Samurai Hibachi Grill & Sushi Bar

Review published February 2010 SOKY Happenings
By Bonnie Logsdon

Seven hundred eighty-three restaurants in an eight-county area: that is how many choices are available for you in a fifty-mile radius! This Valentine’s Day, how do you pick that special place for you and your sweetie? For me, the task often seems overwhelming because we have so many options. In the quest for the perfect place, I decided to think outside the box. My criterion was that it not be your typical dim lighting and white tablecloth that you would normally think about for cupid’s big day. I wanted choices, and for that reason I chose Samurai Steak & Sushi. I love that you have three cooking styles to choose from: hibachi, sushi, and an Asian-inspired kitchen menu; you can sit with a group, bring your own group, or sit privately in a booth or at a table setting.

On a weekend night, my husband and I headed to Samurai and decided to go hibachi. We joined a table with a family of four and enjoyed light conversation about good food and the weather. We started with an order from the bar of a sake martini and a Japanese beer. The sake martini sounded too intriguing not to try. Vodka, sake, and olive juice, served up with a pickle garnish was right up my alley. It was a given that we wanted some sushi, so we asked the server about her favorite. The Kentucky Derby was her pick. It is a special roll with a combination of raw and cooked fish with vegetables and topped with spicy crab, mayo and hot sauce. The No. 9 was our other sushi special roll choice, and both were delicious. The plate was garnished with dots of hot sauce and swirls of a key lime sauce that both looked and tasted great!

With the sushi started, we opted for sharing a combination dinner. So many choices are on the menu for the combo. Chicken, seafood, beef, and vegetables can all be mixed and matched to create your own little plate of love. We decided on two of our favorite things: scallops and filet. How can you ever go wrong with the surf and turf? The combo dinner offers a salad with ginger dressing and the miso soup. Hibachi style provides a personal chef at your table for not just cooking but comic relief. Our chef was so entertaining with his egg rolls, flame throwing, and ability to add lots of butter and sauces to our yummy meal. The vegetables and rice are cooked first with a variety of sauces, spices, and butter, added for flavor. The meats are cooked to order with their own spicy flavors and delivered to your plate, hot of the grill. The whole experience takes about twenty minutes and is such a nice change of pace from the traditional restaurant.

If you aren’t into the hibachi experience, you can order from the menu. Asian inspiration provides rice bowls, chef’s specialties like Bi Bim Bo and Kal Bee, noodles, and tempura battered combos. A fully-stocked bar is at your service the minute you walk in the door. Book your private celebration in their party room for twenty for free! Lunch prices are hard to beat, and kids have their own menu.

Take your sweetheart or your whole family to Samurai this Valentine’s Day for a spirited atmosphere and great food with plenty of choice in a clean environment. Out of a four fork review I give Samurai 3 forks up!

About the Author:
Bonnie Holt Logsdon likes to consider herself a “foodie”. (See Wikipedia for a definition) When she is not eating she enjoys buying food, talking about food, cooking food and reading about food. She also likes to exercise so she can continue eating what she wants. Bonnie holds a degree in Dietetics and enjoys volunteering in the community as a member of the Bowling Green Jr. Woman’s Club and Kappa Delta Alumni Association.