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Bonsai Offers Fair Portions Of Dinner And Theater | |
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 11/30/2001 | |
| SANDY -- Anyway you slice or dice it, Bonsai Japanese Steak House is a family-friendly restaurant. First, it's fast, with no wait between courses. Second, there is plenty of entertainment to keep kids of all ages from becoming restless. And finally, the food is nutritious: rice, vegetables and lean protein. The prices are reasonable, too. No one should mistake this for authentic Japanese cuisine, however. Calvin Luu, who owns the restaurant with other family members, was born in Vietnam of Chinese parents and hasn't even been to Japan. But the Luu family suspected that teppan-yaki style cooking, in which a showman/chef cooks on a tabletop grill (the teppan) in front of diners might play well in the suburbs. Four months ago, they opened Bonsai in a Sandy strip mall and the teppans have been working overtime ever since. It's not an original idea, of course. Many Utahns first encountered this sort of dinner/theater at Benihana's of Tokyo. Bonsai has a similar M.O., but on a lesser scale. It is relatively small -- one large room divided with a Japanese-style partition -- and there is no sushi bar. Tables wrap around the grills, which are overhung with industrial-strength hoods to vent large amounts of heat. The menu is relatively simple and unchanging. Gourmets looking for seasonal variety and adventurous cuisine won't find it here. Diners get to choose their protein -- steak, chicken, salmon, shellfish or a combination thereof -- but everything else is standard. Every meal includes clear onion soup, a salad of iceberg lettuce with tomato and cucumber, steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms and onions). Dinners range from $8 for a vegetarian version to $30 for a combination plate with lobster tail, scallops and shrimp. A few dinners come with house-fried rice, but most people will have to spend an extra dollar to get it, which seems like a cheap way to make an extra buck. Let's suppose you opt for a mid-priced meal, like New York steak and shrimp ($14.50). In addition to the soup, salad, vegetables and rice (an extra $2 will get you fried noodles, a tasty but pricey add on), you can watch a show that isn't quite as entertaining as Emeril, but doesn't require airfare, either. Bonsai chefs are experts at rhythmically tapping fork and spatula to create a sort of metallic drum roll, a prelude to spinning and juggling cooking tools, bouncing raw eggs on a spatula, flipping small bowls or egg shells onto their chef hats or even briefly flaming their own hands. The one thing they don't do that would enhance the show is to engage the crowd, other than to flip shrimp into the open mouths of diners who are game for such food play. Each chef has his own little tricks, so there is variety for repeat customers. Of course, cynics will want to return to see if something gets dropped, spilled or accidentally set on fire (not likely). Mostly chefs just slice and dice the food, then cook it, guided by a seating chart of food orders that has been put together by the kimono-wearing servers. Steaks are cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked to order, while salmon is served as a filet. The food is seasoned during cooking and served with small bowls of mustard sauce and ginger sauce, for dipping. The filet mignon is quality meat, tender and flavorful. The New York is just as tasty, with a firmer texture. The scallops are wonderful, tender and nicely seasoned. The shrimp needed more seasoning, but the salmon had a sweet splash of teriyaki sauce that complemented its mild flavor. It was perfectly cooked, too. If you aren't having chicken for dinner, but want a taste, try the yakatori appetizer ($2.50). It comes as three skewers of white meat, coated with sesame seeds and teriyaki sauce. Avoid the tempura: it is a thick, crunchy batter, nothing like the light, crisp coating it should be. Bonsai is an entertaining and reasonably priced dinner show, although it has limitations: people who want to spend less on a smaller meal don't have that option. Plus, you'll be sharing a table with strangers, an awkward situation for some people. It's also not a place to linger: the service is prompt, maybe a bit rushed. But Bonsai is a good option for adults dining with youngsters. They might even get the crazy idea that cooking is fun. Bonsai 875 E. 9400 South, Sandy 352-9288 Hours: Monday through Saturday, 4:30-10 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30-9 p.m. Prices: Dinners from $8 to $30 Liquor: Beer and wine Reservations: Suggested Child's Menu: Yes Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Outdoor Dining: No Parking: On site lot Credit Cads: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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