True taste of Japan – Teppanyaki @ Benihanna
I went to the place with great contemplation and trust me was not disappointed at all. Yes I am talking about none other than Benihanna. An Award-winning Japanese-American restaurant which had introduced new menu featuring both new and old favorites.
Benihana digs for a hipper location in Dubai at Amwaj Rotana. It is located along the famous restaurant and shopping strip known as “The Walk” at JBR. What has changed here in modern cuisine is the posh address, fine dining setting along with Teppanyaki and the addition of a full bar.
Food Rundown:
At in Drinks we enjoyed Mystic Rain, which is not on menu but prepared specially for Mahi Blog from Benihana team. Another worth mentioning refreshing drinks is Sunflower – Very Unique and Glitzy.
In appetizers, first arrival on table was Miso Soup – Wakame seaweed, silken tofu, white soya bean paste and spring onions. Not much of our liking however soya bean taste made it a bit deferent from trendy tofu soups. Benihana Salad with Crisp iceberg lettuce, plum tomatoes, carrot, radicchio in Benihana ginger dressing is highly recommended and we loved the dressing.
From ‘Makimono’ range we tried Am-Be Special Roll. It is so distinctive of other Japanese cuisine we had and is classic favorite at this restauarant. A tasty deep-fried (Tempura) sushi roll filled with tuna(Spicy as er preferred so), spring onion, asparagus and a secret sauce (spicy Japanese mayonnaise-unagi). Totally lip-smacking that I shamelessly finished all without sharing with my partner. Another item from same range was Garden Roll – Rocket leaves, avocado, cucumber, tomato, kanpyo, mango pearls – Yes it’s veg sushi ! those of you who don’t like sushi must try this version. It is one of the best imposter I ever had and is so detectable.
Main Course
- Rocky’s Choice – U.S. Black Angus beef sirloin and corn-fed chicken
- Seafood Special – Organic Irish salmon, black tiger prawns, tuna and fresh scallops
I was overwhelmed by the vegetable/Chicken egg stir fried rice which Chef has prepared along with Mains. It is with chicken chunks and BBQ sauce and a red pepper. The Japanese main course Seafood is definitely my favorite on a tasting menu. Rocky’s Choice the meat was well done and juicy and the accompanying flavors were spectacular. However, if you want to enjoy seafood grill to then order classic Benihana signature i-e Benihana Special, it is a combination of U.S Black Angus Beef Tenderloin and Caribbean Lobster tail.
On the sweet front, a colourful Dessert Bento Box has been added which is an assortment of Japanese desserts such as chocolate mousse with yuzu crème, mochi, banana walnut harumaki and seasonal fruits.
Talent show – Teppanyaki:
In Japan, the preparation of food is an art form and Teppanyaki is no exception. Teppanyaki is a style of cooking that involves grilling on a hot iron skillet with the principle of enhancing the original flavours of its ingredients rather than masking it. Benihana uses the freshest of seafood, chicken, steaks and vegetables with just a touch of seasoning. At Benihana, a meal is a staged experience.
Their Live Teppanyaki cooking really has impressed us. In It’s an eye treat for Foodies, along with its signature dishes. Benihana is most known for Teppanyaki – a traditional Japanese cooking method which invites guests to experience a live-cooking spectacle of theatrics, flips and tricks performed by the chefs right in front of diners’ very eyes. At certain instances we experienced some jaw dropping moments with fire and knives skills, however chef kept it pretty lively with his non-stop entertainment and food stories and yes did I Mentioned LIVE singing 😉
New items on the menu span a variety of cooking styles such as the Am-Be Orient Pearl, a combination of premium seafood cooked on the Teppan grill and Kiwami, 400-day grain-fed Wagyu beef also cooked on the Teppan. Another prominent dish featured in the new menu is the exquisite sea urchin or uni which is regarded in Japan as a delicacy due to its rarity and delicate texture. Chef Numeriano comments that the new dishes added to the menu reflect the “
All in all we enjoyed our visit to Benihana. Specialty Outlet Chef, Numeriano Ligaya, and his team has greatly entertained us. They delivered a menu of playful food combinations along with Showman Chef’s presentation skills. We revel in the likes of classic Japanese delights served buffet style and discover a personalized experience of having your food grilled to delicious perfection in an extraordinary theatre-style setting. Teppanyaki show has fed our senses and entertain the appetite. Egg flipping, shrimp tossing and volcanic onions are all part of the act.
Other Offers: They also offers a special Kuidaore menu offering an “eat-till-you-drop” dining experience for lunch and dinner on Saturdays (12.30 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.; 6 p.m. – 12 a.m.). Replacing the existing a la carte concept, the revamped Tuesday themed night will run from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. and will offer a spread of sushi, makis, sashimi, tempura as well as main courses and dessert bento boxes. On Fridays, the restaurant partners with its sister restaurant, Rosso, to deliver the popular Big Brunch @ Amwaj Rotana (Fridays, 12.30 – 4.30 p.m.) featuring live barbecue, seafood, sushi, family zone and a visit inside the kitchen too.
For more information, check their website: rotana.com/amwajrotana or
For reservations call +971 (0)4 428 2000 or email online.amwaj@rotana.com.