Are Japanese Restaurants the New Chinese Restaurants?

Raikus — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:57:00 GMT

It seems to be the latest restaurant fad -- Japanese Sushi Bar and Steakhouse restaurants. When most think of Japanese food they recall their times sitting around a flat grill with a dark haired, mildly Asian looking gentlemen throwing out poorly timed comments as he makes onion volcanoes and acts like a spatula playing Ringo. But now the Japanese Steakhouse is transitioning into a classy sit down environment that serves decorative looking sushi rolls and classic Japanese dishes like udon, terriyaki and tempura.

And they're everywhere.

Now I wouldn't call this a bad thing. I'm a big fan of Japanese foodstuffs -- particularly dishes like yaki udon or any tuna-based sushi. The vast majority of these new restaurants are very good and look nice. The prices are a bit higher than their Chinese counterparts, but still in the region of budget eating.

Last year at this time I recall there being three Japanese restaurants in my town. One was the typical hibachi steakhouse; one was a quick order that served excellent hibachi cooked dishes doused in white sauce; the last was a nice sit down that had the traditional dishes with the sushi bar option.

Same time this year it seems that every large shopping center how has its resident Japanese food parcel. Off the top of my head I can easily think of 8 places. Most are now the 2 parcel storefront in a shopping center that offers the sushi/dish mix.

When and why have they suddenly become so popular?

There's no denying that it's good food, but most dishes still need explanation to the general audience. The sushi fad has come and gone but retained some of it's swept-up audience. However, it still seems that for a populace used to the convenience of processed meat slapped between sesame seeded buns with a side of oil fried potatoes complicated food dishes is a long shot. Is it simply that we're all looking for something out of the norm? That the idea of grilled vegetables, shrimp, chicken and rice all seem a healthier alternative to a #8 combo?

Whatever the case there only seem to be more on the way. The owners must be putting a lot of faith into the adage "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" and are gambling that shrimp tempura with a crazy tuna roll is the way to go.

The Wastebucket : shrimp

Are Japanese Restaurants the New Chinese Restaurants?