Sekiya’s Restaurant & Delicatessen

A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WEEK’S HOUSE SPECIAL: SEKIYA’S COMBINATION SPECIAL ($18.95)

The menu at Sekiya’s Restaurant & Delicatessen, which serves traditional and local-style Japanese eats from its dining area and okazu (Japanese side dishes) section, hasn’t changed much since it opened more than 80 years ago. Yes, the eatery has moved from its original School Street location and even worked its way through four generations of workers from the Sekiya family, yet it has kept the same recipes that have helped make the establishment a household name.

“We still have a lot of things they sold when they were at School Street,” says manager Deanna Hara, representing the fourth generation of the family business. “I think we just tailored it down to the ones that people liked the most.”

Some favorites still on the menu include tempura with homemade dipping sauce and steaming bowls of saimin. Don’t forget to add sticks of teriyaki beef or chicken to your meal, or opt for Sekiya’s Combination Special, which allows you to enjoy two of your favorite Sekiya’s dishes in one meal.

While Sekiya’s has seen generations of families dine at its restaurant, including loyal patrons that have been coming since the beginning, manager Deanna Hara shares, “We’re now trying to get the younger generation of families to come in.”

The eatery also makes sure it caters to all generations of eaters. Patrons can pick up bentos to go filled with okazu like egg roll, chow fun noodles, hash tempura or barbecue meat for lunch or to feed an entire keiki sports team. And seniors 65-plus may enjoy 10 percent off their entire meal on Mondays.

The total package

Combination meals come with miso soup, white rice (brown rice available for $1 more), tsukemono and hot green tea.

Carnivorous cravings

Tender slices of beef are cooked in house-made teriyaki sauce until the meat has soaked up all the delicious flavor.

Tempura temptations

The batter is added to the fryer first and then the shrimp is laid on top for a unique, one-sided coating of crunchiness. And the special also comes with string bean and eggplant tempura.