We might have to consider Los Angeles as the new official home to hibachi. In the past couple of years, an increase of these Japanese-inspired food trucks, restaurants, and pop-ups has emerged in the streets of L.A.
Most people may be familiar with Benihana, the famous hibachi restaurant in the Japanese style that opened in 1964 and features chefs who perform shows while grilling meats on a teppanyaki (steel griddle), but hibachi goes back more than a thousand years to Japan’s Heian period (794 to 1185).
Among the iconic food gimmicks at Benihana are onion volcanos and pulsing heart-shaped fried rice. Compared to their sit-down counterparts, hibachi trucks don't have as much flair, but they bring some of that OG dining experience to the streets. Here are some L.A. TACO-approved spots to get a taste of this recent food trend in Los Angeles.