SOMERS POINT -- A new restaurant is tempting palates here with the promise of both a fresh sushi bar and an all-you-can eat buffet. Kobe Japanese Steak House Hibachi and Sushi Bar with the Ocean Buffet opened Sunday, March 18 with Mayor Dan Reilly cutting the ribbon. 

The two new restaurants opened under one roof in the building that formerly housed Schooners and most recently the Point.

Owner Andy Lin decorated each side in a different theme.

The Kobe Steak House offers Japanese hibachi with all of the entertainment. The chefs, with expert skill, slice and dice before diners, their knives flying in the air as they cut up vegetables, lobster and steak with a technique that is fascinating to watch.

The sushi and sashimi bar offers numerous selections of fresh fish including  tuna, crab, salmon, flounder, striped bass and octopus. The menu also has soups, salads, appetizers, teriyaki, udon, tempura and donburi, and there are lunch specials and a children’s menu.

Kitchen specials include Chicken Miso soup, Kobe Sautéed, Mango Chicken, Golden Rod Snapper, Yokohama Salmon, Kobe Duck, Chicken with Shrimp, and Salmon with Steak. Sushi specials include Rock Shrimp Tempura, Cheri Fire Rolls, Hawaiian Rolls, Ichibon, Crazy Tuna, Somers Point Rolls and Green Dragon Rolls.

Ocean Buffet has four aisles of food in the buffet area with both cold and hot choices.  There are shrimp, mussels, snow peas, chicken dishes, beef, pork, egg rolls, dumplings, sausage with peppers, chow mein, lo mein, fried rice, ice cream, desserts and fresh fruit.

Lin is young but not new to the restaurant business.  He opened the Jumbo Buffet in Hammonton about six years ago and still operates it.

Lin purchased and gutted the Somers Point building and completely renovated the interior. The outside was cleaned and repainted, adding new doors.  The Ocean Buffet has lighter woods and a high ceiling, while the Hibachi side is dimmer and has darker wood.

Lin worked in a Chinese restaurant in New York when he first arrived in the United States as a boy.  He started as a busboy and worked his way up to chef.  When he married he met John Lin, who is now his manager and cousin.