Choo Choo Food Review

Posted by Fidelity in critical writing, Food Review, review

Thirty-minute lunch break? Cheap family diner? Scrounging for a late night snack? Pocketbook on low? Eyes bigger then your stomach?

If so, Choo Choo Japanese Korean Grill Express is your answer.

Choo Choo is an Athens specialty. In your four years of undergrad, two years of graduate school or whatever else brings you to the quaint town of Athens, it’s unlikely that you haven’t ventured into this hotspot. It is a favorite for students and locals alike. It is best known for its fast, affordable hibachi style, Japanese-Korean cuisine. Hibachi is an American term for Japanese teppanyaki cooking; a process where gas-heated hotplates are integrated into tables that many people can sit around and eat at once.

Choo Choo embraces the same individually prepared hibachi style cuisine without the long wait or cumbersome crowded restaurant environment. The best part of Choo Choo is that you can get the same food for a fraction of the cost. Choo Choo is a win-win for most anybody looking to mute the hungry grumble in their tummy. They offer take-out and flexible hours (open till 2 a.m.).

On a typical Tuesday night around 7:30pm I finish weights ravenous and tired. I don’t have time to cook dinner, so in line with my normal routine I go to Choo Choo to order some grub.

I’m known for my adventurous and somewhat nonsensical choices when I go out to eat. But with Choo Choo I never dare. I know what I like, and what I like is great. So the chicken entrée it is, every time. However, I’ve frequented this restaurant far too many times and the adventurous bone in my body is daring me to abandon my normal routine and try something new. I silently oblige to this desire and scale the large menu plastered on the wall for the two most unique names.

I make eye contact with the cashier. Before I can even speak he smirks and says, “To Go right?” I nod; overly pleased that he remembers my customer loyalty. It’s my personal theory that you get more food in the plastic to-go container. Choo Choo is known for their large plate size that only the “big dawgs” can finish in one sitting. Instead of trying to over-eat and get used to those large scrumptious portions I encourage myself to take it home and heat it up the next day. I recommend only pouring the sauce on what you eat. That way when you zap it in the microwave, it has the same fresh taste from when you first ordered it.

Continuing my conversation with the cashier, I order the most enticing names on the menu. For my appetizer I try the “choo choo gyoza,” I figure anything with the establishments name in it has to be promising. It is $4.79 for 8 pieces. For my entrée I order bulgoki for $6.99.

No matter the time of day, the restaurant looks the same. Busy, but not too crowded. This time is no exception. Waiters stacking up bags filled with Styrofoam to-go orders. Cooks sweat as they habitually roast the meat over a large fire.

I sit down at a booth by myself and pull out my notebook without any attention. The computer next to the soda machine (which is most always being used to surf the latest updates on facebook) serves as a friendly reminder that this restaurant caters to the needs of the customer. It’s an inviting environment to those who need a little background noise, muffled distraction and the smell of good food close by while they hangout with friends, talk with family, or do a little studying.

The plastic silverware, thin napkins, and tv’s featuring the latest footage from ESPN create a relaxed environment. For this I am thankful. Especially on nights like tonight when I can come as I am: rushed, hungry, and somewhat in need of a shower. I don’t feel guilty for being underdressed nor pressured to use proper eating etiquette. For a busy girl like me, this is my kind of place.

I start with the Gyoza, kind of alarmed by its appearance I hesitate at my first bite. I’m told it is a pork dumpling. Its taste is simple, dull almost. I dip it into the teriyaki type sauce to give it a little more zest, but it doesn’t do much for me. The crunch of the fried gyoza was lacking, and the simmer of the steamed gyoza was for the most part non-existent. Bored with my consumption of meaningless calories I moved on to the entrée.

Instant gratification is what I got. The beef bulgoki meat marinated in traditional Korean sauce had my mouth watering from the first bite. The texture was tough without making my mouth tired from gnawing on the hide, yet tender enough to chew without being gushy. It was perfect. The taste was heavenly and the marinade paired perfectly with the fried rice.

In a town heavily populated with low-budget college students the key to survival for a food chain is to provide students with a lot of food for a little bit of money. Choo Choo’s excels at this. You don’t sacrifice quality or quantity at this establishment. The menu features a wide array of meets and vegetables, if you’re in Athens and looking for something that will give you a bang for your buck then Choo Choo is your place!

For those that are specifically looking for the sit-down party style I would visit Inoko, a Japanese steakhouse, or Shokitini a Sushi bar.