There’s so much satisfaction in being able to pick from a multitude of options to create a flavor combination that’s just right. In October, Jingbo Xiao opened his second location of Soba Asian Kitchen in Cleveland Heights with the hope it would pick up more business closer to Cleveland than the seasonally busy Sandusky location. The fast-casual hibachi joint arrives at just the right time as grab-and-go eateries have grown more popular during the pandemic.
But whether you grab a seat at one of the few available tables or take your meals to go, the experience of building your own hibachi bowl ($7.99-$9.99) makes the visit worthwhile. Start with a base of basil steamed rice, fried rice or three different noodles: traditional, udon or a thin Soba buckwheat version. Then, pack in the protein with chicken, steak, shrimp or pork belly followed by your choice of any combination of veggies including broccoli, cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, onions and kimchi.
From there, you can pile on up to four combinations of sauces — from a smooth and decadent garlic butter that pairs well with steak, to sweet and succulent Thai chili, teriyaki, Korean BBQ, Sriracha Spice and, of course, yum yum sauce. Coupled with traditional appetizers such as gyoza, edamame and crab Rangoon, you can’t go wrong no matter how you shake up your main meal.
When You Go:
Soba Asian Kitchen, 1827 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-331-07029, sobaasiankitchen.com
