Sushi and hibachi on a budget hit Harrisburg
By VINCENT DANGOLOVICH
Staff Writer
VWDsoo6@psu.edu
The battle cry of the American
college student is all to familiar
to Penn State Harrisburg. “I’m
broke, I can’t afford that!” Yet,
after scrimping and saving eveiy
penny to pay for textbooks,
parking passes, gas, rent and a
myriad of other expenses, we still
have to eat. For most this means
a quick trip to Stacks Market or
a fast food chain drive-through.
This does not have to be the case.
If you hunger for something off
the beaten path with a price you
can afford, might I recommend
looking to the East
It may not be the first item on
your dining out list, but I would
strongly suggest Sushi and
Hibachi the next time you want to
sit and enjoy your food. Of course,
most readers will think that the
suggestion is immediately out of
the question. Some will point to
Benihana or Mikado and note that
a meal there can run $25 before
you even ask your date what they
want. It is true that the Japanese
Steakhouse or Sushi joint have
come with some relatively high
price tags. Steak and seafood often
cost more than other menu items
at more conventional American
restaurants and the “Far East”
theme usually adds a few dollars
on top of this. However, I have
Jim and Pam finally do it
By TOM KLEMICK and
ALLISON MILLS
Staff Writer and Assistant Editor
GTKSOO2@PSU.EDU
MXA932@PSU.EDU
On Oct. 8, 2009 Jim Halpert
and Pam Beesly added their
nutty nuptials to the list of classic
television weddings. The comical
Dunder Mifflin crew traveled
to Niagara Falls for the most
anticipated episode of “The Office”
in a very long time. The special
hour-long avoided the cliches of
television weddings. Writers Greg
Daniels and Mindy Kaling created
a truly hilarious and unique day
for Jim and Pam.
While many television weddings
get lost in the flowers, champagne
and tulle, “The Office” maintained
its comedic structure. Jim and
Pam, played by John Krasinski
and Jenna Fischer, somehow
found a local chain that delivers
quality food and service with a
cost you can afford.
The Tokyo Diner has humble
beginnings. The brainchild of
owner Zu Wang Zhang, the once
single location restaurant now
boasts six locations in central
Pennsylvanian. Among them are
establishments in Selinsgrove,
Mechanicsburg, York, Hershey,
and Lancaster. While all of them
offer the same great food and
service, my personal favorite is
still the very first in Harrisburg.
Although it may be tucked behind
Lowe’s Home Improvement off
Union Deposit, it still pulls in
enough guests to keep the hibachi
tables sizzling as chefs delight
crowds with their culinary tricks.
The menu at the Harrisburg
location is very much like that of
its sister locations with a handful
of notable exceptions. For hibachi
the exception lies in the recent
arrival of crab cake. As with
all of the Tokyo Diner’s hibachi
orders, the price includes ginger
salad, onion soup, vegetables and
rice prepared with your choice of
protein. The Maryland crab cakes
are enticing a few taste buds to be
the protein of choice. I personally
look past the seafood and chicken
for the hibachi steak. Ask them to
prepare it medium and the juicy,
teriyaki meat will almost melt in
your mouth. Do not forget the
mustard and ginger sauces they
offer in which to dip the delicious
manage to find a few moments
of their own amidst the chaos of
their co-workers. This episode
did such a great job of featuring
every character that it could have
been a series finale.
The episode begins in classic
“Office” style, presenting a vomit
fest straight from the film, “Stand
By Me.” With Pam’s morning
sickness as the starting factor,
Dwight commented, “A three
ounce fetus is calling the shots.
It’s so badass.”
But the real fun begins when the
group leaves Scranton and heads
to Niagara Falls. Michael and
Dwight find twins. Kevin’s foot
odor problem becomes a safety
issue. Andy tears his scrotum
dancing. Jim’s slip of the tongue
reveals Pam’s pregnancy to a
disapproving relative, and Michael,
of course, makes it worse. Michael
also painted a portrait of the couple
for their wedding gift.
steak slices. These flavor boosts
send each bite into another
dimension of taste. The steak
works very well to absorb the
season of the sauces employed in
the preparation of the dish. The
price for the hibachi meals ranges
from 10.95 for the vegetable and
goes to 17.95 for the tuna or crab
cake options. This may appear
high but it beats most competitors
by two to five dollars on every
option. You can also come
between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm
to pay almost half price on all
the hibachi items. You can also
get fifteen percent off you bill by
joining the Royal Club.
The Royal Club is an annual
option for the Tokyo Diner fans,
like myself, who wish to save a
few dollars by eating at one of their
favorite restaurants. Normally the
fee is $lO a year, which more
than pays for itself in a few visits.
However, an interview with Mr.
Zhang revealed that Clipper
Magazine currently has a coupon
for free membership. Take the
fifteen percent you save and be
sure tip the staff. The Diner is the
only establishment I have seen
wherein the wait staff will ignore
zoning to ensure the customer is
satisfied.
If you want to save a few dollars
at any time of day without the
Royal Club card, be sure to check
out the Happy Menu. Do not
confuse this with some fast food
monstrosity with toys. No, this
Jim and Pam have a cut tie and a
tom veil, a scene that reminds us
why they’re meant to be together.
They sneak out and privately
marry on the Maid of the Mist
ferry. Later, back at the church,
the Dunder Mifflinites put their
own spin on the You Tube dancing
menu features entrees starting at
$5. You can enjoy tempura dishes,
grilled salmon, teriyaki stir fries
and more. All meals are prepared
in the kitchen and include onion
soup and white rice. I strongly
recommend taking advantage of
this delicious low cost option.
Although it eliminated the
salad and fried rice of the full
hibachi dinners, one customer
was thoroughly pleased with the
portions and flavors of his chicken
with teriyaki.
First and foremost I must order
a jungle roll. While many sushi
establishments offer similar rolls,
the Tokyo Diner does this one
best. Scallops, white fish, and roe
(fish eggs), cut into six pieces,
covered in house sauce and baked.
It makes my mouth water every
time. While I do not know the
ingredients of the house sauce, I
have encountered places that
actually coat this delicious roll
with overpowering amounts of
raw mayonnaise. While I am not
opposed to mayonnaise, it makes
my stomach chum at the though
of it on my sushi. The Diner does
not commit this grievous sin.
For fresher and lighter tastes,
I opt for the Flamingo rolls. You
can choose either salmon or tuna
but the end result is a smile on
your face. If you have not tried
raw fish, this is one of the first
rolls with which to experiment.
If you want a sense of the familiar
and some of that famous raw fish,
wedding video, complete with
Chris Brown’s “Forever”
even though Pam specifically
banned it.
This hilarious deviation was
brilliantly intercut with the
touching scene where Jim
and Pam exchange vowels.
The show’s editors created a
heartfelt video valentine for
everyone’s favorite “Office”
couple.
This episode manages to
highlight every character
without ever taking the focus
off Jim and Pam by excluding
most of the actual wedding.
The ending montage is the
perfect representation of Jim ad
Pam’s relationship. Despite then
chaotic workplace, they’ve always
managed to create moments all
their own.
Jim and Pam’s relationship has
been a breath of fresh air for
television audiences everywhere.
the Rainbow roll tops a California
roll with tuna, salmon, and white
fish.
At this point you may wonder
what you may want to wash down
those hibachi orders and fish
concoctions. Every Tokyo Diner
has a BYOB policy except for the
Harrisburg location, which offers
its own low cost wine, liquor and
beer.
For the sushi eater, Mr. Zhang
and his staff recommend warm
sake. At $3.75 the rice wine is
well worth its cost. I would say
the sake with plum is even better.
If you prefer a chilled beverage,
the plum wine is a very sweet
white wine made, you guessed it,
from fermented plums.
Forthehibachi inclined,an eastern
brewed Sapporo is a beer well
suited to the grill. Otherwise, you
may want to try one of the many
mixed drinks on the beverage
menu. Zhang, while not a big
drinker, stands by his Asian Mai
Tais. A passing waitress pointed
out that the Tokyo Margarita with
tequila and Midori is a sure bet.
Other wise you may want to try a
Tokyo Blue, Acupuncture, Geisha
or Sumo as you sample the Far
East concoctions of the Tokyo
Diner. Almost all mixed drinks
are a mere $4.95. If that does not
excite you, then you want to try
the adjoining, Wild Tima Bar and
Grille where draft pitchers are
only $5. However, that is a review
unto itself.
For three seasons, the “will they,
won’t they” chemistry between
them helped make “The Office”
one of the best shows on television.
Once they got together, however,
that was that. No childish fights
or break-up/make-up storyline
ensued. Stability has defined their
relationship since the day they got
together.
As Jim said, “I bought those boat
tickets the day I saw that You Tube
video. The boat was actually plan
C; the church was plan B, and plan
A was marrying her a long, long
time ago.”
“Niagara” will take its rightful
place among the best episodes of
“The Office.” With such a great
episode debuting as only the fourth
episode of the sixth season, this
show is still at the top of its game.
So congratulations Jim and Pam.
Your big day may not have gone
according to plan, but your big
episode went off without a hitch.