Shima's Family Restaurant — Restaurant in Nitro

This was my second trip to this restaurant. It has changed considerably since the last time. I took a co-worker to lunch and didn't mention my previous experience so I could get her unbiased opinion. Her impression matched mine. The menu and the decor both seem to indicate that they haven't really settled on what they want this restaurant to be. The decor has no theme and seems to be just random items and photos placed at random. The menu appears to be a combination of an American home cooking style diner and a generic Asian fusion restaurant. The Asian party of the menu seems to have gotten considerably smaller since the last time I was here. I ordered the tsunami noodles and my coworker got a crispy chicken sandwich. The noodles are basic hibachi style teriyaki noodles but with a bit of spice. They come with chicken and vegetables, primarily broccoli. Most of the chicken pieces were pretty bland. Occasionally I'd get one that has a bit of caramelization and those were pretty good. My coworker said the chicken sandwich was okay but just a chicken sandwich. The menu said it's served on Texas toast but appeared to be just toasted white bread. Overall, it was a forgettable experience. In fact, I'm not really commenting on the service because I can't remember our server at all. If I'm with someone who wants to eat here, I won't say no but it's not likely to be somewhere I would think of...

Egg roll sampler - incredibly creative idea, expertly delivered. Really enjoyed three of the rolls, other did a great job being exactly as described. BBQ (pork) is super tasty. Spicy is really good, doesn’t pack much spice punch though. Cheeseburger wasn’t our favorite, but it is an extremely effective delivery of a cheeseburger as an egg roll (which turns out isn’t our personal preference). Best for last, the reuben - best reuben we’ve had in the state of WV and it was in egg roll form. Will try to return to get the actual reuben sandwich.

Hiroshima - very interesting dish, really enjoyed the ball of rice. Just the right amount of crunchiness. Broccoli and chicken are done just right. I got it “spicy,” and it wasn’t (in my opinion). Waitress got more spice for me super quickly. Really appreciated the flavor after the addition of more spice.

Crispy Chicken Melt with onion rings - good taste, all seemed a touch over cooked. Still enjoyed it though.

Incredible wait staff, very attentive and very busy keeping everything clean.

It got a bit loud from casual conversations at other tables, not enough to dampen...

This is my favorite local restaurant. Everyone I know loves their burgers. The chicken teriyaki, Hiroshima, and Ramen are fantastic. If you get there when they still have their daily special, you'll definitely enjoy it. Each special is something not on the menu, so it's always a delicious surprise (lasagna, grilled cheese and chili, baked steak, meatloaf, cabbage rolls, pot pies, etc.). I've been there as often as 3 times in a week just because of those daily specials! And you should definitely try the dessert egg rolls. They are inexpensive and a nice, sweet way to end your meal.

Shima goes out of his way to make sure his customers are happy. Today was March 14 (3.14 ... which is Pi Day). A group of us planned ahead to meet there for dinner, and Shima helped us celebrate by making 4 special pies. How amazing is that!

This is a local business that is so easy to support. Great food, great owner, and...