Holy Mackerel, That’s a Dinner Deal

It’s not every day that someone at a restaurant asks when you place an order, “Are you sure you want that?” But that’s now happened to me, twice, at Kobachi: Izakaya Dining (4141 State St., E-1, 692-0717, kobachiizakaya.com) when I’ve asked for the saba shioyaki. I definitely do want it, and so should you, as it’s mackerel grilled to a toasty perfection, still moist, yet richly carbonized, too. Evidently, it stinks up your kitchen if you cook it yourself, and it is a strongly flavored fish, but don’t you want to taste your dinner? What’s more, you can get saba shioyaki as part of the dinner combo special Kobachi offers from 5:30-7 p.m. nightly. There’s a two-item option for $15.95 that is a mini-feast, as it includes miso, a green salad, seaweed salad, rice, and a California roll, and not one of these items is mere filler (that green salad, for instance, will be made with what looks like Farmers Market mix lettuces). You could also get a three-item, but that’s only if you don’t plan on eating the next day. Other item choices include sashimi, salmon or chicken teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempura, chicken karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), and hijiki (black seaweed simmered in soy sauce).