Kabuki Steakhouse Review: It was worth the expense

Located just a 5-minute walk from the Cache Valley Transit Center, Kabuki Japanese Steakhouse is a real treat worthy of date-night, especially around Valentine’s Day. Kabuki Steakhouse serves hibachi-style steaks and seafood, delicious entrees and sides like chicken and fried noodles, and plenty of specialty sushi rolls. I attended a dinner service on February 12, and was pleasantly surprised.

As I walked in from the cold, I was greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere, and was taken to a table immediately. I was given the option of the sushi bar or a booth, and I chose the latter. My spot gave me a good view of the hibachi grills, near the back of the restaurant. When my server, Ren, came around, he offered to have me seated at the grill. However, because of the Valentine’s Day rush, all the spots for the next few hours were full of reservations, so I stayed at my seat.

There were roses everywhere, and the menus had been printed with little hearts next to the date-night specials. Being a high-class steakhouse, the dishes are a bit pricy, but reasonable for the delicious Japanese cuisine I was served. My bill came to $51, including tax and tip, and I received a plate of tempura vegetables and shrimp, a sushi roll called the ‘New York roll’, filet mignon and shrimp, and a side of fried noodles instead of white rice. Everything was delicious, and I would order everything again in a heartbeat—especially since I had quite a bit to take home.

My view of the hibachi grills was exciting. I’m sure it would have been more so to be seated at the grill itself, but that was on me for not reserving a spot. A few times, I saw bursts of flame and heard oohs and aahs from the customers, which was fun. Hibachi chefs really are talented, seeing as they cook in front of their patrons and make it fun and enjoyable to watch.

My food arrived quickly—first a fresh salad with creamy ginger dressing, and a clear broth soup with fried onions and mushrooms. My tempura shrimp and New York roll, which was sushi rice, seaweed, salmon, tuna and avocado, came shortly after I had finished the first course. It was after I had gotten through quite a bit of the second course that my entrée arrived, and it was worth the wait. Sliced filet mignon and pan-fried shrimp, fried noodles and delicious veggies including broccoli, onions, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. I had to pace myself—there was a lot of food, and I had tons of leftovers.

My server was kind enough to help me figure out the tax, and offered me a complimentary chocolate dipped strawberry at the end of my meal—a nice extra for coming in around Valentine’s Day. I packed my leftovers into two boxes, and was given a bag. By time I had paid and left, it was dark, and I had enjoyed my time there very much. In short—if you have a sweetheart you’d like to treat next Valentine’s Day, take them to Kabuki Japanese Steakhouse.