Takaoka

Takaoka is a Japanese steak house, if you’ve ever been to one of these places, you know what it’s like, food is cooked hibachi-style or teppan-yaki on a steel grill in front you while the chef cracks campy jokes and shows flashy knife work. It’s all good fun, and the food is really quite good too.

Hall’s Takaoka, located above the Old Gas House in downtown Fort Wayne is a fine example of genre. We dined there recently for my nephew’s 12th birthday. It was a good time with family, entertaining and good food.

But it was an exceptional experience. My father doesn’t see well, and particularly going down stairs gives him trouble, he’s unable to differentiate the light and dark shading that are our visual cues that here’s a step. And Takaoka is very dark with a narrow steep staircase.

As we were leaving, the busboy came over and said, “would you like to use our elevator? It’s the service elevator for the kitchen, but you’re welcome to it.” We hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, but somehow in the middle of a busy weekend service this busboy noticed my dad couldn’t manage steps easily and just stepped up and did something.

It was exceptional service, it was kindness, it was a bit of grace in a graceless age. The world is full of good people, and one of the best works at Hall’s in Fort Wayne.