Sogo Hibachi Restaurant

Sogo Hibachi Restaurant
248 US Highway 46 West, Denville
973-784-4981; sogo.cc

Hours: Lunch: Mon–Fri, 11:30 am–2:30 pm. Dinner: Mon–Thurs, 4:30–10 pm; Fri–Sat, 4:30–11 pm; Sun, 4:30–10 pm.

Price: $$/$$$

Style: A sleek bar and cocktail lounge greet you at the entrance, and sixteen hibachi tables fill the dining room, with a giant Buddha and reflecting pool at the center. An outdoor terrace is open during the warmer months.

Don’t Miss: The hibachi experience. Combinations of chicken, shrimp, steak, lobster, scallops, filet mignon, and vegetables ($14.95–$29.95) are cooked at the table and served on a bed of noodles. The meal comes with soup, edamame, and a hibachi shrimp appetizer. Starters include vegetable haru maki—a Japanese spring roll—with a sweet chili sauce ($5) and Japanese fried dumplings, with shrimp or vegetables ($6). Soy-ginger salmon ($18) is coated with a ginger teriyaki sauce and comes with mango tomato salsa and fried rice. Half-roasted duck ($19) is smothered in a five-spice honey glaze and served with sweet potato puree and asparagus. Sushi options include the kirin roll, with soft-shell crab, cucumber, avocado, eel, and tuna ($14), and the spicy yellow dragon roll, with tuna, salmon, yellow tail, crabmeat, and mixed vegetables, topped with spicy crunchy tempura flakes ($13).

Heads Up: The hibachi chefs are enthusiastic and talented—and they won’t hesitate to get the table involved in the fun. Expect to have vegetables and other edible items tossed toward your open mouth. Could make for an entertaining family dinner…or an awkward first date or business meeting.

The Scoop: Sogo opened during the summer, keeping the Japanese tradition alive in the old Bonzai Steak House location. The remodeled space keeps the hibachi going strong, but adds chic decor and a more modern vibe.

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