Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

New Japanese ramen bar opens in Mount Dora

11/15/2023

What may be the most anticipated new “bar” in Mount Dora, just opened its doors. After weeks of waiting anxiously, Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi Bar dished out its first bowl on November 14 during its soft opening and didn’t disappoint. It’s soft opening continues through November 26.

Ramen, a hearty dish of Japanese comfort food consisting of noodles, rich broth and fresh ingredients, has become increasingly popular in the U.S. Gone are the days when ramen was synonymous with the pre-packaged instant staple of frugal college students. By contrast, traditional ramen dishes take several hours to prepare properly and are loaded with flavorful ingredients.

RELATED: Local Dining Guide

Although there are countless varieties of ramen, there are four basic categories differentiated by the type of brothy base used. Shoyu ramen has a chicken broth base flavored with soy sauce, while Shio ramen has a lighter chicken broth seasoned with salt. Miso ramen, a richer and heartier broth, is flavored with fermented soybean paste. Lastly, tonkotsu ramen broth is cooked using simmered pork bones, resulting in a more creamy and fatty broth. Traditionally, ramen dishes feature long, wheat noodles, but there are now gluten-free options.

Hokkaido Ramen and Sushi Bar, a 17-table restaurant with a casual and contemporary atmosphere, offers 11 types of ramen ranging from mild to spicy and the optional toppings make the possibilities endless. From the counter, customers can order one of the house specialties like the garlic Tonkotsu ramen made from a rich pork bone broth with a garlic and Shio base then topped with a slice of grilled pork, marinated egg, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts. The Tantanmen ramen is made with a chicken broth with a sesame and ginger base and topped with chopped pork. marinated egg, bok choy, scallions, chili oil and a smear of spicy chili. There is also a gluten-free chicken ramen that's topped with chicken breast, bok choy and green onions. We tried the Ichiban ramen, a house specialty. Its rich, garlicky pork broth and toppings were incredibly fresh and delicious. The other diners we asked all gave thumbs up on their ramen dishes. The ramen prices range from $14.50 to $18, but most are $15.50 and the portions are enough to fill up the average diner. Additional ramen toppings range from $1 to $3.

The owner of the Mount Dora location is local Leesburg resident, Yaxiu (Joy) Yan. Her cousin, who trained in Japan as a ramen chef, takes a minimum of eight hours to cook each broth and uses mostly organic ingredients, according to Yan.

Sushi lovers can also get their fix with five varieties of poke bowls and dozens of 6-piece rolls or hand rolls.

Along with very friendly service, the new Asian eatery also features about a dozen appetizers ranging from edamame, sesame balls and gyoza (dumplings) to coconut shrimp, takoyaki (octopus dumpling) and fried calamari. The prices range from $4.95 to $7.95. Dessert offerings are limited to mochi ice cream, cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake and tiramisu. Currently, the restaurant only serves soft drinks, but there are also five flavors of green teas, and six varieties of milk teas available with your choice of boba.

Hokkaido, a casual restaurant chain, has locations in roughly 20 states and is named after the northernmost island of Japan’s main islands known for its fresh cuisine, Sapporo beer, active volcanoes, and powdery ski slopes.

Hokkaido Ramen and Sushi Bar is located at 17280 U.S. Highway 441 in Mount Dora in front of Target and next to GameStop.

For more restaurant news, events and more in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.  Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Local Dining Guide

Casual Japanese restaurant opens in Tavares

11/1/2023

Following in Mount Dora’s footsteps, Tavares is also seeing more ethnic eateries being added to its growing list of dining options. One of the latest Asian restaurants to open is Tokyo Teriyaki, an unusual hybrid of old-school American diner and no-frills Japanese restaurant, located in the Joann’s shopping center on U.S. Highway 441.

Diner-style breakfasts are served in the morning to accommodate the patrons of the former restaurant in that location. Menu items range from a variety of pancakes ($6-$7), three-egg omelets ($9-$12), as well as biscuits and gravy. During lunch and dinner, diners can start off with Crab Rangoon ($6), pork egg rolls ($5), dumplings ($6.50),edamame, salads ($4-$7) or soups ($3), including a flavorful miso soup. Tokyo Teriyaki also offers nine varieties of basic sushi rolls which don’t include raw seafood for patrons that aren’t too adventurous.

Main courses include the restaurant’s namesake teriyaki dishes ($13-$16), basic Japanese favorites like fish or chicken Katsu ($12-$13), fried rice with a choice of protein ($11-$15), plus various rice and noodle bowls ($12-$15). To mix it up, there is also Korean-style ramen ($13-$15), bulgogi beef and Korean barbecue chicken ($13). Loyal customers of the former diner may like the seven traditional sandwich offerings, including a BLT ($7), grilled cheese ($6) or a tuna melt ($8). For anyone with a sweet tooth, the restaurant offers tempura cheesecake ($7) and a handful of boba teas ($7).

On a recent visit, the chicken teriyaki was cooked perfectly with nice flavor, while the bulgogi beef lacked flavor. Both were served with a tasty serving of grilled peppers and onions, along with traditional sticky rice. It’s advisable to allow plenty of time for your meal because service was very slow with just three other customers in the restaurant at the time. ’They are currently hiring for kitchen help and servers, so the wait time could decrease soon.

Tokyo Teriyaki is located at 359 E. Burleigh Avenue in Tavares. They open at 7:00, six days a week, and close on Tuesdays.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.  Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

The authentic flavors of the Caribbean come to Tavares

11/1/2023

There’s no need to hop over to the islands for authentic Caribbean cuisine. To offer a taste of Jamaica, JamGrill opened last month to rave customer reviews.

The restaurant, owned by a friendly Jamaican couple who now reside in Tavares, dishes up traditional favorites of the island in a casual and friendly environment. Patrons order at the walk-up counter, where they can view all of the house-made menu items before ordering and opt to dine in or take out.

RELATED: Check out the Local Dining Guide

Lunch and dinner starters include saltfish egg rolls and soups like red peas beef soup and chicken soup that are served on different days. Entree portions of traditional lunches and dinners come in two sizes, medium and large. The medium size is a very generous portion, even for those with ravenous appetites. Traditional Jamaican entrees include jerk chicken ($12), oxtail ($16), curried goat ($14), Rasta pasta ($12), Escovitch fish fry ($12) and curried shrimp. All entrees come with rice and peas, plus the diner’s choice of two additional sides, including plantains, fried breadfruit, fried dumplings, festival, and white rice. Many of Jamaica’s popular sodas are available in the self-serve beverage refrigerator.

In addition to lunch and dinner, there are a small number of Jamaican breakfast items including salt fish dishes and porridges that vary by the day. Breakfast service starts at 8 a.m..

JamGrill is located at 390 W. Burleigh Boulevard in Tavares just south of Fish Camp.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz's Instagram and Facebook page for more local info.

Business Buzz

New Japanese ramen bar opens in Mount Dora

Casual Japanese restaurant opens in Tavares

The authentic flavors of the Caribbean come to Tavares

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

Archives

Categories