Osaka is a semi upper scale hibachi and sushi restaurant. It's very near to the Alamo Drafthouse theater, which we frequent, so we decided to pop in before a movie with some friends.There is a side for hibachi, where you can book a reservation at one of the tables, and a side for regular dining where you can order an entree, sushi, or a hibachi meal without sitting on the hibachi side. There is also a bar between the two sides where you can sit if you just want a few cocktails and apps while you watch a game.We sat on the normal dining side, and it was bustling on a Saturday night. This didn't hurt the service, as our waiter was always checking on us to be sure we had drinks filled and our questions answered.Our group started with a few shared appetizers: -King Crab Rangoon: These were SO delicious. I was so used to normal rum of the mill Crab Rangoon so I had to try this version with King Crab, and I was not disappointed. -Baked Salmon: This was two huge lumps of salmon with snow crab, covered in a super tangy and tasty brown sauce. I am a huge fan of salmon, and this truly hit the spot for an appetizer. Highly recommend!We next order our entrees, and they each came with a side of rice, soup, and a salad:-The soup was a miso that was hearty and not super thin like misos can sometimes be.-The salad came with a sweet ginger dressing, and we all devoured ours. When our waiter brought the salads out, he somehow read my mind and asked if I wanted more dressing. That was odd - but I DID want more dressing, and just didn't have a chance to ask yet. -The rice was fried and came on the side of the hibachi entrees, with a bit of yum yum sauce. Delish!-The hibachi meals also come with two pieces of shrimp from the hibachi and those were grilled to perfection.Most of our group got the hibachi dinners that you can order in the normal dining side of the restaurant. My husband chose steak and lobster for his proteins. The lobster was to DIE FOR and super juicy and flavorful. I ordered the steak and salmon for my proteins. Again, I'm a big salmon fan so that was my favorite of the two. Very tender and flaky and went great with the yum yum sauce and grilling that had been done to it. The steak, however, was not my favorite. I had been asked how I wanted my steak cooked and I said Medium. But many of my steak pieces came out basically completely raw and inedible. It looked like a lot of the slices had been stuck together while cooking, so only one side got fired and not the inside of the stuck together pieces. Our vegetarian friend that was dining with us got the Tofu Teriyaki and she really enjoyed it. I had never had tofu that I liked, but she said I should try one piece because it had been cooked really well. I did try a bite and she was right. I may be a tofu convert as long as it is always cooked that well. Crispy on the outside and a nice chewiness on the inside.The only other negative is that it is pretty pricey compared to other restaurants of the same caliber. So there were a lot of positives, but the only things keeping it from being perfect were the raw steak issue and the high price we paid (especially for me not being able to eat half of my meal).
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"What a delightful spot! Cool Basil boasts Thai, Chinese AND Japanese fare. There is something for everyone-- with a good many gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well.We popped in on a Sunday afternoon and were seated right away. The space is large with a ton of seating options-- you could definitely have a big group dine here, no problem. (They do NOT take reservations though, so plan accordingly.)The egg drop soup, sushi and crab rangoons were fan favorites. The day I came the special was the a crunchy pad thai-- I'd go with the traditional one, next time. (Word to the wise, be cognizant on the spice level! They do offer some very spicy options.)HOLY KIDS MENU. So, so many options -- all for about $8. Honey Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken, Chicken Satay, Wings, Nuggets, Egg Noodles, Pad Thai and Fried Rice-- along with a drink and fruit. Wowza. My kids left full and happy.Pro Tip: Don't miss out on their lunch specials (M-F, 11-2:30PM). You can basically get a beef, chicken, pork, tofu or veggie dish for $10-12. What a steal!Overall, Cool Basil is a Clive must-have. Pop in any day of the week!"
"I've eaten here a couple times when I was in town. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Daniel, back in the bar area, is an incredible server and bar tender. He made great suggestions as to what I should order. All the rolls I tried were incredible. My favorites we the firecracker, Godzilla, Esmeralda, and for something very different try the Aksarben roll."
