Gochi Japanese Kitchen — Restaurant in Winter Garden

Continuing my search for the best Japanese Bento Box lunch in the Horizon West area, and discovered Gochi Japanese Kitchen via Google, and so glad I did! It's one of those places you might never know is there, in a small strip mall off of Hwy 50 (W. Colonial), with almost nothing to tell you it's there driving by, as it doesn't face the main street. It's much larger inside than it looks from outside, as others have said, and it's clean and inviting... a legit restaurant vs so many storefront places intended more for to go orders.

Upon being seated, I noticed there was a central hibachi grill in the middle of the booth table. Apparently, this place offers DIY hibachi grilling, but I did note the menu stated that if the table did not order at least 4 proteins (they looked to be about $15 each), there would be an additional $15 charcoal (fuel) charge. A bit steep, in my opinion, especially if I would be expected to cook my own food, but I wasn't having hibachi at the time. Just thought I'd mention it, because it seems like a novel idea, and not too many places offer this feature.

Gochi has a nice menu, and reasonably priced bento boxes. I found it a bit odd that, when deciding on the traditional teriyaki chicken box, I had to choose between 4 small pieces of California roll OR steamed white rice (I've never been anywhere that didn't include both). The box also included 1 piece of gyoza, 1 very small veggie spring roll; I chose the CA roll, and it also included the standard ginger salad. I went ahead and ordered a side of steamed white rice (who doesn't want rice, without having to miss out on the CA roll?). The other thing that struck me as a bit odd - no miso soup with a bento box?

OK, all that being said... the food. Despite being a bit surprised at no rice and CA roll together, and no miso soup, the quality of the food... for the most part, amazing! Most bento box chicken is plain grilled or sautéed chicken with teriyaki sauce. Gochi's stands out because it's sautéed, fresh, well-prepared chicken, mixed with sautéed veggies. VERY flavorful, VERY fresh, and not at all oily. So many places have bland offerings, but Gochi's flavors are incredible, and despite any of the minor, aforementioned misgivings about the bento box offerings, it's the quality and taste of the food that will keep me coming back for more!

One more thing... the server. David was covering the entire restaurant (it wasn't too busy just after lunch hour, but still maybe 25-30 people at multiple tables). David HUSTLES!! He's so fast, watching him, he was literally everywhere at once, and still took the time to talk with each table, checking in, answering questions about the menu, describing the details and flavors of each dish people asked about... really impressive!

I asked David if he was the owner - because it takes a special kind of person to take such good care of customers, with a well-defined knowledge of the menu, preparations, etc., to help people decide what they might like. David said he wasn't the owner, but had been in the industry for over 30 years! Honestly, he made the experience even better, which was much appreciated.

One serious critique, Gochi... ditch the tap water! Disgusting, even after adding lemon, and I order water with lemon everywhere I eat. PLEASE source your water from your filtered soda machine, or invest in a purification system. Honestly, the horrible tap water flavor could've ruined an otherwise excellent meal.

So glad I tried Gochi (I just won't order water again... seriously, it was that bad)... but I will be back for the food (and hopefully David's excellent service), and I'd even like to try the DIY hibachi sometime... maybe with more people so we'd cover the 4 meat minimum.

PS: Sorry, but I was so hungry, and it smelled so good, that I started eating before I took the pictures. There were actually 4 small CA roll pieces, and the gyoza and small eggroll. By the time I took this picture, I'd poured my side of rice into...

If you’re in the Winter Garden area and would like a truly delicious Japanese meal from a family run restaurant with friendly and attentive staff you really must stop by Gochi!

If you’re not greeted at the door by Kyoko herself one of the servers will greet you and get you settled either at the sushi bar, family dining tables, or one of their stylish hot coal Japanese/Korean style barbecue grills.

I’ve tried almost every style of cuisine they offer and each are meticulously prepared and delicious, but let’s start with the BBQ at the grill table. The grill tables are immaculately clean and stylishly appointed with gorgeous copper overhead grill vents.

I ordered the marinated Kalbi, Ribeye and Pork Jowls (😱) with an assortment of veggies including onions and zucchini and highlighted by spicy Shishito Peppers.

The owner Kyoko graciously came over to greet me and asked if I had ever tried this style of self cooking on a grill table over hot coals… I assured her I had. She smiled and politely guided me through my false bravado, stopping by every once in a while to make sure I didn’t overcook the steak or veggies.

Listen to her advice! If you do you’ll have a really delicious experience!

Their Tonkotsu Ramen is the best I’ve ever had. First off,their Chashu (seared rolled pork) is home made with love and tastes it! It rests on a bed of perfectly cooked whole wheat ramen with green onions and spices in a toothsome Tonkotsu broth. 😋 Don’t put any extra spices or hot even sauce in it. 😱 Their homemade bone broth is perfectly seasoned and evolves as you progress through the meal subtly changing and becoming a bit spicier as you reach the bottom of the bowl. I loved it!

There are also a wide selection of entrees such as Beef and Chicken Teriyaki, Korean Short Ribs and Sushi!

All the sushi I had there was fresh and had the firm texture and sweet ocean flavor that I look for. While the selection is limited, what they serve is perfectly prepared. The Conch and Beach clam were crunchy and sweet, and the BBQ Eel had crispy skin while still keeping the meat rich, savory/sweet and creamy.

Over the weeks I was in the area, Gochi was my mainstay and always felt like coming home—if I lived in Japan!...

I'm writing this review somewhat heavy-hearted, as I recount my recent dining experience at Gochi Japanese Restaurant in Winter Garden. A place that had previously wowed me with its food and service fell quite short this time around. My 10-year-old daughter and I decided to revisit Gochi after a memorable dinner experience we had 3 years ago. We were seated promptly upon arrival, which was a positive start. The restaurant has transitioned to a digital menu, which was accessible by scanning a QR code on the table - a change that we were comfortable with. Our waitress, Nayeli, was amiable and took our orders without any issues. However, I was quite disappointed when my food arrived before my daughter's. As a parent, I would have preferred if my daughter's meal was served first, or at least if they had brought her miso soup ahead of my meal. My selection for the night included Dynamite Sushi, Spicy Salmon Seaweed Salad, and Takoyaki. The Dynamite Sushi was amazing. But my experience with the Spicy Salmon Seaweed Salad was far from pleasant. I discovered a fish bone in my salad not once, but twice, which ruined the dish for me. My Takoyaki, on the other hand, was deep-fried - a preparation method that I was unaccustomed to and found unsatisfactory. Furthermore, our waitress was noticeably absent throughout our meal and didn't check on us until we were nearly finished. To add to our frustration, our water glasses were empty for a good portion of our meal and were not refilled. In light of these experiences, I find it hard to recommend Gochi Japanese Restaurant. Our dinner was a letdown, and it's disheartening to see such a dip in the quality of experience compared to our previous visit. I truly hope they can regain their charm and attention to detail that...