Review - Banzai Japanese Steakhouse

Banzai is a newly-opened Japanese steakhouse that is situated on Central Avenue in Hartsdale, and for those who are local history buffs, it is located on the old site of the very first Carvel. And after much anticipation, I went there for dinner this past weekend. The first thing you'll notice when you walk inside the place is that it looks BIG. The ceilings are high and the place itself has a very open feel to it. One minor complaint, although it's more of a layout issue, is that I felt that the space was divided in half for bar and for dining rather than have more emphasis on the dining part of it. It's a big place regardless, but that was just more of an aesthetic issue.

Since we had gone on a busy Saturday night (yes, reservations are taken and recommended), there was a slight delay before being seated. Walking to our seats and taking a look around, I noticed that the decor has more of a modern American/Asian fusion feel but nothing too gaudy. The menu is your standard Japanese steakhouse fare, with hibachi, sushi, and other Japanese dishes being offered. In terms of pricing, the menu was moderately priced with appetizers ranging from $5-$10 for most items and entree items in the $15-$25 range. Hibachi items were moderately priced in comparison to other local, similar eateries such as Edo's and Nagoya.

As for myself, I started off with a spicy tuna roll as an appetizer, as my basis for any Japanese place starts with that roll. Theirs was good and their wasabi that they served was very fresh, which is always a plus in my book. I'm not the biggest fan of fresh peeled ginger, but I will note that they use 'real ginger' and not the artificially-colorful pink ginger most places use. I opted for the filet mignon and shrimp hibachi, and to say the least it was fantastic. The meat(s) and fish used were definitely quality stuff and fresh, and everything was cooked perfectly. Also, part of the whole hibachi experience is your chef and his interaction, and I have to say that the gentleman whom we got was amazing. Very personable and very entertaining, he had our whole table laughing and having a good time the whole night. The portions that they serve you are nicely-sized and they definitely don't skimp in that area. The service of the staff was timely and prompt, and very courteous to boot.

Granted it may have just opened this month and are still working out all their kinks and whatnot, but this place for the initial time-being gets a thumbs-up from me. I really enjoyed my experience there and am looking forward to going back there again.

Rating: 8 out of 10

(Note - This may be revised in the future being that this is a newly-opened place and subject to changes in dining experience)