Turning Japanese...in Fort Wayne, Indiana?

I have always been a southerner. I was born in the South, raised in the South, and I grew up on southern cooking. Lots of barbecue, casseroles, and deep fried deliciousness – think Paula Deen’s cooking, but for every meal! But despite my southern roots, I can’t help but feel like I may have a little of Japanese in me. I have always been a huge fan of Japanese food, culture, history, and architecture. So when I found myself in Fort Wayne this past weekend visiting my roommate’s family, I was as surprised as anyone when I was taken to a local Fort Wayne restaurant called Takaoka of Japan.

Takaoka isn’t a chain restaurant and only has one location – Fort Wayne. Up until now I thought Fort Wayne was just the small town my roommate was from, but now I know that it is home to one of the best Japanese steak houses I have ever been to. I have been to Benihana, Kobe Steak House, and Sakura Steak House and enjoyed them all, but Takaoka was a real delight for me.

We had great service and the food was awesome. I had the Chicken Hibachi, which was just perfect for my taste. I liked everything about this place from their fried rice, their soup, shrimp, and even their veggies, and believe me; I have always been really bad about eating my veggies. The chefs were hilarious and entertaining while cooking in front of us, doing all the classic tricks, including my favorite – the onion volcano – and spinning the super sharp knives without cutting themselves. Now it was a little expensive (the Chicken Hibachi was $17) but the prices weren’t out of line for what you’d expect at a Japanese Steakhouse.

Next time I am back in Fort Wayne, whether with my roommate or not, I am going back to Takaoka and trying their Lobster Samurai for two reasons:

1. It is lobster and I love lobster
2. It has the word samurai in it so I am sure it is awesome

Now all I need is to find a way to Fort Wayne and set aside $33 for the meal…hmmm?