Bakersfield Life

Divas fired up about Akira

Whether you like your meal served raw or prepared right in front of your eyes, Akira delivers. Our Dining Divas dish on the sushi and the excitement of a teppanyaki meal at this beloved Japanese restaurant.

On a roll

Wendy: My family and I have been dining at Akira for several years. Lori and I are sushi lunch partners on a regular basis. We decided on the house roll, spicy tuna and flying tiger. The house roll was my personal favorite. It was similar to a California roll with tempura shrimp in the center. The flying tiger is full of crab and perfectly smothered with shrimp and avocado. Personally I think it is important that the roll be perfectly bite size. I’ve never been able to bite a roll in half without it falling apart. I was happy when our rolls arrived and they were perfect bite-size pieces.
Aimee: I am not a fan of sushi, but when it was brought to the table it looked like a true work of art, absolutely beautiful! Wendy was so excited I wasn’t going to have any, so she could have my portion.
Whitney: I generally do not go out for sushi, so I was clueless on how or what to order. Thank goodness I was sitting next to Lori. She guided me through the experience until I clearly asked too many goofy questions. She stared me down when I inquired exactly what type of fish eggs are on the house roll. Well, I thought it was a valid question.
Lori: I was quite happy to hear we were going to sushi; sushi is my favorite.  I love, love, love sushi. Actually Wendy and I both love sushi. All the rolls were delicious.
 

Drinks

Aimee: Akira offers a wide variety of cocktails, from martinis and wine to Japanese beer. With so many choices it was difficult to make a decision. I ended up ordering the Absolut Pear Tini. It was the perfect mixture of pear vodka, triple sec, Apple Pucker and strawberry passion liquor topped off with a splash of 7-Up. With so many ingredients it may seem to be overwhelming, but it was very flavorful. Not too sweet, not too strong. I would definitely recommend it.
Whitney: Akira offers a full bar with an interesting drink menu. There is something for everyone and, let’s face it, we all like options! While Aimee tried an apple martini, the rest of us ordered a bottle of cabernet. Aimee always has to be different, which is why I like her!

Time for teppanyaki

Whitney: If you haven’t tried Akira, they cook teppan style, which means the chef prepares the meal on a large tabletop grill. What’s fun and different about Akira is everyone sits around the grill and the chef puts on quite a show while cooking your meal. You have flames flashing, eggs flying and onions that turn into volcanoes during your meal. It’s a casual atmosphere and yet festive; you can’t help but have a good time while your food is being prepared.
Aimee: It is more than just going out to eat; it is a dinner and show combination. If you have the kids with you, they will definitely be entertained and on their best behavior in anticipation of what will come next. Our chef was hilarious, entertaining us not only with his culinary skill, but comedy as well. Make sure to make a reservation, the tables are very popular and fill up fast.
Wendy: There’s just something fun about having your food cooked in front of you. It’s like there are no secrets. Except for the mustard sauce. I asked for the recipe and they said no. Well, I tried. The flaming volcano and the egg toss are fun to watch. It was almost like Whitney turned into a child when the teppan chef lit the volcano. (If you want a more private experience there is private dining available in the center of the restaurant.)
Lori: The cooks are always enjoyable to watch.  Sit around the grill with family and friends and watch the show while having a top-notch eating experience. Our chef was brilliant and I would definitely go again.

Dinner

Wendy: I knew way in advance what I wanted to order. Although there are so many choices my favorite dish is the combination shrimp and sesame chicken. It includes small salad, miso soup, fried rice and vegetables. The salad is always refreshing, and because I love the miso soup so much Lori always gives me hers. (“I’m starting my diet tomorrow!”) I always mix the mustard sauce in the fried rice. Try it, you will be surprised at how good it tastes this way. I love that the food isn’t “over seasoned.” It’s simple — salt and pepper.
Whitney: I ordered the shrimp and scallops. The scallops and shrimp were seared in soy sauce and light seasonings. I often think that shrimp can get overly cooked, but Sin did a fantastic job with the seafood. All of the ingredients Akira uses are very fresh, which is the key to a great meal. Most of the dinner menu is under $20 per person, and you do get your money’s worth.
Lori: The food is prepared with flair and attention to detail. I ordered the scallops, which were cooked to perfection, grilled and cooked with soy sauce. I loved them! Each meal is served with two different sauces for dipping your main course or your vegetables: ginger, which is mainly used for seafood, and mustard that is used for meats. The mustard sauce is a little on the spicy side. You can really taste the wasabi. Each meal is very generous in portion size.  You will have leftovers!

Finishing touches

Aimee: No need for paper, rock, scissors this month. Ice cream comes with your meal! We ordered two of the green tea and two plum to share. I was surprised I really enjoyed the green tea ice cream. I usually lean toward a fruity flavor, but the green tea was cool and refreshing. A perfect flavor end to our meal.
Whitney: Dessert comes with your meal and at that point, I wanted to lay down and go to sleep since I ate a little too much. You know the feeling. I quickly got over it when the plum ice cream came out. It’s excellent! Why do I continue to eat when I’m stuffed? How does Wendy eat beef twice a day? And really, what kind of fish eggs were on the sushi? Next time, I’ll sit at the sushi bar and all my life questions will be answered by the interesting-looking chef rolling the sushi.


Akira
4154 California Ave. 326-1860.
Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.