By Rachel Galvin

Sometimes, you don’t need all the flair… you just want things simple. Phat Boy Sushi & Kitchen lives by that philosophy. Much like a Ying & Yang symbol, the aesthetics of their newest restaurant located in Deerfield Beach is based on black and white, with large scale muted geisha paintings adding a sense of harmony and authenticity.

Phat Boy Sushi & Kitchen works to be as genuine as possible in its Japanese selections as it offers up a large variety of not only sushi and sashimi, but plenty of choices straight from the kitchen as well. For a perfect beginning, try their delicious Banging Shrimp which is jumbo shrimp battered in tempura and served covered in a mildly spicy mayo topped with scallions.

One of their more popular dishes is their Mushroom Tobanyaki, which is a pretty big size for an appetizer. It consists of three different type of mushrooms sauteed in a rich soy sake sauce with a touch of butter, although the buttery flavor is obvious throughout.

Always popular is their ramens. They have several types. This reporter tried the Tonkotsu Ramen and it was huge. (They definitely allow for sharing and will separate dishes into bowls ahead of time). The large bowl was filled with a salty and creamy pork broth. Inside was a six minute egg, shitake mushrooms, caramelized and tender slices of marinated pork belly, scallions, bean sprouts, seaweed and onions. Digging into the bottom unveiled the egg noodles just waiting to be discovered.

They have yakitori, seafood selections, salads, rice, stir fry and more. If you don’t like raw fish, you can order a California Roll, for example, which has cooked crab. For $3.50 more, you can upcharge to real (not imitation) King Crab, which is delicious and sweet. On the menu are the desserts — with traditional selections like mochi ice cream and more unconventional ones too. Their most popular is fried oreo.

“We cater to those who eat sushi and kitchen food. We serve our food tapas style, geared toward sharing,” said manager Breyden Haessig.

They also have a bar with beer, wine and sake. There is a “reverse happy hour” from 10:30 p.m. until close. They offer draft beer for $2.50 and bottomless hot sake for $10.

The restaurant is open seven days a week 11:30 a.m. to midnight.

Owner John Maser said he has wanted to create food since he was young.

“I enjoy people’s smiles because they like my food,” said Maser. “I have always wanted to do this since I was a kid. Sushi can be much more artistic. I can make it more beautiful.”

“This is our third location,” said Haessig. “The first one was in Oakland Park for three years. We also have a location in downtown Ft. Lauderdale which has been open for a year. We opened here before the first of the year.”

He said the restaurant caters to people’s needs.

“A lot of places say no substitutes [We will customize for you]. Tell us what you want. We want people to come and leave happy,” he said.

Phat Boy Sushi & Kitchen is located at 949 S. Federal Hwy. For more information, call 754-227-5489 or visit www.phatboysushi.com.

By Becki Coffy

Anniversaries are always something special. They are a celebration filled with joy and the recognition of a very special occasion.

My son, Ben, and I had the good fortune of enjoying the second anniversary festivities at Heart Rock Sushi Japanese restaurant last Wednesday night. Heart Rock Sushi restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale has been run for over 20 years, by owner, Ann Yamusenor, and her son, Moose. They have done an outstanding job in providing Lighthouse Point with a wonderful local spot to enjoy fine food and great friends.

The beauty of the restaurant, decorated in earth tones with greenery and soft lighting, immediately relaxes you and sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Soft jazz music for the anniversary special enhanced the night. To the delight of the crowd, Miss Sunset Place Teen U.S.A. enchanted the room with classical Tai dancing.

Where to begin on this extensive menu is always a difficult decision. With 13 appetizers, 12 sushi bar appetizers, seven soups and six salads to choose from, it is no easy feat. Our waiter, Faizal, helped us navigate through the many choices.

He suggested we begin with the Chicken Satay, which was prepared in a light sauce of coconut milk, lemon grass, turmeric and a hint of curry. The curry added just enough heat to keep the dish vibrant. It was served with a side of creamy peanut sauce (one of my personal favorites) and a light chopped cucumber, carrot and red onion salad in a sweet and tangy dressing. The combination of the cool salad with the curried chicken satay was a wonderful pairing.

For our second appetizer, we chose the Lobster Rangoon. The moment my son and I bit into this appetizer, we both agreed it was the best we’ve ever tasted. I’ve had Rangoon appetizers many times in my life and all were good, some great. But this dish topped them all. The delicately-fried shell, so crisp and light, seemed to melt in your mouth and the pop of flavor from the lobster and cream cheese filling was heavenly. I recommend this dish to anyone who dines at the Heart Rock.

My son has sampled many different sushi rolls from the Heart Rock, so our waiter suggested he try the Heart Rock signature roll for something different. It was a large roll stuffed with tuna, salmon, yellowtail and white fish. It was delightfully fresh and clean. We both enjoyed every bite of this delicacy.

For my selection, I chose the Monsoon Shrimp. This dish was served with a choice of soup or salad. The house salad came with a light ginger dressing and was very good. Large butterflied shrimp, marinated with oyster sauce and garlic, were served with snow pea pods, broccoli, carrots, squash and onion served in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. I ordered the dish mild and enjoyed the slight kick of heat that the chili sauce delivered.

We were just too full and too satisfied to order dessert. However, I can personally suggest the deep fried tempura banana and ice cream if you have any room left. What an indulgence!

The Heart Rock Sushi Restaurant, located at 4460 N. Federal Hwy. in Lighthouse Point, offers a happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-8 p.m. with several appetizers ranging from $3-$7. House drinks are $5.

Reservations can be made at 954-532-1763.

Until we eat again …