Biff has just recently started to appreciate Japanese food.  I have tried sushi several times over the years and had come to the conclusion I just didn’t like it.  Too fishy.  Then came Tensuke Express where I started with the curry rice and worked my way up to some more “Japanesey” dishes like Ramen Noodles and California Rolls!  Sarcasm aside, over the last year Japanese food has really grown on me.

Akai Hana, on Old Henderson, used to be called Restaurant Japan.  I had a beef hot pot something or another there years ago.  My mind was not yet ready for Japan.  I was but a padawan.

Akai Hana looks like your cliche Asian joint but with a little class.  It’s decorated in bamboo, weird art, and had an “Asian” dude sitting waiting for a take-out order to make it look “authentic”.  Speaking of authentic… while we were eating, there was a big noise from the kitchen and it went on for several seconds.  I was like “what that a tsunami?  wow, they go to great lengths to make this an authentic experience!”  Too soon? Shut up.

It really is a step above most places we frequent.  They actually give you warm towels to wipe your face and hands before you eat.  Sure, they are just individually wrapped and heated baby wipes, but being from BFE, I had never experienced such a thing.  Not bad at all!  It took my lunch to a whole new level.

I had the daily special lunch box.  It seemed a little steep at 1.25 Jones’ (766.25 Yen or 10 green backs) but it actually turned out to be a good value, I think.  It started with a salad and a bowl of miso soup.

The salad was a spring mix with some Caesar/ginger  like dressing on it.  Have you ever tried to eat some spring mix, from a plate, with sticks? That last little leaf is a beeotch! Much like Whenny, I’m no chop stick ninja, but I “got’er done”.  The miso soup was very tasty with the occassional bite of seaweed and tofu.

The lunchbox itself was like a tour of Japan:

Lunch Box

a side of cooked squid and hijiki (black seaweed) that was quite delectible, two giant prawn coated in panko and fried, a square of some sort of tofu/scrambled egg like stuff covered in a pork(ish) gravy, two pieces of sushi roll, and a salmon filet.  All that and a bowl of rice! That, my friend, is a decent amount of food for a ten spot.

Luckily I had a Chinese (by way of Taiwan) friend with me to help identify what I was chewing on and school me in Asian culture.

I am really looking forward to going back.  Whenny couldn’t make this trip so we have an excuse to go back soon to get his take on the place.

http://www.akaihana.com/

1173 Old Henderson Street

Columbus, OH 43220-3607

(614) 451-5411

Right off the mark I am going to tell ya’ll that Tensuke Express is my favorite Japanese Noodle Bar.  Ok, it’s the only Japanese Noodle Bar I know of but that’s beside the point.  If you aren’t familiar with the place it is a small shop on old Henderson Road smack dab in the middle of the Japanese District.  I am sure someone else has called this little corner of the rising sun the Japanese District but it’s hard to be original in this day and age when (ahem) anyone can be a blogger/restaurant reviewer.  Walking into the place you get the feeling that whatever it is you eat, it’s going to be authentic because there are a lot of Japanese folks in there.  Heck, one day there were so many Japanese men in suit and tie eating lunch, I thought we had crashed a Honda board meeting.  I’m just kidding of course.  Its not like Tensuke Express is a secret known only to the Asian denizens of Chris Town OH.  The place is usually packed if you don’t get there before 11:30.  However you do have to admit that if Japanese folks are heavily patronizing a Japanese restaurant it’s a dang good sign that flavorful things are happening.  

I’ve eaten two dishes at Tensuke Express, soba noodle and small beef bowl and spicy pork ramen. The small beef bowl is essentially rice with a small quantity of what appears to be pot roast on it and the pork ramen should be called pork RAMEN.  The meat looks like it has been lovingly shaved into the main dish with a truffle slicer.  I quipped to the Biff that they can probably get 30 bowls of ramen out of a single pork chop.  I am being a smartass.  I am not a food expert by any means, but like the guy that stayed in the Holiday Inn Express, I’ve watched enough Travel Channel, Food Channel and PBS to know that meat from the land isn’t the main course in Japanese cuisine.  So lets just say that even a CARNIVORE (emphasis added) like myself loves the heck out of some Japanese noodles.  

Soba with Chicken Teriyaki Bowl

The soba is a perfect texture in a savory broth with what I think is a daikon radish (I watched the original Iron Chef too) and green onions floating about.  The ramen is in a salty, spicy broth with said pork, daikon and what appear to be some type of crouton crumbled in it.  The beef and rice are simply excellent.  The meat is sweet and flavorful and the rice is perfect Asian sticky.  It’s a great side dish to the noodle main course.

Udon with Mini Beef Bowl

Not being a chop stick Ninja I was afraid I was going to starve to death with a ton of food right in front of me.  But, necessity being the mother of invention or hunger being the I’m going to figure out how to eat this stuff even if I have to use my hands, I learned the pick up the wad of noodles and slurp like a mad man technique of eating soba.  No prizes for table etiquette but I managed to eat it all with just a few drops of broth on my shirt.  
With a Coke you’re out a Jones and a quarter (10 bucks) for each dish.  What you are getting is really good food that is different from just about all the other stuff out there.  I highly recommend a trip to Tensuke Express.