I didn't think Japanese cuisine could be grilled any better than what the chefs create at Shogun Japanese Steakhouse on Germantown Pkwy; that is, until I tried Stix Friday night.

My meal began with a flaky, succulent spring roll that absorbed the delicious sweet and sour sauce like a Californian sunbather. The rolls were followed up by a small salad with a bowl-scraping ginger sauce, plus a hearty onion soup that was a great balance to the wintry temperatures we've been having lately.

Finally, our animated chef arrives to prepare a culinary masterpiece, mixed with a little flair and customer participation. He twirled his cooking instruments in the air like they were batons, all after lighting the grill on fire in an eye-popping show that gave us a fiery glimpse into Japanese culture. On the sizzling grill, our chef cranked out the orders. I had the teriyaki chicken over fried rice with vegetables. It is a must try if you haven't already.

Those driving down N. Germantown Parkway might notice a sparkling white “grand opening” sign for a new Ethiopian restaurant in Cordova. It is actually simply called Ethiopian Restaurant.

My husband and I were looking for something fun and interesting to try recently. After driving around Cordova for a while, we decided to just pull over at Humdingers for a bite to eat. Well, before getting out of the car, I noticed something new.  There was an Ethiopian restaurant a few doors down. And they were installing their grand opening sign at that very moment. I was not sure if the place was actually open for business, but I decided we had to go for it!

We walked in, and they were indeed open for business. The place was quiet, clean, and very neat. The server greeted us with a smile, and explained the menu to my husband and I. This was our first time ever having Ethiopian food, so we were excited to see what it was like.

Saturday, September 15 is Give Kids The World Pancake Day at Perkins Restaurants.

Customers can receive a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes.  While there, making a donation to Give Kids The World benefits children with life-threatening illnesses by giving them the chance to experience a cost-free family vacation in central Florida.

It's all part of Perkins' "Full Tummy Full Heart" campaign.