Benihana

I visited Benihana in Swiss Cottage for my anniversary in June. It was the first Benihana restaurant to open in the UK and I chose it as it seemed to be an experience as well as just a good meal out. It’s right near the tube and easy to find. When we arrived we were slightly early so were asked if we would like to take a drink in the bar before we sat down. Since it was a lovely day and the bar has outside seating available we opted to have a cocktail ...
...of Japanese onion soup and Benihana salad, then appetisers of hibachi prawns and vegetables with homemade dipping sauces and your main meal comes with steamed rice. You can then opt for Japanese green tea at the end of the meal. There is also the option of ordering sushi, sashimi and tempura to accompany your meal, as well as a variety of hibachi side dishes - scallops, vegetables etc.

My partner and I opted for a traditional Hibachi ... more

I visited Benihana in Swiss Cottage for my anniversary in June. It was the first Benihana restaurant to open in the UK and I chose it as it seemed to be an experience as well as just a good meal out. It’s right near the tube and easy to find. When we arrived we were slightly early so were asked if we would like to take a drink in the bar before we sat down. Since it was a lovely day and the bar has outside seating available we opted to have a cocktail before dinner. The cocktail menu was comprehensive and the bartender knew what he was doing. It was lovely to sit outside and relax before we went downstairs to eat.

When we were taken downstairs to our table I was slightly disappointed to see the restaurant was very empty. It was 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening but I did expect it to be slightly busier. When I asked if it was normally this quiet I was told it gets busier later in the evening. I wish I had known this as I’m a bit of a stickler for atmosphere in a restaurant. The restaurant itself is decorated in a traditional design but seemed slightly bland for my liking.

We were seated at a traditional hibachi table - which means 8 people sit around a 'U' shape table which holds a vast hot plate. Each table then has its own personal chef, who comes to the table to cook your meal in front of you.

The menu is extensive and it’s hard to choose as it all sounds fantastic. There are House Specialities such as steak and lobster tails and tiger prawns and chicken; Traditional Hibachi Dinners, which are a variety of steak, chicken and seafood such as lobster, prawn, scallop and tuna and the Kaiseki Dinners for a very special occasion – as they combine the best of the other 2 choices. Although on first look the prices might seem expensive it actually proves good value for money in most cases as each choice comes with a starter of Japanese onion soup and Benihana salad, then appetisers of hibachi prawns and vegetables with homemade dipping sauces and your main meal comes with steamed rice. You can then opt for Japanese green tea at the end of the meal. There is also the option of ordering sushi, sashimi and tempura to accompany your meal, as well as a variety of hibachi side dishes - scallops, vegetables etc.

My partner and I opted for a traditional Hibachi dinner each, a side dish of scallops and an order of sashimi and California rolls. It may well have been the case that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs but since it was a special occasion we couldn't resist! I chose as my main the Chateaubriand steak and my partner the Hibachi salmon.

After we had ordered and got our drinks, onion soup and sashimi/California rolls our chef came to the table with all the raw ingredients neatly loaded on a little trolley. However, I would have perhaps liked a little more time to digest my first course before he began cooking.

The chef started with the hibachi vegetables, prawns and scallops and he was really very skilled with the knife and it was fairly exciting to watch as he flipped and dissected prawns and vegetables. I did get the impression however that if we were children he may well have been slightly more flamboyant with his moves! Another table which had a family on it seemed to be delighting in the showmanship of their chef so perhaps we just got a chef who was slightly more serious in what he was doing. At this point we had been joined by 2 other diners who were sitting at the opposite end of the table to us. It was nice to be not the only ones sitting there and it seems if you go in a party of 8 it would be a lot of fun.

Once our starters were cooked they were slipped onto plates resting on the hot plate in front of us. It smelt delicious and the prawns and vegetable went really well with the dipping sauces. Once again though, I would have liked a little more time to digest the appetisers before he began cooking my steak. Perhaps I'm just used to meals being in courses rather than here where it is all put on the same plate and you eat it all together. Anyway, I was asked how I wanted my steak and then he began. The speed at which he cut up the fillet was amazing and he allowed me to taste a little to make sure it was done to my liking before putting it on my plate. I am a massive fan of steak and it certainly did not disappoint! It was perfectly cooked and lovely with the assortment of vegetables my plate had collected. My partner’s salmon was then cooked and that too was done expertly and you got a good sized portion. We were also provided with a bowl of steamed rice to go with this part of the meal.

After the chef had finished doing food for the other diners he cleaned up and left as though he had never been there and we left to finish our meal off. Although the chef obviously knew what he had been doing, I didn't think he was as showy as other table’s chefs seemed to be and I felt slightly disappointed. However, I couldn't be disappointed in the quality of food as it was delicious. It was certainly a struggle to finish everything but because it was so good you just didn't want to leave it. We didn't opt for dessert, although there seemed to be a good selection, as we were simply too stuffed and after a couple of beers didn't really feel like the tea.

To sum up, the service was great, the food fantastic and in all not bad value for money with the whole thing including drinks coming to just under £100. The waiters were very attentive but not overly so. The chef was an expert at cooking the food and while good to watch, it was not quite the spectacle I was expecting. I couldn't fault the food but if you are not in to chicken, meat or seafood then this is probably the wrong place for you. It seems a great place to take the family as the chefs really play up for the kids and if I had to organise dinner out for me and 7 friends this would definitely be one I would consider. Also, if you are on a first date it would be great as its something a little different and if you are stuck for conversation then you can always watch the chef or chat about what he’s doing!

I would visit Benihana again, especially now I know what to expect and how not to over order as this can dramatically cut the cost of the bill down! The food was delicious and there are certainly other things on the menu I want to try. I would probably choose something a little more romantic for my next anniversary but overall we had a good experience and would recommend it to others. 

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