Sizzling Lunch, an Asian fusion restaurant, brings a fresh concept to central Foster City. The menu consists mainly of Japanese dishes, along with some Western and Korean-reminiscent selections — but there’s a twist. The food is served on a hot plate and the customer is given the ability to ‘cook’ the food themselves.
On the outside, Sizzling Lunch looks like any other establishment in the Foster Square complex, but the interior is decorated with traditional Japanese lanterns and a neutral color palette, emitting a bright and modern atmosphere. Though small, the area can fit many people, with tables ranging from pairs to groups of six or more. As I walked in, I was cheerfully greeted by staff and seated quickly. Instead of physical menus, there is a tablet on the end of the table I used to order digitally.
The menu itself consists of different sections, each boasting a wide variety of unique dishes, making it difficult to choose between the expansive menu. However, my family and I decided on seven items to try.
The two appetizers we ordered were the gyoza (potstickers) and the chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken). The eight pieces of gyoza cost $8. They have a nice crunchiness to them and the sweet sauce balances the savory dish very well. The flavor is rich and worth the price. The chicken karaage came with about nine pieces and cost $8.50. It was well-cooked with a delicious flavor, but some of the smaller pieces were a little dry.
For entrees, prices range from $15 to $18 and there are a variety of dishes to choose from, including pepper rice, glass noodles, curry sauce and udon.
The salmon udon had a lovely presentation: green onions, corn and garlic butter decorated a bed of udon noodles with the salmon placed along the sides of the plate. The plate itself is iron cast and very hot, encouraging the customers to cook the salmon themselves. The noodles stick to the bottom of the plate while mixing, or easily get too soft. The salmon tasted rich and flavorful and the pepper gave it a little kick of spice.
Moving forward, the kimchi pepper rice was surprisingly delicious and flavorful. This dish comes with beef, kimchi, white rice and other assorted toppings. The spice level is very mild and serves as more of an accent to the overall flavor of the dish. The beef, once cooked, isn’t too chewy and has a distinct taste. The rice paired well with all the toppings and while there were a lot of flavors in this dish, they blended well together.
The shrimp glass noodles were also nicely seasoned. Glass noodles aren’t typically found in restaurants, so it was a delight to eat them, especially combined with the tasty shrimp and carrots. Due to their unique consistency, they may taste odd to those who haven’t tried them before, but I still found them to be delicious.
Finally, the last thing we ordered was the Mango Sunshine Hanabi Cake, which cost $10.50—expensive for such a small dish. It is composed of five layers: a vanilla chiffon cake, mango mousse, mango puree, coconut mousse and mango whipped cream, and is topped with coconut flakes. The flavors blended well and had a tropical feel.
All in all, a couple of the dishes are expensive, but the quality is fantastic. While this might not be a place to frequent, it’s definitely worth checking out and experiencing the unique opportunity it has to offer. The entrees all have a unique flavor and the desserts & drinks bring a refreshing taste to the table. I enjoyed the balance of sweet and savory in all the items and was satisfied after finishing my food. It is a fun place to go with a group of friends to celebrate a special occasion, making it a solid 4.5 out of five stars.
