Kevin Wang is the manager at the new Hibachi Grill restaurant at Michigan Street and Ireland Road in South Bend. He is standing in the general dining area of the newly renovated building. (Tribune Photo/GREG SWIERCZ) |
A renovation that had been scheduled to take five months has actually taken eight. But the new Hibachi Grill Buffet is now complete and the south-side South Bend restaurant is scheduled to open Sunday.
Area diners will recognize the site as the location of the former Hollywood Video store. The 8,800-square-foot building, however, has been completely transformed — from the plumbing and electrical systems to the furnishings and decor — into a restaurant that will serve customers seven days a week.
More than 100 items will be available on an enormous buffet table in the center of the restaurant, which is located at 4502 S. Michigan St., on the southeast corner of Ireland Road.
The entrees will include a combination of American (think hamburgers and french fries), Italian (pizza) and of course, plenty of Chinese. Toward the back of the 150-seat main dining room, customers will find sushi, a Mongolian-hibachi bar and a hibachi chef.
The cost is $5.99 per person for a lunch buffet and $8.99 for a dinner buffet. Appetizers, combination plates, side dishes and other specials are available in addition to the buffet. The restaurant also offers takeout.
Hibachi Grill Buffet also offers a party and banquet room that holds 100 people.
It apparently took restaurant partner Jenny Wang of Goshen some time to convince her co-owners of the restaurant’s pricing structure, since the other restaurants they operate charge slightly higher prices.
“With the economy, she didn’t want people to have to spend a lot of money to go out and eat,” says Kevin Wang, Hibachi Grill manager. “The owners combined the best of their restaurants for this one. Nothing here compares to anything else the partners have done.”
The ownership group also owns New York Buffet in Elkhart and China Buffet in Goshen. Future restaurants might also be named Hibachi Grill, and follow a similar design, Kevin Wang says.
Starting Sunday, hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Urban is official
You have been reading it here for the last few months, but now it is official.
The trendy Urban Outfitters is coming to Eddy Street Commons. Urban Outfitters will begin construction across from The Mark restaurant in May, and the apparel store is expected to open in September, in time for back-to-school and football season, Kite Realty Group officials confirm.
Read the unique story-behind-the-story about how Kite landed Urban Outfitters in an upcoming column.
Contest ends soon
If you have not yet submitted your entry for our restaurant naming contest, you still have a few more days.
The deadline is Sunday.
Kurt Janowsky is asking area diners to suggest names for his upcoming new venue inside American Trust Place, the former bank building at the corner of Michigan and Washington streets in downtown South Bend.
Janowsky has promised $500 in dining certificates to the contest winner. So many excellent names have been submitted. Is yours in?
E-mail your submission to hprescott@sbtinfo.com, or have your letter postmarked before Sunday to Heidi Prescott, The South Bend Tribune, 225 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend, IN 46626.
Good luck!
Niles adds two stores
Just in time for the seventh annual Hunter Ice Festival in Niles, two new locally owned downtown businesses are opening this weekend.
Squeeze Juice Bar opens today inside the former Four Flags Hotel building at 404 E. Main St. Owner Susan Sakara, who also operates Lipstick Jungle Spa in the building, offers juices, smoothies and boosts.
Rumor Has It, an eclectic coffee house that features vintage and new vinyl records to sell, buy and trade, will be open Saturday and Sunday at 216 E. Main St., but then not again until the official opening Feb. 12. Read much more about both businesses next weekend.
Have you heard?
Here’s a note from the owners of Gold’s Kosher Market & Deli, 908 E. Ireland Road, South Bend: “With the economy and all of its ups and downs, and the staggering odds against businesses like ours making it this far, we are so happy to still be around for this milestone occasion.” If you get a chance, wish a happy first business anniversary to Shaya and Samara Gold on Monday. ... Join our next live chat at noon Tuesday.
Heidi Prescott’s column runs on Fridays and Sundays. When she’s not shopping, contact her at hprescott@sbtinfo.com or (574) 235-6070. You can also check out her blog at www.southbendtribune.com and Facebook.com/thebasket.
