REVIEW--Makoto Japanese Buffet

(Today's word will be in ALL CAPS, BOLD, ITALIC, and STRIKETHROUGH.)



By no means is my son a picky eater; he'll try just about anything at least once. The things he likes, he wants more of; the things he doesn't, he avoids at all costs.

To date, the only things he really despises are pickles. He also can't stand mustard, or avocados, but has conceded that in other food, (like potato salad with mustard), he can deal with them.

To me, these are basic foods that most people like, except my son. Yet, while he doesn't like these simple things, he loves to try all kinds of foods. Ostrich, emu, bear, elk, buffalo, alligator, I could go on and on about the different foods he's tried, and liked.

Sushi is another favorite of my son, which brings me to the real subject of this blog; Makoto Japanese Buffet, in Vancouver, Washington.

We first tried Makoto last August, on my son's birthday. Customers of the restaurant eat free on their birthday, when accompanied by a paying customer. Since my son had wanted to try the place, we went, and were not disappointed.

Unlike most Asian buffets in our area, Makoto has truly fresh food. Instead of leaving something to sit until it's gone, the chefs at Makoto replace items as needed, and if something has sat for too long, they replace it with fresh food.

I honestly didn't think I'd be a fan of sushi, having tried it before and only liking a bit of what I'd had. Makoto however had me trying all types of sushi. While unlike my son, I didn't eat anything with TENTACLES, I found other types of sushi that was delicious.

In addition to sushi, the restaurant has a variety of other foods, such as orange chicken, calamari, pepper steak, and one of my favorites, tempura red snapper.

Since we hadn't been to Makoto since August, we decided to go again a few weeks ago. The only difference in the experience we had this time, compared to the first, is the amount of people in attendance.

The first time, business was fairly slow; this time though, the place was packed, with people waiting for available seating. The food however was just as excellent as we'd had in August.

Why I haven't written about this place before now, I don't know. What made me think about it was an email I'd received from a co-worker, asking me the name and location of the restaurant. It was his wife's birthday, and he wanted to take her there for dinner.

Some may think the price is a bit steep; I know I did at first. However, if you really like sushi, and want all you can eat, you'll get your money's worth. Lunch is $8.99 a person, while dinner is $14.99 Monday through Thursday. Friday dinner, and all day Saturday and Sunday is $15.99. This doesn't include beverages, or tax.

Makoto isn't somewhere my budget will allow me to frequent regularly; though it's nice to know there's somewhere nearby I can go when I have something to celebrate, or just want to treat myself.

Makoto Japanese Buffet is located at 1119 163rd Place, Vancouver Washington. Their hours are 11am to 2:30pm & 4:30pm to 9:30pm, Monday through Friday; and 11:30am to 9:30pm Saturday and Sunday.

Snow & Angels

First, aside from the subject of this post: Happy Leap Day everyone! And happy birthday to my former co-worker, Sheila McCluskey, who becomes a "teenager" today...13 years old...In leap years anyway!

On to the rest of this post. By now anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows I live up in the hills outside of Vancouver, Washington. This time of year can mean a lot of snow at times, and today is no exception. Right now I have about 4-5 inches at my house.

I already had today and tomorrow planned as vacation days, so no worries about that. Whenever I get snow here though, I have co-workers who insist I need to make a snow angel and send them the photo.

Finally after hearing this over and over this winter, I did what they asked. I made a snow angel, took a photo of it and sent it to them. They now tell me I cheated! I say I didn't. Technically no one said *I* had to LAY in the snow and make a snow angel; they just asked me to make one, and I did.

I think it's a pretty good snow angel, and it was much easier than laying in cold, wet snow. Just took a couple of jar lids and made it in the snow on the hood of my car.

So, did I cheat; or did I fulfill what my co-workers asked of me? (SMILE!)

Earthquake Hits Vancouver

On Monday, August 1, 2011 an earthquake hit at 192^nd Avenue and First Street in Vancouver, Washington.  The specific place was a new restaurant, Brothers Burgers; and the “earthquake” was the Earthquake Jake Burger, created by KUPL’s Earthquake Jake Byron.

In July Jake had won a contest by eating ten sliders in five minutes.  The prize was being able to create a burger and have it sold at Brothers Burgers during the entire month of August.  Half the money of every Earthquake Jake burger sold goes to the Oregon National Guard Emergency Relief Fund; the charity Jake chose to help. 

August 1^st, Jake was at Brothers Burgers between 5 and 7 pm, to promote his burger to KUPL listeners and any other patrons of the restaurant.  Anyone who bought an Earthquake Jake burger that evening received a Brothers gift bag as well.  The bag contained various items, like a mug, Frisbee, pen and other things with Brothers logo on them, pretty cool.

  The burger Jake created consists of, (from the bottom up), a brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, an angus beef patty, a slice of American cheese, bacon, another slice of American cheese, Lay’s potato chips and Brothers house dressing.

Jake said the reason for putting the bacon between two slices of cheese was to keep it from sliding off the burger.  The cheese envelopes the bacon, adhering it to the hamburger. 

The Lay’s potato chips were Jake’s wife’s idea.  He said the chips represent the plates in the earth that shift during an earthquake. 

I’ve always loved chips on my burger, so I was excited to try Jake’s creation; maybe a bit too excited.  I’d meant to take a photo of the burger before I ate it, but forgot.  So instead, here’s what half an Earthquake Jake burger looks like. 

Trust me, the burger is delicious, and filling!  I’m pretty sure Jake himself can attest to the filling part.

Between 6 and 7 pm Jake took a challenge from Jolynn Winter as to how many Earthquake Jake burgers he could eat in an hour; his goal was six burgers.  For each burger Jake ate, Jolynn said she’d donate ten dollars to Jake’s charity. 

Jake got off to a fast start and downed four burgers in a matter of minutes.  It took him a bit longer to get through the fifth burger.  I was really feeling sorry for him at that point; he looked like he wasn’t feeling too well at all.  He was determined though, and eventually made it through the fifth burger.  As much as he wanted to however, Jake only got a little way through the sixth burger before calling it quits for the evening.  He seemed disappointed that he hadn’t gotten through all six burgers, (though it may have just been heartburn at that moment).  I was impressed though; I barely got through one and was stuffed, so I can only imagine how Jake felt after five.  And like I told him, he made $50 off Jolynn for his charity. 

If you’re interested in trying the Earthquake Jake burger, the price is $7.89+tax, (notice the price is 98.7 backwards), with half that price going to the Oregon National Guard Emergency Relief Fund.  Brothers will have the Earthquake Jake BURGER available through the end of August. 

Brothers Burgers is located at 19206 SE 1st St., Vancouver, WA.