Bites Nearby: Sakura

Looking for somewhere different to eat this weekend? Why not let Brecksville Patch take the work out of the decision and try this week's Bites Nearby choice? 

Overview: Sakura is a Japanese seafood and steak house.

Atmosphere: Casual

The Drinks: Sakura features a wide variety of wines, premium sakes and martinis like green apple and chocolate raspberry.

Appetizers: If you're hungry before the meal, the options include negimaki ($7.95), tempura ($7.50), Volcano Beef ($8.50) and sashimi ($9.95).

Entrees: There are more than 100 to choose from, such as the Steak and Chicken Hibachi ($21.75), the Imperial Seafood Combo ($13.95) and a wide selection of sushi rolls.

Sides: Sides include a seaweed salad ($5.25), clam soup (2.75) and miso soup ($1.95).

Desserts: None.

Service: Sit down

Address: 8409 Chippewa Road, Brecksville, OH 44101

Hours of Operation: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 12 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $$ to $$$ (on a scale of 1 to 5)

In a nutshell:

Sakura seems operates on the principle of more is better. And by more, I mean more menu choices.

With more than 100 different entrees, appetizers and other dishes to choose from, unless you’re already familiar with their menu, you could spend almost as much time deciding what to eat as you would actually eating it. While Sakura is primarily a Japanese steak house, they offer a wide variety of Asian cuisine. So while you may be in the mood for Seafood Yakisoba or sushi a-la-carte, you can also pick up some Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice or Thai dishes like Chicken Panang.

But does this “more is better” approach work as far as quality goes?

For the most part yes, though it can be a mixed bag. The Seafood Yakisoba, for example, was loaded with large chunks of tasty shrimp, fish and scallops, but had an unpleasant oiliness. Overall, Sakura is on par with similar restaurants.