The food that swims, grows, and grazes within just a few miles of our dining room tables on the Central Coast, offers zesty flavors and farm-fresh nutrition. At Yanagi Sushi and Grill, these same comestibles shine as the stars of the show in a performance that turns ordinary cooking into lively entertainment.
Located in a shiny new building in The Commons Shopping Center, near the intersection of West McCoy Lane and South Broadway, Yanagi Sushi and Grill welcomes its customers to sit, dine, and even heckle the chefs. Equipped with tables, a sushi bar, and teppanyaki grills, the restaurant offers Japanese-style food served up in an exciting atmosphere the whole family will love.
Each week, customers crowd through the door, ready to savor both the fine food and unique dining experience. Patrons who choose table seating enjoy conventional service, while fun-loving patrons who belly up to the sushi bar or gather ’round one of the teppanyaki grills become part of the cast that makes Yanagi so much fun.
“They love the teppan grill,” said Mimi Kim, Yanagi’s manager and sister of one of the sushi chefs. “Our chefs cook in front of the customers and really put on a show.
“Cost-wise it’s a little more expensive,” she added, “but a lot of customers ask for it for a special birthday or anniversary party. We take a picture, sing Japanese-style happy birthday, and we serve Japanese ice cream, deep fried, so the outside is hard and inside is cool vanilla or green tea ice cream.”
The U.S. version of teppanyaki came into popularity in 1964, when the first Benihana restaurant opened in New York. The chain featured flamboyant chefs preparing western-style food using a traditional teppan, which means “iron plate” in Japanese, (“yaki” means “cooked”) located in the center of the diners’ tables.
The deft, fast-talking chefs whipped together hot dishes from beef, shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken, and a variety of vegetables. They quick-cooked the ingredients in sizzling soybean oil, provided sauces for dipping, and sometimes even created flaming, edible Mt. Fujis from stacks of sliced onion and vodka.
At Yanagi Sushi and Grill, where the chefs are just part of the attraction, the menu includes a wonderful assortment of sushi specialties, as well as sauces, both savory and sweet, for added dimensions of flavor.
“We have a house-made sauce with lots of ingredients,” said Jay Chung, owner of the Yanagi chain, which includes four other locations. “We use chili peppers, chili oil, and garlic to make it spicy. And we have a lot of special rolls and spring rolls.
“The Caterpillar Roll has freshwater eel inside, with cucumber and crab meat,” he continued. “Outside it has thin sliced avocado. We also have what we call a Sexy Roll, with very thin sliced cucumber, no rice, and thin slices of four different kinds of raw fish inside. It looks very sexy!
“I like sushi and sashimi,” he laughed. “I like spicy rolls, uni, mackerel, tuna, salmon. I like everything!”
Also on the menu are rolls with names like Sunshine, Crunchy, and Red Dragon; a California roll topped with spicy tuna, and an array of similar gems made with unagi, salmon, and eel. Rounding out the tempting roster are Korean barbecued ribs, nigiri, sashimi, seaweed salad, and miso soup, along with plum wine and mochi for dessert.
Chung, who once owned a Japanese-style eatery in Ventura, moved to the Central Coast four years ago, and promptly opened a Yanagi Sushi and Grill in San Luis Obispo, followed by others in Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and finally Santa Maria.
“I started in the restaurant business 20 years ago,” Chung said. “I don’t know any other business.
“I like the Santa Maria area,” he continued. “We opened June 14, last year and we already are very busy.”
With the success of his current dining hot spots, Chung plans to launch a sixth Yanagi Sushi and Grill near San Jose sometime next year.
“We don’t do much advertising,” he admitted. “It’s mostly word-of-mouth, but we get a lot of local people and we have lots of regular customers. People like it!”
INFOBOX: On a roll
Yanagi Sushi and Grill is located at 2431 S. Broadway. For more information, or to make reservations (not accepted for Saturdays and Sundays), call 937-8882. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. till 10 p.m., with last seating at 9:30; and Sunday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
K. Reka Badger gets restaurant tips through word-of-mouth. Talk to her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 3, 2008.