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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Mitaka Restaurant

Mitaka Restaurant, Harrisburg Pennsylvania © Susqueats.com 2009

15 Years ago, if you wanted sushi in the Harrisburg Area your choices were extremely limited. Over the years though, sushi's popularity has grown and there are now a fair number of options for the discerning (and perhaps daring) epicurean. One of the newest offerings is Mitaka Restaurant. Located in the Paxtang area of Harrisburg at 560 S 29th Street, Mitaka is easily accessible from both the East and West Shores. Mitaka is the newest choice from restaurateur Caroline Lai, who owns restaurants in Center City, Carlisle, and York, so you'd expect a tried and true formula. You'd be expecting wrong though - at least partly. Mitaka is the first of Caroline's restaurants to offer dim sum. In fact, while it is popular in the big cities, Mitaka is one of the first in this area to specialize in it.

Mitaka is easy to spot from 29th street and offers ample parking.

In addition to a nice sized dining area there is a handsomely decorated standard sushi bar.

Pictured is a plate of sashimi. If you like raw fish, this is the way to go. If you've never tried it before, it's not as bad as you may think. In fact, its quite good. Just mix some soy sauce and wasabi ("waaaassssabbi") in a small dish and give it a dip before taking a bite. Don't be afraid... it won't bite you back (unless of course you overdo the wasabi).

This is a selection of the dim sum. While I've had dumplings before in assorted Chinese restaurants, this was my first time with dim sum. It was really quite good. From the front clockwise: Shrimp Dumplings, Chives and Shrimp Dumplings, Roast Pork Bun, House Dumplings, and Chicken and Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf,. My favorite was probably a toss up between the Shrimp Dumpling and the House Dumpling while my wife and Ken (see Ken below) like the Chives and Shrimp Dumplings. If you like things spicy be sure to ask for some Sriracha Sauce to dip them in (this stuff is great, I keep a bottle at home).

Rice Rolls with Shrimp.

The Tropical Inferno Roll is certainly cool to look at. It is a rice roll with smoked salmon, mango, shrimp, masago & scallion topped with avocado, tobiko, and a spicy sauce.

Other the fact that sushi is just so good to eat, it is like edible art. Each sushi roll is a mini sculpture specially made just for you.

This image shows a couple sushi and handrolls. Clockwise from top left: Tamago Sushi (I've long considered this to be a dessert in sushi restaurants, though may be shunned for such an opinion), Tobiko Sushi (the kids chowed this before I could even try them - I didn't tell them what it was), Salmon Handroll, and an Eel & Cucumber Handroll.