Sakimura with my parents

My family went to Sakimura (Saki Mura? It's spelled one way on their sign and another on their website) in Meriden tonight for my parents' 26th anniversary. I've now experienced hibachi with every possible party you can think of - church groups, girl friends, dates, and now family. On a date, it's OK, as long as you're not the only ones at your table, and I mean the only ones. Yes, that's happened to me. Actually, going out to a hibachi restaurant with your family is the ideal situation. It was our first time going as a family, and we all had a great time. I'm 21, and my brother's 17, so going out as a family isn't the same as back in the day when we could go to Chuck E. Cheese's and be amused for hours. Hibachi is perfect for parents and their older children. Conversation is cut to a minimum while everyone is entranced in the hibachi chef's work. But there's still family bonding as we lean over to whisper our amazement. Also, we had fun with trying to catch flying zucchini in our mouths and watching the chef squirt a shot of sake into my dad's mouth.

Sakimura in Meriden, so far, is the best hibachi restaurant I've been to, mainly for the great deal you get with a meal. The chefs are entertaining, as usual, which is an added bonus, but you get more for your money with the food. A hibachi dinner comes with miso soup, salad, fried rice, noodles, vegetables and your entree. And it's a ton of food. For $24, I got steak and scallops, and it was delicious. The last time I went to Sakimura, I remember there being noodles listed as part of the dinner on the menu. However, this time it wasn't, but we still got noodles, which was a pleasant surprise. They were fried with a great garlic flavor. They cook your steak to order, and while I got regular steak and my brother ordered filet mignon, I just as happy with my steak as he was with his filet. We got a good serving of vegetables and heaping piles of noodles and fried rice. We boxed our leftovers, which we inevitably had, and left extremely content.

Reaction to new season of American Idol

I haven't watched American Idol regularly since high school. It's more of a bonding experience with my family - it gives us another thing to talk about at dinner, and it's just fun. I think being at home for winter break, and the fact that I'm planning on living at home after graduation, has brought me back on the American Idol wagon.

At least the eighth season is shaping up to be very promising. I love the first episodes of a season because everyone talks about their dreams, and the show really milks these dreams for all they're worth. Also, we get the bad auditions, but not too many. There are fewer joke auditions this season, and really, I'm glad.

I'm also glad they added Kara DioGuardi. I think she adds a fresh face and outlook to the judges' panel. She's accomplished, and she has the background for the job. Also, having four judges is refreshing. It's a nice change.

Now for the contestants. Bikini girl was annoying, and that whole scene with Kara and her having the sing-off was silly. So was all the hype that the show aired leading up to it.

But in both of the first episodes, they saved the best contestants for last. I loved Scott MacIntyre, and I really think he's going to go all the way. The show kept talking about his inspiring story because he is legally blind, but really, he had an incredible voice and is great at piano. He went to college at 14 and graduated by the time he was 19. He's absolutely brilliant in every way, and he is just the epitome of an "American Idol." In one of the commercials previewing the Hollywood sessions, they show him with his piano and the judges giving him a great applause. He might be the reason why I keep watching, and why I might actually vote this season. I also loved Lil Rounds, who topped off tonight's episode. She was fantastic, and Randy called her a mix of Fantasia and Mary J. Blige. Personally, I thought she was better than both of them put together, and I really want to see her go far in this competition.