I had lunch at this restaurant almost three years ago and only got the chance to return last Friday when I and two buddies were scouting for a place to eat.
A friendly food staffer handed us a white board where the lunch specials for the day were scrawled in Japanese and English in blue ink.
I decided to go for the mahi-mahi fry but my buddy beat me to it. I settled for the mahi-mahi teriyaki instead while my other buddy ordered shrimp fry. Sipping cold tea from tall glasses as we waited for our orders, I studied the small but pleasant dining cove.
The shiny wooden floors, huge lanterns hanging from the ceilings, typical Japanese decorations on the walls, and small woven bamboo stick draperies on the windows make diners feel as though they are in a world of their own, isolated from the rest of the island.
Intricately carved wooden bars and grills that serve as dividers between cubicles offer diners some sort of privacy. If you prefer, you can sit in the counter facing the full bar, or occupy the tatami section with three low tables and tatami mats are available for diners.
Our orders were served on bento trays, complete with side dishes of salad, vegetables, sashimi, bits of appetizers, and miso soup.
My mahi-mahi teriyaki exceeded my expectations. The fish slices were crispy on the outside and tender on the insides and the teriyaki sauce poured on top of it complimented the mahi-mahi.
We lingered over lunch and drank more of the refillable tea that came with our orders, but soon it was 2 p.m. and the restaurant staffers started to clear the lunch tables.
Lunch boxes are $7.50 per order and choices vary from pork or chicken cutlets, bbq short ribs or saba, bbq pickled saba or open sanma, fried chicken, hamburger, shrimp tempura, pork ginger, beef cube steak, and more.
Imoya Restaurant is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Major credit cards are accepted. For inquiries, visit Imoya Restaurant near the Microl intersection in San Jose.
