TOKYO TERIYAKI
68-60 Austin Street
Forest Hills, NY 11375
(718) 997-1601

Next to the police station on Austin Street is an alleyway. Down this alley is tiny Tokyo Teriyaki. And when I say tiny, I mean tiny. This is a mom and pop shop if ever one existed. Literally. Mom makes the hot food and pop makes the sushi rolls. The two tables are used less for eating than for waiting. I wouldn't sit inside if you can help it, but in nice weather I'm pretty sure that there are tables outside.

I decided to try a handful of things here in one quick go and take leftovers home (and there were leftovers, believe me). First, an Eel Cucumber Roll. I like eel. I like cucumber. I was not terribly impressed with this, however. It wasn't bad, but if I didn't watch it being made, I'd assume that it was the pre-made stuff from the supermarket. Then, the Hot Dog Roll. Very unique. This is pretty much a hot dog wrapped in rice instead of a bun. This was perhaps too different for me to praise very much. But if I may offer some advice: eat it with mustard and ketchup.

The Chicken Teriyaki was the middle dish. It's big and cheap. And it tastes just fine. But it's too simple. The salad is just lettuce with ginger dressing, the rice is rice, the vegetables few and the teriyaki sauce doesn't have that thick, syrupy glaze I like. Instead it just kinda soaked in. So while it was certainly worth six dollars, next time I'll try the beef.

Finally, the best dish of the day, the Chicken Karaage Udon Soup. A large, piping hot bowl with thick noodles and fried chicken can hardly ever be considered a poor choice, flavor-wise, and this was no exception. And like I said, leftovers. There's no way a normal stomach can fit this much in.

As you can see from the inside photo, the menu on the board over the counter is pretty extensive and I barely scratched the surface. Reading some reviews online suggest that I should have ordered their more exotic stuff, rather than that which did, which were admittedly pretty generic.

Tokyo Teriyaki is cash only and they don't deliver. The dishes range in price between $6 and $9. The rolls average $4. Soda's a buck.