Sakura Family Restaurant: Top Notch Service

A few months ago, LedeNews profiled a number of eateries in Bellaire, many of which we’ve explored in detail prior to.

One of those that we’ve yet to examine more closely is Sakura Family Restaurant on at 3293 Belmont Street.

Seeing as I was in Bellaire with time to kill earlier today, figured it was time to check it out. Last time I was in this building, I was enjoying a fine meal at Rigas.

Upon entering, it still had that feel of Rigas, a friendly local eatery. As I soon discovered that overall feel continued throughout the late afternoon.

The food was good, and reasonably priced—two major pluses in my book. However, our server was incredibly friendly, made sure we had everything we needed and, most importantly, not once did we feel rushed to hurry up, finish, and leave.

That reason alone, aside from the tasty eats, I would recommend everyone give Sakura a try if you haven’t already.

Another interesting feature were the drinks. My daughter and I each got a soda, as is customary. I didn’t think to look at the menu and was only half paying attention when our server let my daughter know the drinks came in cans and not from the fountain.

Not a big deal obviously, plus, at just $1 per soda, it’s a pretty good deal. However, I started to ponder whether refills were included then. If they weren’t, it’s still a pretty good deal at just $1 when, in most places, a caffeinated beverage is, at minimum, $2.50.

But we later discovered refills were in fact still free. Thinking they weren’t free actually kept me from over-indulging on refreshments, thinking I’d need to save some for my meal.

The Meal

Per usual, we ordered cheese sticks for an appetizer. They weren’t the best we’ve ever had. That crown still goes to Eden’s on the Island in Wheeling. But they were tasty, a solid choice.

My daughter, again per usual, ordered the chicken fingers and fries. She does love her variety. The fries were a wee thicker than the usual variety, but not quite steak-fry thick. She dug them, along with the chicken fingers. Again, not the best she’s had, but quite tasty and worth the visit.

I decided to try something a little different as, in fairness, I’m not much more adventurous than she is in terms of food I like to eat.

The General Tso’s looked interested, and I’ve heard good things. Instead, I opted for an option from the Hibachi Lunch section, the spicy pork with fried rice.

My lunch came with either clear soup, or a side salad. Seeing as I’ve never had that type of soup either, I opted to limit my new foods for the day and stick with the salad.

I’m not a major fan of vegetables, but this side salad worked perfectly for me. It came with lettuce, a few tomatoes and onions. I easily removed the onions and tomatoes, boiling it down to lettuce and Italian salad dressing. It worked nicely before the main course arrived.

The Verdict

I’ve never sampled spicy pork before, but I do love spicy food. It had a nice mixture of heat and a spicy kick. It wasn’t overpowering, not that I’d mind (I think I need to try Thai food in that regard). But the flavor was quality. It also came with a half-plate full of fried rice that had just enough flavor to serve as an excellent complement to the spicy pork.

And again, the meal was less than $10. The portion was plentiful and the pork quite tasty. I’m curious to know how it would taste with a bit more heat, but it was a great meal as is.

Two meals, two drinks, and an appetizer for roughly $25 before tip, not a bad trip for lunch. I’m a bigger fellow, and rarely, aside from trips to the buffet, do I truly feel full before finishing my meal. That wasn’t the case today. I wasn’t able to finish my meal, but still felt full. That’s another indicator you get your money’s worth.

For more information, and to check out the Sakura menu, visit its Facebook page.