Jack B > wrote:
+ Betty Lee > wrote:
+ > I'm not sure which restaurant taste is the goal here, but the chef at
+ > Benihana folded a huge slab of garlic butter and a ton of salt into
+ > the fried rice. That might be why it tastes different. The people who
+ > said that eating out is bad for you weren't on crack. I don't really
+ > understand why people would want to make food the way restaurants do.
+ > It seems to defeat the point of actually cooking it yourself.
+
+ Mmm...well... but... Benihana is just awful (read "a cruel joke" in my
+ experience.) Last time I ate at one, the "Japanese" meal included
+ "fried rice" with frozen diced carrots and peas.

I didn't find the Benihana around here to be bad, but there were
definitely no frozen carrots and peas in the fried rice when I went.
*boggle* The poor chef! He/she has to cook the fried rice in front
of you... That must've been humiliating! When I went, the chef only put
eggs, onions, and chicken in the fried rice (with a whole bunch of butter,
salt, soy sauce, and pepper).

Of course, I was expecting a show and "fusion" food (American food
dressed up in Asian decor), and it lived up to those expectations.
The show I got was definitely very cute -- I've never actually seen
someone juggle egg yolk around on a spatula before. The food was about
what I expect from a reasonably good but not-too-overpriced American
restaurant, and the price was okay for a meal with live entertainment.

I _do_ agree that anyone going to Benihana for Asian food would be very
disappointed. Benihana is probably about as Japanese as Teen Titans. ;-)