Father's Day 2011 turned out to be pretty great! We were going to BBQ for Charlie, my step dad. My Dad was out of town and we will be celebrating him next week. Charlie wanted steaks and twice baked potatoes, etc...

Well, when Kim went to start the BBQ, we ended up being out of propane. Instead of going and filling the tank at the gas station- we decided to go to Hibachi Steakhouse in Anaheim Hills.

As a child, we went to Benihana's with my dad for any and all special occasion. My mom and Charlie prefer Hibachi, and slowly we have all turned our backs on Benihana's and became loyal followers of Hibachi.

Hibachi is a small, family owned restaurant in the corner of a inconspicuous shopping center in Anaheim Hills. It is small inside, but the staff is always the same faces greeting you, and the food is always consistent- AND AMAZING!

My favorite part of the Hibachi experience/meal is the soup. You are seated at an 8 person Tepanyaki table where they cook in front of you. Placing your order is always difficult because everything is good. I typically go for either the Hibachi Teriyaki Steak, Hibachi Shrimp, or my new favorite, Hibachi Scallops. Each meal is served with certain sides. You start off the meal with this heavenly soup. It is an onion stock base and everyone who has eaten at Hibachi knows what I am talking about.

Charlie got beef sashimi to share as an appetizer with all of us. It was so good! They serve beef sashimi, lightly seared, thinly sliced, with a garnish of fried garlic, ginger root, raw onion, and raw scallions on top. The broth that you see is a simple ginger broth that has a hint of sweet in it. This is definitely a hit or miss dish- just depends on your taste buds.

Next to come is the typical ginger dressing salad. I have to admit that I was disappointed because typically they serve the salad with 1 tomato and I didn't get a single one. I know it doesn't really matter but I appreciate a tomato in my salad and have come to expect it! If there is any criticism that I will have for this blog, it is my missing tomato.

My fried rice came next. The make the fried rice, family style, and everyone gets their scoop. I like to add a small amount of soy sauce and enjoy fried rice. As I have said before, I am not a huge fan of rice, but fried rice is another story- especially from Hibachi.

Some vegetables are always served to everyone at the table. Onions and Zucchini were the veggies of the night. Nothing exciting beyond that.

My second favorite part of the Hibachi experience, would be the shrimp appetizer. I love seafood, and I genuinely love Hibachi shrimp. They serve a ginger dressing that has a hint of mustard which is served as an accoutrement for the shrimp. I like to eat my shrimp plain, or to dip in the accompanying sauce.

This is Eddie. He is our family favorite and will make you have a wonderful experience whether you have been to Hibachi a thousand times, or if it is your first visit. He has exceptional customer service and makes you feel like you are in his home while he is making you dinner. Eddie remembers everyone at the table's name and share stories and jokes with you throughout the meal. Eddie has 2 son's but spent his Father's Day Evening making dinner for families who wanted to celebrate Dad. All I can say is that you are lucky if you get seated with Eddie. Thank you for our wonderful dinner and Happy Father's Day Eddie!

Raw Chicken- pretty nasty to look at but I for some reason felt compelled to take a picture of this.

The final product- My entree was so delicious. I ordered the Hibachi Scallops. They were cooked perfectly, lightly buttered, lemon juice and tasted better than they look!

Hibachi Steakhouse is a must in my opinion! It is so unassuming and has humble roots but the food stands alone and speaks for itself. The food is incredible and cannot be skipped!

Happy Father's Day to everyone who celebrated!

I love you Dad, and Charlie- Thank you both for all of the love and support that you give me as well as Jackson! We are lucky to have you both in our lives!