Oh so yummy and ... healthy!

Mmmmm, yesterday we went to one of my very favorite restaurants, Edamame! The summer is coming to an end, so I decided to treat my little sister to some delectable asian food before she returned to the grind. D accompanied along with my parentals.

One of the things I love about Edamame is the feeling afterwards. I'm pleasant, not beyond stuffed. The Japanese steak house and sushi bar is located in the Outback Plaza on International (1448 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach) and business is typically pretty slow. Most people in town tend to gravitate towards other not-to-be-named asian cuisine locations. So when we walked in yesterday and all the tables were full, I was pleasantly surprised! And so was our waitress:

"Hold on let me check if we have a table for you, imagine that."

We ended up sitting at a hibatchi table, although no one was cooking for us, but it was still nice. I can safely admit that I have been to this restaurant at least 25 times in the past five months and neither me or D have ever seen it so packed! On one hand, it was great to see such an awesome place booming with business, but it did slow down the service considering their was only one waitress for about 15 different groups. The difference wasn't drastic, it just gave us more chatting time.

Everyone knew what they wanted pretty quick, so we ordered our drinks and food all in one clean sweep. D decided to be adventures and ordered an original flavor asian soda ($2.95). Think carbonated creme soda, that's not so creamy. They're a really fun shape and to break the seal you have to slam a marble down into the drink. They're just plain fun.

I went with my favorite lunch special, the Vegetable Teriyaki Bento Box ($7.95) and D ordered the 3 for $10.95 sushi special. Everyone's meal was proceeded by either their choice of house salad or clear soup. They have a phenomenal ginger dressing that allows my taste buds to handle the weird texture of lettuce. I don't eat salad. That's how good this dressing is. It's definitely a ginger dressing, but sweeter than most I've tried.

My bento box came with all sorts of goodies: teriyaki vegetables, four pieces of a california roll, white rice, two big slices of orange and two smaller spring rolls. The teriyaki veggies are prepares similar to the ones received with hibachi dinners, but with the bento box you make out with a lot more. I mean a lot. I love the veggies, so this is the highlight of the box for me with everything from broccoli, zucchini and asparagus to button and shiitake mushrooms, plus carrots and onions. They're all cooked to perfection and drenched in yummy teriyaki sauce.

Oh so delicious, but I still like to dip my veggies in the perfection that is known as seafood sauce, white sauce, pink sauce ... you name it! And I must admit, Edamame has some of the best seafood sauce I've ever tasted. It's lighter than most, with a flavor richer than most. I think it might be a special recipe and one day I shall have my hands on it (evil laugh). Anyways, the rest of my bento box included some white sticky rice (easier to eat with chopsticks), orange slices (not a citrus fan) and some spring rolls. Unfortunately, some unidentified taste prevents me from enjoying those rolls and I can't quite put my finger on it. But, I never eat them thanks to D. The other main treat in my box, came rolled up in four pieces of a california roll prepared with Krab meat, avocado, cucumber and masago. Nothing special, just like other california rolls.

D, on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed his sushi. No surprise there. After all, sushi is his fave. He'd eat it everyday if I'd let him. He ordered two spicy salmon crunch rolls and an alaskan. The salmon rolls simply contain spicy salmon, cucumber and bits of tempura crunch. So descriptive right? It's the best I've got. Trust me when I say they're delicious. Not too spicy, but they definitely have a kick. The crunch is a nice break in the soft texture of the fish and rice. This roll

is enjoyable in both taste and texture. Honestly, it's one of my favorite simple rolls. D always gives me one or two, or three or four! The Alaskan is made up of salmon, avocado, cucumber, and seaweed powder. This one is right up D's ally with the avocado. It's very tasty, but not the best roll I've ever had. I'm not a huge fan of the cucumber in this one because it doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the ingredients. But that doesn't stop D from clearing his plate.

Overall, our experience at Edamame was great like they always have been in the past. Sometimes the service is a little slow, but with food this good at great prices, it's pretty easy to over look.

Heads up. If you do visit I do not recommend the water. Let's just say I think something might be wrong with their filter. Other than that the servers take really great care of you. In fact, ours gave us a free appetizer of edamame to-go since we waited so much yesterday. It was a sweet gesture.

More information:

T: 386.238.8288

Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and only for dinner on Sundays.

- A