Dining at House of Genji is like a magic show, cooking class and party all rolled into one delicious gastronomic experience. From the beautiful kimono-clad waitresses that seem to float through the restaurant like delicate butterflies, to the superbly talented chefs who perform culinary stunts before your very eyes and the delectable cuisine and aromas that linger in your subconscious long after you have left, a trip to this Japanese steak and seafood restaurant is anything but dull.
All this plus a slice of technology life. At our table sat a rowdy group of techies who had one hand on their cell phones and the other on their chopsticks. There was a palpable spark of energy in the air that pervaded the whole room where chefs were deftly slicing, dicing and flipping food items in the air, while diners gasped and cheered through the loud hissing of oils and meats on the grills. An oversized menu was placed before us, presenting options from smoked salmon sashimi, fried rice, calamari, steak and lobster, chicken and scallops to a vegetarian platter. We were attended by a pleasant waitress, Hanna, who suggested I try the Genji Combination, a steak and prawns dish that has been a House of Genji favorite for 30 years. My dinner companion selected the Chicken and Scallops entrée. Along with this we ordered two cocktails, a fruity Mai Tai and a delightful Piña Colada-like Chi Chi, and sipped them while we waited for our chef to appear.
Both of our meals included soup, salad, a shrimp appetizer, steamed rice, vegetables and hot green tea. Our salads were just the right size, with a delicate house dressing made with spicy sweet mustard. The clear broth soup was extremely light yet quite flavorful, with a touch of green onions, mushrooms and noodles that opened up our appetites tremendously (of course, the delightful aromas emanating from the adjoining tables also added to our growing hunger). And then in he walked— a vision all in white pulling a cart full of meats, seafood, vegetables, rice and seasonings. He winked at us before commencing his Teppan-yaki style performance, and then began preparing our fried rice, expertly chopping carrots and onions while frying the eggs and rice. As we both ate our rice, flavorfully seasoned with soy sauce and pepper, he continued with the meal preparation frenetically tossing steaks, bite-sized bits of chicken, salmon, shrimp, prawns, broccoli, sprouts, mushrooms and zucchini on the grill. We were mesmerized by the hand-is-quicker-than-the-eye knife handling by our chef, and we clapped when he amazingly tossed plump shrimps on our plates without missing (don’t try this at home!). It was hard to focus on eating while the amazing David Copperfield-like performance was still going on.
Our meals were fantastic, with delicious morsels of steak and chicken we unabashedly dunk into the semi-sweet mustard-based dipping sauce that was simply out-of-this-world. The shrimp and scallops were tender and lemony, while the vegetables were crisp and even more flavorful when combined with the ginger dipping sauce. When I asked Hanna what ingredients made up the two sauces, she smiled and politely declined to tell us since the recipes are well-kept family secrets. Our evening ended with a light and refreshing orange sorbet and green tea ice cream that we both greatly enjoyed, as well as complimentary plum wine that sweetly capped the night off.
—Karen Grafe
Hours:
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm Dinner served daily, Mon-Thurs, 5-9:30; Fri, 5-10; Sat, 4-10 and Sun, 4-9 Cocktails served in lounge from 11:30am Happy Hour: Mon-Fri, 5-6:30pm
