Sunday, September 19, 2010

Bonsai Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar (CLOSED)


NOTE: Bonsai has since closed.

Located beside the Hobby Lobby at 1315 Bridford Parkway, Bonsai offers a wide variety of sushi and Japanese entrees. Alcohol is available, the menu includes vegetarian options, and specials change daily.



Hibachi grills are typically a polarizing issue. Some love the theatricality of food being dramatically chopped and tossed on a hot grill; others balk at the communal seating. Bonsai deftly sidesteps the debate by offering hibachi-style entrees minus the fanfare. You can take your pick of chicken, steak, pork, seafood, or some combination thereof, served with rice and your choice of vegetable. The presentation leaves something to be desired – it’s all lumped together on a plate – but the food tastes better than you’d find at a mall food court establishment. A hint of blandness is easily corrected thanks to a dollop of ginger, teriyaki, or white sauce.


Spacious and booth-laden, Bonsai’s interior suggests a pricier menu than is actually available. Entrees start at an uber-reasonable $6, and sushi rolls can be had for as low as $4. You can feed yourself easily for under $10, a surprise given the amount and quality of food available.


Service at Bonsai is uneven. Servers are certainly polite, but a bit on the slow side even when there isn’t a crowd. Twice, a waiter brought out more sushi than was ordered, only to quickly realize the mistake.


Bonsai lacks the flair of other Japanese establishments, and you won’t be guaranteed a great dining experience, but the price makes it hard to pass up.


7.5/10

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