Apologies for the thread revival, folks, but I thought I'd share my two cents on some of the Japanese restaurants that I've been to as of late.
Just yesterday, I thought I would indulge myself in some sushi.
Seeing as how Hanami was a bit too far away (and I wasn't really in the mood to head all the way down by MovieTowne just to have some), I headed over by Benihana in Trincity Mall.
Now, I have heard of Benihana's before.....a lot of people I know have mentioned it every once in a while, and, despite being pricey, the food there is supposedly quite good. So...no time like the present, eh?
I headed over there, and I happened to notice the family tables....you know....the tables where large parties gather around while a chef brings out the food and puts on a show while he's preparing it right in front of them? Yup. Now, as per my expectations, I was expecting this from two of the other restaurants that I've been to, namely, The Laughing Buddha and Hanami, which, unfortunately, didn't go quite beyond the 'May I take your order?' stage.
It was pretty great watching those guys in action. I
swear, those chefs have some serious dexterity...they must play a LOT of video games.
Anyway, I couldn't get a seat near those tables, but, the staff did offer me one in the bar.
Pretty cozy, actually, and I could see it as a good place to socialize. I met a couple who also came there for the first time, and, seeing as how I was pretty much experienced in sushi eating already, I told them what was what about the menu.
Speaking of which....I wanted something small, so I settled for the Las Vegas Roll.
Pretty nice setup, and this is definitely something that I'd recommend to a beginner in the realm of sushi.
It consists of salmon, wrapped up in a deep-fried tempura roll, along with the rice, avocado, cream cheese, hot pepper and a sauce for garnish. Believe you me, that cream cheese- it made the thing DAMN good. A bit on the spicy side, yes (I had to order quite a few drinks to cool it down), but, all in all, a very fulfilling meal. I really enjoyed it.
The atmosphere is pretty cool, also....it resembles a fancy restaurant and bar, but with a Japanese flair to it. The monitor constantly flashing 'Benihana' was a bit of an eyesore, though, but, still...you came there really to eat, right?
The staff was very nice towards me (I'd say the only service that tops that is in Hanami), and one of them was somebody I know, a fellow duelist. We shot the breeze for a while, and, while doing so, I asked him how it felt to be working in a place like this. He said it was very good, and never boring. To an extent, I pretty much envy him (although I would personally go nuts waiting on people hand and foot).
I decided to indulge a bit on the wild side and have some Sake.....and realised after the first sip that I am
not a drinker....why in the blue hell
did I buy Sake? Ah, well.....at least my curiousity's satisfied. I think I'll stick with Lemonade and Orange Juice from now on, though.
But, all in all, I had a good time, and I'll definitely be back for seconds.
Now, in retrospect of all of this, you know what was probably one of
the worst places to get sushi?
Some of you may already know what I'm going to say, but for those who don't....it's the Laughing Buddha.
Can't recommend that place to
anyone.Now, it's not really the food that is bad (I was a semi-regular customer there, once upon a time), or the atmosphere ( it's pretty all right, and does capture the essence of Japan).
No, no...it's the
service that ticks me off.
The waitresses over there are probably about as clueless as lesbians in a fish market.....they clearly don't have much knowledge, if any at
all, of the food that is being served there. As a matter of fact, try holding a conversation with one of them. You'll pretty much get the impression that they
have to serve you, much to their dismay. I do get along with the chefs there, though, and I regret that Laughing Buddha has a knack for getting rid of the polite, well trained staff members and keeping all of the ones that give you seriously bad vibes. Case in point? I had a friend working there who treated me very well, and when I asked about him, I got a "That's none of your business." shot back at me? (Mind you, he was fired for reasons I sure as heck don't know.) Does that place even
know the meaning and value of customer service? I'm pretty much going to take a wild guess and say that if it wasn't for the Casino next door (which will go belly up come a few months' time), that place would fall over and die. It's that bad, and I swear to God, I'm fighting the urge to grab a raw herring and beat them senseless for those snotty waitresses' lack of respect.
Hanami, on the other hand, was very good to me. Despite me not having a reservation, they managed to accomodate me anyway, right where the chef prepares the meal. I even shot the breeze with the chef and my waitress, and found them to be very genuinely nice people. I must admit, though, that out of the three sushi restaurants that I've been to, the service at Hanami was the best, primarily because of that experience, and the speed at which I got my food. As one course ended, another began, plain and simple. (Sure, there was a bit of a wait beforehand, but things moved along as soon as the ball started rolling.) The food is not only good, but also very affordable. You can even get some things for as little as $3 a piece, and that was all right.
So, if I would rate each restaurant that I've been to:
Laughing Buddha: 1 out of 5.
+ Good Japanese Atmosphere
+ Friendly Chefs
- Clueless Waitresses with attitude problems
- Food too expensive for the quantity you receive
- No showmanship, despite the food being prepared in front of you
- Variances in food quality...isn't consistency supposed to be a key factor in all food preparation?
Hanami: 4 out of 5
+ Good, simple Japanese Atmosphere
+ Very friendly staff
+ Good prices and selection
+ Next to the bar, so it's near a great socialising area
+ Food very fulling and satisfactory
- Too far out of the way (Movie Towne)
- Once again, no performances (you can't even see when they're making your food)
Benihana: 4 out of 5
+ Very good atmosphere....almost a blending of Western and Japanese values
+ VERY outstanding food
+ Courteous and very approachable staff
+ Expertly timed performances by the chefs
+ Food very fulling and satisfactory
+ Not too far out of the way (Trincity Mall)
- PRICEY. Expect to spend at least $100-$150 over there for a basic meal.
- Service takes a bit long. Sometimes it's quick, and other times, it's painfully slow (my Sake took longer than my main course. Can you believe it?)
If I'd recommend any place for a beginning sushi eater that doesn't want to spend a crapload of money, head over by Hanami in MovieTowne. However, if you're new to eating sushi, and want to get started on it, either Hanami or Benihana would do. Benihana actually has a guide on what parts of their menu are cooked, uncooked and spicy, as well as a description of their food below each meal listed. Even the
water is given flavor text. Now
that's thorough.
But one warning - keep a hawk eye on the japanese guy who cooks the meat.. mofo dude turned away to cough into his bare hands - TWICE - while cooking my meat!! no cloth to even wipe his hands after... I was like "WTF??" I am definitely going to write the manager about this.
UGH. Well, I will certainly keep my eyes on that guy...if I ever go there, of course. West Mall's a hell of a distance to go for sushi, though, and, chances are, I'd be passing all three of the sushi restaurants that I've been to just to eat there.
