Presentation takes precedence over end-product at Juban
My partner and I made reservations a week in advance for 7pm the Sunday after Thanksgiving – this proved to be a most inauspicious date. The woman who took our reservation didn’t mention on the phone that they would be closing at 8pm (instead of the normal 10pm) that night. When we arrived a few minutes after 7pm, there were two or three families finishing up their meals. The cold, empty restaurant felt like a cross between a parking garage and a morgue. Christmas-inspired elevator melodies played softly in the background, but they were drowned out by the clamor of the industrial dishwasher in the kitchen. The hum of the exhaust fan in the empty restaurant did little to enhance the atmosphere. The service was quick and curt, and it soon became obvious that the staff was in a hurry to go home after a long holiday weekend. We quickly ordered a broad selection of items and started drinking sake. The raw goods arrived quickly and we set about grilling. The waitress was unresponsive to our inquiries about how and how long to grill our seafood. We drank more sake and burned some of the squid. All the other patrons had disappeared. We were informed (at exactly 8pm) that the restaurant was closing early. We were approximately half-way through our meal. A brief chat with the ‘head chef’ and manager, Jeff Misaki, revealed the following: he considers himself more of a ‘manager’ than a ‘chef’ since all the food prep (except for heating up soup) is done in the chain’s central kitchen in Menlo Park – essentially this is a factory (or a food-themed amusement park), not a restaurant. We decided that the gimmick of cooking on a table-top grill is more of a hassle than an attraction – or as Zagat correspondents put it ‘who likes to cook when they go out to eat?’ And the low-quality ingredients (with the exception, perhaps, of the Kobe beef, which we didn’t sample) don’t justify the steep prices.

Refreshing hot towel and premium quality paper napkins portend a different experience – sort of like eating a first-class airplane meal, trying for elegance, but some intangible, elusive atmospheric element is conspicuously absent. Pendant copper spot lamps and warm woods. Slate floor imparts a cold feel. The open interior is framed with warm wood designs, and copper accents complete the inside-a-sauna feel, but closer inspection reveals faux-materials and a false veneer. Presentation takes precedence over end-product. Do-it-yourself DIY experience more of an attraction than the food. When empty (with fan running in background) resembles a cold parking garage tailgate BBQ. Central bar seating fills empty space. Symphony of sizzling sounds competes wi th Christmas music (why can’t Asian restaurants ever get the music right?). Serviced can be overly attentive, but is friendly. Start with a room-temperature sake sampler (3 for $9) and a simple {nori} (seaweed) salad ‘roasted’ in sesame oil ($2.50). Avoid the mealy tomato salad ($4.25), unless maybe better in summer when local tomatoes are ripe – are they flown in from Japan too? Set menus are best bet, Yanikinu Wagyu Loin (Kobe beef) is expensive ($38 for 4 ounces) for good reason – flow in fresh from Japan. Thin slices need less than a minute grilling. Vegetarians may faint at sight of sacrifice. All other beef is raised on the owner’s ranch in Iowa. Broke? – all the innards are available at cut-rate prices. All food prepped in central kitchen in Menlo Park. Chef Jeff Misaki is admittedly more of a manager than cook. Service is lightning fast, since food is almost exclusively pre-prepared. The grilling can become a real ordeal, unless someone in group is gung-ho about monitoring progress. Seafood sticks to grill, vegetables leave a lot to be desired. {Namuru} fermented salad of spinach, daikon, bean and soy sprouts ($4.25) is best appetizer. Assortment of pickles ($4) is good way to whet appetite. Family-style seatings with inlaid, sunken gas-powered, smokeless tabletop grills can accommodate up to 10 people. Dessert - green tea ice cream ($3.50) or {mochi} ice cream balls ($4.25) wrapped in sticky rice pastry - is a simple delight after an involved meal – try the red bean or green tea flavors with vanilla or coffee for a unique taste treat. Original location is in Menlo Park (tel 650-473-6458) at 712 Santa Cruz Avenue. Another larger location in Burlingame (tel 650-347-2300) at 1204 Broadway Avenue..    [18 May 2000 20:34:17]

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Recommended Dishes: kobe beef, nori salad

     ­andrew dean (laughtears), laughtears.net   adean at ekno dot com