Akito: The Best Asian Restaurant in Hickory, North Carolina

If you're in the mood for Asian food and you happen to live in Hickory, North Carolina, there is ONE restaurant to choose from. Well, there are dozens to choose from, but Japanese hole-in-the-wall Akito is the best in town. Everything is impeccable. The menu, the service, the atmosphere…if you're not hungry, you will be once you step into Akito. I didn't discover this heavenly place until recently, but it has become a habitual haunt for me and my entire family.

The food could impress someone who doesn't have a taste for Asian comestibles. You MUST try the broccoli. The crisp, steamed florets are coated in a mouth-watering soy/teriyaki sauce. I say "soy/teriyaki" because no one knows what it is, and I've been told different things by the employees. They probably don't want anyone to know what it is or how to acquire it. It's that magical. My mother has attempted to whip it up at home, but it's no use. The broccoli at Akito is mystical in its succulence.

Everything on the menu is delicious. This is coming from one of the pickiest eaters on the planet. My taste in food is extremely boring, but I've devoured every dish that Akito has to offer. The steak teriyaki, the chicken teriyaki, the spring rolls, the fish, the shrimp, the fried rice (oh, the fried rice)…this article is almost pornographic. I must restrain myself. Every entrée could feed two people. All platters are served with broccoli, sweet carrots, and fried rice. If you're not full by the time your plate is clean, then you probably suck from an oxygen mask in between bites.

With most restaurants, it can sometimes take an unreasonable amount of time just to get drinks. With Akito, your entire meal is on the table within five minutes of sitting down. That's no exaggeration. You place and pay for your order at the front before choosing a table. Before you know it, you're scoffing down on whatever palatable potluck dinner that struck your fancy. The waiter/waitress will rarely bother you, stopping by only to refill your beverage. In my experience, waiters/waitresses are exasperating pests by nature. It's refreshing to be waited on by someone who isn't trying too hard to garner a generous tip.

The ambiance of Akito exists beyond the delectable food. The interior is draped in prismatic paper lanterns and picturesque cloth hangings. The lighting is somewhat dim, which adds to the exotic atmosphere. This doesn't have any bearing on the quality of the food or service, but too many restaurants are decorated with the aesthetic flare of a high school cafeteria. Exquisite adornments are the icing on the cake. If you live in Hickory, and you've never given Akito a go, here is the address and phone number. Tell them Dom sent you. When they ask who Dom is, tell them to forget it.

3068 NC Highway 127 S
Hickory, NC28602
828-294-6132