Hokkaido Review

Japanese food is some of the best in the world. Fact. Hokkaido is a great representation of the Americanized take on this amazing culinary culture, and I don't mean "Americanized" in a bad way, necessarily. This is another one of those restaurants that I'm giving five stars because, while there are certainly better sushi restaurants in the country, and even in Georgia, this is hands down the best I have found so far in the Augusta area, and I've tried them all. For the price you pay, it's very hard to beat.

The decor is a contrast of neutral earth tones accented by colorful lighting. The space is limited in a good way (it feels comfortable), and the setting is overall casual and fairly stylish. The tables are consistently clean and the menus are really cool to look at. The staff is incredibly friendly and very accommodating. I have been here many times with my wife, and I kid you not, they have not screwed up a single part of a single order we've ever made. They have gone out of their way for us on several occasions and seem to have their priorities well in order. Excellent folks.

The appetizers are great; we regularly enjoy Shumai  and one of the delectable tempura appetizers. Great bang for the buck!

As per standard in Augusta, the menu is a split menu. It features assorted Japanese and Thai, plus Hibachi offerings. For some reason, Augustans have a strange fascination with Hibachi-style entrees, and depressingly, you cannot find a Japanese restaurant in the area that can survive without offering these dishes on the menu. I think it has to do with the well-documented local obsession with the vastly overrated artery-hardener known simply as "White Sauce," that is, the bastardized, mayonnaise/ketchup-based sauce which locals may be observed guzzling by the half gallon at any given Japanese restaurant. All of that said, I have experienced (albeit secondhand via a taste test from my wife's plate) the glory of Hokkaido's kitchen know-how. Perfectly caramelized meats, appropriate coating of sauce. Incredibly fragrant and savory fried rice. My wife once ordered the seafood combination of the hibachi entree, which offers scallops and calamari. The calamari was uncommonly tender (most places WAY overcook it) and beautifully colored, and the same could and should be said about the perfectly juicy scallops.

The sushi menu offers all the standard Maki you would expect to find in an American sushi restaurant, plus the usual over-the-top indulgence rolls and even some pretty unique ones. The quality of the fish is very fresh; never had a gross piece of fish from that bar. The presentation is very modern, crisp and clean. Despite their young appearance, their chefs really seem to know what they're doing, even going so far as to add amazing plate art. I am very impressed with the artistry and expertise with which this sushi is executed. I would again stress that I have never seen these guys fall short of the mark.

Bottom line, it's worth every penny. I would only urge you to push the boundaries of your comfort and try something new each time. You won't regret it!