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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Kobe Asian Restaurant
As Emily and I scouted for a local place to catch a quick meal on the Southside of the airport, we practically squealed our brakes as we caught the red-lit sign for Kobe Asian Restaurant. Being somewhat familiar with the area, I was not optimistic about our chances without heading back down Murfreesboro towards the imperial and intriguing New Orleans Manor and some of the local dives back toward I-24.
Kobe Asian Restaurant is located just a couple of blocks off of the intersection of Donelson and Murfreesboro Road, away from town on Murfreesboro. It is not easy to catch. You have to keep your eyes peeled to the right, and if you miss it, be prepared to u-turn on busy Murfreesboro. We rambled through the parking lot and felt like we were walking into a film noir location in the early evening, and our experience on the inside was as intriguing as the smoke-filled streets of private eye mischief.
Inside the restaurant is a huge interior, bringing to mind images of industrial-strength capacity as the seating would be capable of holding two bus loads. If you’ve got a huge group this is the place for you – especially needed near the airport. The sushi bar spans the length of the long rectangle of a restaurant, and I enjoyed the beautiful framed shots of nature behind the sushi bar while I tried to ignore the news emanating from the flatscreens. On our early evening – around 5:30 on a Thursday, we were one of a few couples dining in this vast space, with an older member of the family relaxing at the laptop computer in the dining room corner.
We wondered why more people were not there. They are right down the road from Dell, so they may focus on a lunch crowd. Their menu is extensive, and surprisingly spans both Asian fare and Thai dishes. Their menu carries a full compliment of about sixty sushi rolls, which averaged at about $7 or $8, but ranged from $3.50 to $16.00 for the Tuna Lover. There is a full Bento box menu with over thirty options, priced around $9.00 for lunch and $13.00 for dinner. Thai options included sesame chicken, several curries, Pad Thai and known cohorts Lard Nah and Pad Kea Mao, each for $8.00. Most intriguing were the House specials for $13.00 – with the Sizzling Talay calling very loudly for a chance to show off. We wished we could have been more exploring with our brief visit, as these wealth of options dared us to push the hybrid style of Asian fare and Thai to the limit.
Despite these expressive options, we were pressed for time, and needed to be in and out, so we gave them simple and quick choices. Emily chose the California roll and I chose the Pad Thai. Our waitress took on the challenge, and to our indescribable shock had our dishes out within about three minutes. I know you’re wondering how they did it too, but you’ll be really shocked to hear how well they did with it.
The California roll arrived with more styling than I’ve ever seen given to the well-known sushi staple. It came on a half-shell ribbed plate, which is not extraordinary when compared to slightly elevated wooden slabs elsewhere, but it did make a nice impression. So what made it special? These rolls came with two rows of four toppled on top of each other like fallen dominoes, and elegantly encased with roe. They perhaps took their inspiration from some logo designs where the smallest grid unit of square dot-per-inch slowly transforms itself from solid to light – that reminded me of the gradual ascent the red roe made from the side of the roll to the top. Both Emily and I were quite impressed, and we enjoyed the flavorful rolls.
My Pad Thai was also a success. The noodles arrived with their usual accompaniment of peanut-themed flavors, and the addition of fresh cut green onions made a lasting impression as the noticeable addition to the classic Pad Thai option. This version included a flat noodle, but did not include any side-item additions such as extra chopped peanuts or slices of red onions. If you preferred hot sauce additions, several styles were available on the table. We were pleased, and although it did not have the flare of the sushi, it made a positive impression. The dish was gone in an instant, as Emily and I had to make our getaway.
With the attention to detail given our simplest selections, it speaks well of what this restaurant can give its signature dishes. Most importantly, if you’re waiting at the airport and need an option, consider slowing down that airport parking meter charge and stop in here. They certainly had us in and out within our time frame. The Donelson-side extended airport parking lots are also right there, so if you’re looking for a foodie exit before a flight, this may be a good option you haven’t considered before.
Kobe Asian Restaurant
1609C Murfreesboro Pk
Nashville, TN 37217
(615) 360-8313
Located at Norton’s Corner across from High Way Patrol and Dell
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