Yakiniku "D-I-Y at the table" grilling at Camellia
I really dig those dining experiences where you cook your own food at the table and/or assemble it yourself, or at least, have the cook or server prepare it right before you.
Japanese cuisine has a number interactive dining experiences. There's Shabu-Shabu, where each diner is served a plate of their own uncooked vegetables and meats, which you cook yourself in a boiling pot of water in the center of the table. Sometimes its just water, while some are flavored with Miso or Dashi. You then dip your cooked Shabu Shabu in dipping sauce, which typically is Ponzu or Misoyaki Sauce, or just plain shoyu.
Yakiniku, where you cook your own meat and veggies on a shared grill in the center of the table.
Then there's Teppanyaki and Sushi, where your dishes are prepared by a skilled chef who slices 'n dices, grills and rolls right before you.
Tableside service on the shore of Waikiki beach at Michel's in the Colony Surf
In the US, we have the Tableside Preparations performed by a skilled waiter, including the Caesar Salad, Steak Diane and Chateaubriand. Or how about Subway, when you tell the "Sandwich Artist" how to make your sub? lol
I also really dig Mongolian Barbecue. Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe) used to have an awesome Mongolian Barbecue restaurant. It's like Teppanyaki and Buffet all in one. Instead of being served a given set of veggies and meats, you go down a buffet line to pick and choose what you want, then you take it to cook who grills it all for you. Your cooked food is served with the starch of your choice. LOVE that!
Shorebird Waikiki offers D-I-Y Grilling, where you choose your cut of steak or burgers and veggies and fire 'em up yourself on a flamin' hot grill. Never tried it, but it sounds like fun.
Then there's the Cooked-to-Order Egg Station. And the Cut-to-Order Prime Rib. Oh yeah, thick please. Lots of fat, please. No ends for me. I want it "moo'ing" pink rare.
Fondue, anyone? Anything dipped in hot melted cheese is A-OK with me!
Bac Nam: Bo Luong La Lot – Grilled Beef wrapped in lá lốt Leaves. $13.50
Bac Nam Vietnamese Restaurant (so awesome) offers Roll-ups on a Plate, where you're given all the ingredients for your spring roll, yet you roll it up yourself by first "cooking" (hydrating) the rice wrapper in a bowl of hot water that's given to you on the side. You then assemble the ingredients on the rice paper roll, roll it up like a burrito, dip in the Sweet Chili Sauce, and enjoy.
I always wanted to try some Nude Sushi. Sounds "stimulating". lol
Surely there's many other interactive dining experiences, from catching your own fish and lobster, to God knows what... and we may not want to know!
What's your favorite interactive dining experience? Anything unusual you've tried?
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