TURNING JAPANESE
May 9, 2014
THE HUNGER JAMES OFFICIAL RATING:
There is a restaurant in Melbourne, Florida that is pretty famous. If you are from Brevard County, you have been there to celebrate at least one birthday or special occasion, and you definitely went there for your junior prom. The restaurant I am referring to is Makotos.
Makotos is a hibachi-style Japanese restaurant great for large groups or a small party of two. When I decided to leave Florida and pursue my dream of being a professional backup dancer, I knew that aside from Publix and my parents, Makotos was on the list of things I would miss, and every time I go back home to visit, I must stop in this landmark for lunch or dinner.
For those of you who aren’t lucky enough to hail from Brevard County, you need to plan a trip. Aside from the beaches and Kennedy Space Center, there are some of the best places to dine out. From Da Kine Diegos to Bizarro Pizza to Bunky’s, trust me, you will never go hungry.
On my latest trip to Florida, my friend Laura and I knew we had to go to Makotos at least once during my four day trip. We decided to go in the afternoon to take advantage of the lunch special – half price meals – and have leftovers to take home for dinner.
We were sat at a large hibachi table that held 10 chairs. While sipping on our diet cokes, we patiently waited the other members to our table. But they never came. That’s the one thing I am not a huge fan of with these places – having to share a table. Sometimes you luck out and the people are nice and fun, but usually it is incredibly awkward when you have to fight on who gets the extra portion of rice.
After about twenty minutes of sitting there alone, our chef came to the table and informed us that it would just be the two of us at the table. Ecstatic, we got up and moved to the center of the table to get a great view of the “show.” Dining at Makotos is really like going to a dinner theater – You sit back and watch the chef do all kinds of tricks, from making a volcano out of onions that goes on fire to catching a shrimp tail in their pocket. Even though we had seen these tricks hundreds of times, we sat there with our mouths open and cameras out like it was our first time.
The meal consists of a fried rice, mixed vegetables, your meat of choice and a liver patty. Ask anyone what their favorite part of Makotos is and they will tell you the liver patty. Normally a disgusting delicacy, the liver is served in the form of a burger patty, and when dipped in the white sauce, it is incredible.
Speaking of the white sauce, this is by far one of the best things about this Makotos. A mayonnaise-based sauce that can be put on anything. Yes, ANYTHING. From dipping your teriyaki chicken to smothering your fried rice, this concoction is the perfect accompaniment to anything on your plate.
Whether you are a Brevard County native or just passing through, I highly suggest you stop in at Makotos for lunch, dinner, or your next celebration!