Full disclosure, I’ve never traveled to Japan, so I have no frame of reference when it comes to comparing Japanese food I’ve eaten stateside to what one might find over in the Land of the Rising Sun.
However, regardless of whether you’ve ever ventured to Japan or not, Miyabi Japanese Bistro, which has been open just over a year north of Eldorado and the Dallas North Tollway is more than worth checking out.
Eat With Your Eyes, First
At Miaybi, true to traditional Japanese cuisine, the presentation is as much a part of the dining experience as the taste of the food itself. The Japanese believe that you eat with your eyes first.
The atmosphere is casual, yet elegant, with deep blue lighting, modern accents, and comfortable chairs. Miyabi is open 7 days a week, offering an array of tempting lunch specials from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday.
During the lunch menu hours, diners can choose two rolls from their impressive selection of sushi for just $11 or add a third roll for just three dollars more, a deal which also includes miso soup and a salad.
Sushi, Hibachi, and Sake
There are also three sushi lunch options and bento boxes starting as low as $10. However, since one of my favorite Japanese meals is pretty much anything hibachi-related, I opted for a hibachi lunch special. Diners can choose between seven proteins, including chicken, steak, and shrimp, which is what I opted for.
Besides the main protein, this meal also comes with hibachi soup, a salad, steamed or fried rice with the latter costing a few bucks more, and steamed vegetables.
My shrimp hibachi lunch special only set me back $13 ($11 plus a $2 upgrade for fried rice) and let me tell you, it was a righteous amount of food. The soup came out first, a nice flavorful chicken broth which also features a nice mix of mushrooms, scallions and fried onions.
My salad soon followed, and my only regret is that I didn’t ask about the tasty dressing which made me devour the greens set in front of me rather quickly.
Having no idea about the portion sizes here, I also ordered an appetizer, edamame, soybeans steamed in their pods. But after eating the soup and salad, I quickly realized my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I did eat a few of the edamame but decided to take the rest home for later in the week.
Once my entrée arrived, I was blown away by what I saw. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and two different sauces for dipping were offered. And after one bite of the fried rice, it was clear paying the extra few bucks for the upgrade was the right choice.
A healthy portion of steamed vegetables rounded out this packed plate. To say I was stuffed after this tasty and filling selection of food is an understatement. No, I didn’t have to be helped out of the front door and to my car, but this meal kept me full for more than a few hours and I had some leftovers to boot.
But if you can’t make it to Miyabi for lunch, never fear because they also serve an even bigger menu during their dinner hours. Or maybe a visit to their happy hour is a possibility, which my waitress told me is quite popular with its drink and food specials.
Something else worth mentioning is that not only do they have a full bar, but they also have a sizeable selection of different sakes. Since I was working just a few hours after eating here, I couldn’t partake, but I’ll be sampling one or two of them on my next visit.
So, if you’re looking for something different in your next meal, give Miyabi Japanese Bistro a shot for a nice bit of Japanese flavor right here in Frisco.
Miyabi Japanese Bistro and Bar
12005 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300
Frisco, TX 75034
(469) 388-1288
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 am – 3 pm (lunch), 4:30 pm – 9:30 pm (dinner)
Friday: 11 am – 3 pm (lunch), 3 pm – 10:30 pm (dinner)
Saturday: 11:00 am – 10:30 pm
Sunday: 11:30 am – 9:30 pm