MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- As I walked into Club Iwakuni for my routine Friday morning breakfast, I was pleased to find that I didn’t have to walk up the stairs for the usual buffet.
I instead ventured into a South Western style dining room located down stairs offering new menu items for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Why no grand opening? Because unlike many people think, this is not the new restaurant that everyone has been waiting for.
Without much advertisement, there was a soft opening held for the restaurant in June, but what most people don’t know is that this is only a transition into the new restaurant.
“We needed to change things up a bit,” said Kristen Carter, the food and beverage manager.
Carter said they needed to get out of having buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
The transition restaurant gives community members a preview of the new menu but it is still subject to change during the ongoing renovations.
“It’s here to lessen the impact the renovation has on the community,” Carter said.
While eating a platter of fresh fruit and a plate of blueberry pancakes, Mike and Annie Gaither said they are pleased with what they’ve seen so far.
“There is more of a variety of food,” said Annie, who has visited the restaurant for the past five years. “We miss our Greek salad, though.”
The restaurant’s breakfast menu includes a variety of pancakes, french toast, omelets and other breakfast specialties offered from 6 to 11 a.m. every Monday through Sunday.
Appetizers range from Caribbean-style coconut shrimp to beer-battered fried mushrooms, or a healthy vegetable platter.
The lunch menu offers oriental favorites, baskets, sandwiches and wraps that come with a choice of regular or curly fires, potato salad, or coleslaw, and an option to build your own burger. Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
Dinner is held from 5 p.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The family dinner classics include down-home chicken fried steak, Cajun barbeque chicken and shrimp and an array of pizza selections.
“I think people appreciate that they don’t have to put their own plates together for breakfast, lunch and dinner anymore,” said Carter.
The new restaurant will be named JD’s, but there is not yet an approximation of when it will have its grand opening.
Until then enjoy the delicious options currently offered at the club.