You’ve heard the rumors that Mikado, the newest addition to the Vineyard Haven restaurant scene is full of tile, miles of tile, and it’s true. Walk into this Main Street restaurant and you won’t even believe that it was the home of Waterside Market for all those years.
The space is very open, full of intricate tile, and there are even some colored lights, a space unlike any other on Martha’s Vineyard, but common for many Asian bistros across the pond.
There is a bar area, that will house beverages of all sorts once Mikado gets its liquor license (before August), but in the meantime, the restaurant is BYOB for alcohol. The space holds a number of tables for dining for lunch or dinner.
I opted to sit at the sushi bar for my first Mikado experience. I was there for lunch, and bare witness to the action.
An Array Of Asian Cuisine
The menu is extensive, with Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Asian fusion dishes, and of course, boatloads of sushi and sashimi options.
I got a little overwhelmed. I wasn’t sure what to get. So, I started with some sushi and decided on Pad Thai with chicken for a main dish.
My sushi came, and it was beautiful. The attention to detail and presentation evident. There were five pieces, salmon, tuna, striped bass, and red snapper. The fish was fresh and tasty, and I learned that red snapper is not my favorite. That won’t be a problem in the future, I just need to let them know.
While enjoying my sushi, I got to really get into the menu, and I was kicking myself for getting something so safe and ordinary. The Pad Thai was good, not that I am expert, but now I need to go back soon, try something a little more risqué, something completely different.
Service was good. They were great with talking about the menu, but I did not feel hurried. It felt as though they wanted you to take in the experience, which was fine with me, since I got to relax and watch the sushi being carefully crafted.
There’s so much to choose from, Taiwanese Chow Mei Fun (no idea what this is), Nebayaki Udon, which is chicken, shrimp tempura, veggies, all in a hotpot dish with a sunny side egg on top, and I’d love to try some Mikado Hibachi.
Unfortunately the space is too small for hibachi in the dining room, but I love the option of having the Japanese style grilled meats. I can’t tell you last time I had it.
There are vegetarian options, options for people on a diet, dishes we all know like General Tso’s and Moo Shu. The choices are endless, and it’s fun to have someplace new to experiment with. Can’t wait to see what they come up with for specialty drinks too.
I enjoyed my sushi and Pad Thai, but definitely need to go back with friends and order a ton of different things to try to really give a thumbs up or down to Mikado. I did enjoy the fortune cookie at the end (a good sign, since some are really stale and tasteless). As I was leaving, a friend told me that I need to get the crab rangoons ASAP because they are so good.
I will say the space is very different, and you feel like you are in an Asian Bistro, which is fun when you’re on an Island. Mr. Yu who has opened the restaurant also has two other very successful Mikado Asian Bistros, one in Canton, CT and one Middletown, CT.
The food, diverse menu, and customer service in those restaurants has proven to be well received, and hopeful the same will be true on the Island.
Mikado Asian Bistro is located on Main Street in Vineyard Haven across from the Green Room and is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Don’t forget about takeout, perfect for the beach, a dinner party, or just because you have no desire to cook, just call 508 338 7096, and have a little fun with your choices!
You can learn more about Mikado 0n its website. And don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Google+, Pinterest and Youtube.
Author’s Note: The one thing that I didn’t love was that Mikado uses styrofoam for its to go containers. Not a fan of that for the Island.