipate our needs for beverage refills and clearing of our finished dishes, even after we were served mochi - vanilla ice cream encased in rice cake ($4). The desire to serve, however, outweighed the awkward lapse.

Fresh hibachi and sushi fare offered

at a fair price in a comfortable venue without the antics makes Shiki a surefire visit.

Tammy G. Jaxtheimer, flavor@pilotonline.com By Tammy G. Jaxtheimer

Restaurant critic

When my daughters were toddlers, hibachi grill lunches were in the rotation with parks, play dates and Pungo produce picking. The hibachi chef captured their attention with fanfare and fire, enabling me to enjoy lunch without fries and a play area.

It turns out that my pre-teen girls still love the hibachi fare even without the show that typically goes with it.

That might explain why they were so well-behaved in their younger days - they were too afraid of the fire to get out of line.

Shiki Sushi Bar & Hibachi Grill, opened by husband and wife Tony and Jennifer Pan three years ago on Chesapeake's Mount Pleasant Road, offers a good combo for us.

The 40-seat casual storefront restaurant had the single hibachi chef hopping - but mostly with to-go orders. When our hibachi chicken and steak ($15.95) and teriyaki salmon for the bento box ($14.25) were prepared in front of us, there was no fire, nor flying food.

Grilled chicken and medium-rare, tender steak were delicious with fried rice and sautéed zucchini, broccoli and mushroom accompaniments with two piquant dipping sauces.

The mixing of the grilled morsels reminded me of a stir-fry rather than hibachi service, where the food is typically served in quadrants of the plate.

Fortunately my daughter - no longer a toddler - didn't mind her meats mingling with mushrooms that were to be passed over to me.

The salmon was moist and tasty. Miso soup, salad, white rice, spicy shrimp roll and gyoza - fried pork dumplings - completed the bento box.

The gyoza was greasy; however, our shrimp tempura appetizer ($5.95) was perfectly light and crunchy, terrific in the fresh ginger-infused sesame-soy sauce.

A la carte sushi and sashimi, yellowtail ($2.25), salmon ($1.95), tuna roll ($3.95) and "chef's special roll," rich roll ($9.95), made with salmon, tuna and avocado topped with spicy salmon and "tempura crunch," were fresh and appealing.

When our Chinese-speaking server did not understand us, she sought help from her co-workers.

Our pleasant server, however, did not anticipate our needs for beverage refills and clearing of our finished dishes, even after we were served mochi - vanilla ice cream encased in rice cake ($4). The desire to serve, however, outweighed the awkward lapse.

Fresh hibachi and sushi fare offered

at a fair price in a comfortable venue without the antics makes Shiki a surefire visit.

Tammy G. Jaxtheimer, flavor@pilotonline.com