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Introduction: Road Trip through Texas and Oklahoma
Review: Springhill Suites Oklahoma City/Del City
Review: The Garage – Del City
Review: Holiday Inn Express and Suites – Windcrest
Review: Thai Chalurn – Windcrest
Review: Mash’d – The Rim/San Antonio
Review: Gristmill River Restaurant – Gruene
Review: Aloft Hotel – Fort Worth
Review: Ashim’s Hibachi Grill
I only had one night in Fort Worth so I decided to spend some time in Sundance Square. Having visited the area some months prior, I was very familiar with it. I enjoyed some local bands that were playing nearby and eventually called it a night. While walking back to the hotel, I was approached by a guy wearing an apron and a Japanese style chef hat. He wanted to invite me to Ashim’s Hibachi Grill because it had the “best hibachi in the city”. Considering my limited options back at the hotel, I decided to try Ashim’s.
As I approached the restaurant, I saw a loooooong line inside. The line went to the left and snaked back to the right to the two counters. There were approximately 20 lively (drunk) individuals in front of me. Against my better judgement, I decided to try my luck…the place did tout itself as fast casual dining. As each person ordered, they passed a plastic menu back to the next customer (not very efficient). After an hour, I finally made my way to the counter. I quickly ordered gyoza ($6 USD) and shrimp hibachi ($11 USD). The cashier gave me a number and told me that seating was open.
Ashim’s was arranged in a reverse “L”. There was five small tables to left and hibachi grill seating to the right as I made my way towards the back of the restaurant. I wanted to be as far away from the commotion as I possibly could.
At the back of the restaurant, I found an area with a few high top tables and the far side of the hibachi grill. I chose the last table in the row, next to the storage closet. This part of the restaurant was quiet, but it would not last long.
As I began my wait, I noticed that the there was only one chef using one hibachi grill. I thought that it would change as more customers filled into the restaurant, but it did not. Only one chef cooked on the hibachi for EVERYONE in the restaurant. It was unbelievable.
It was almost 30 minutes before the miso soup was delivered. The soup tasted bland, almost as if it were some instant soup.
Another 15 minutes went by before the gyoza arrived. To put it simply, the gyoza was terrible. There was so much grease on the gyoza that they had become soggy and almost inedible. The waiter asked if I wanted them made over, I declined.
The shrimp hibachi came 20 minutes after the gyoza. If my math is right, I waited 55 minutes for the food. So much for fast casual, right? I will say that the shrimp and fried rice were delicious. My only complaint here was that the portions were small.
Final Word
I made the mistake of visiting Ashim’s on a Saturday night after the bars closed. The amount of customers in the restaurant, coupled with one chef on the hibachi grill, made for a bad experience. I cannot believe that I spent two hours in a restaurant for a three-course meal. There is a lesson to be learned here, do not go to a restaurant suggested by a random guy on the street.
