Dining Review: Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse
1 of 3
Ichiban 2
Great food, a great show and a great place for a party, at Ichiban every meal is memorable.
2 of 3
Ichiban 1
Ichiban's sushi and shrimp dishes are augmented by performing chefs and distinctive flavors.
3 of 3
Ichiban 2
Great food, a great show and a great place for a party, at Ichiban every meal is memorable.
There’s a split-personality feel to Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Oak Grove Plaza; the hibachi grill is flashy but down-to-earth, and the sushi bar is its more complicated twin. A recent visit to the steakhouse side found the griddle-ringing tables to be a bit smallish (I got to know the knee of the gentleman seated next to me better than either of us would have liked), with 10 seats arrayed around the chef’s workspace. Aficionados of the tepppanyaki house won’t find much novelty, but there is no lack of showmanship and fresh food.
All entrees come with a somewhat humble salad and a hearty, smoky hon dashi soup: Clear, austere broth with shavings of mushrooms and bonito.
Our chef was quite personable, and seemed to have as much fun practicing his craft as we had watching it. It was decided in our party that if we were going to try to replicate his pyrotechnics (a sliced onion stacked in a cone, a few veggies and a little oil and water created a credible and edible Mt. Fuji, complete with three-foot plume of fire and pyroclastic teriyaki sauce), we would be well-advised to do it in the driveway, at least 30 feet from the house. The egg for the fried rice leapt from the spatula like a ballerina, and we were treated to the obligatory shrimp-into-mouth toss, with appropriate ridicule for those who aren’t motivated enough to catch them.
The offerings from the hibachi were somewhat basic, though fresh and well-prepared. Beef, chicken and seafood choices are cooked on the flat-top griddle with teriyaki, sesame and panache, and served with egg-fried rice and a simple, light medley of broccoli, onions and zucchini.
A subsequent visit to sample Ichiban’s sushi offerings also included a show, but in this case, the theater was all on the plate. In a nook sheltered somewhat from the spectacle of the teppanyaki chefs, the cozy sushi bar is a bit more sedate. However, the mixture of flavors, textures and colors presented are downright riotous. This is the part of the house that really shines. Order too much and take some home.
Sixteen varieties of Nigiri (hand shaped sushi and rice) are presented simply with wasabi and pickled ginger, while a wide variety of specialty rolls combine flavors and textures of fresh seafood, vegetables and rice are plated over a riot of abstract designs in sauces and pastes.
Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse: 2004 Electric Road, 540-725-1288