Shogun Steak House of Japan

637 E. Joyce Blvd.

Fayetteville

Our lunch crew unanimously gives Shogun Steak House of Japan five stars. It’s not that we’re not picky, as regular readers of our restaurant reviews know. But serve up delicious food, throw in some entertainment and we’re satisfied. What more could we want?

At Shogun, the food preparation is the show. Chefs, some more skilled in showmanship than others, prepare the meal right at your table. If you come with a small party, don’t be surprised if you’re seated with strangers. The management generally fills up each table — each of which has a built-in grill — before sending the chef out.

The meal starts with fried rice, delicious enough to make a meal in itself. It’s at this point that there’s usually some egg tossing by the chef. On this visit, our chef tricked us with a particularly deft move — he tossed an egg into the air and it seemed to disappear. Truth is, he was just faster than our eyes — the egg had landed, unbroken, in his chef’s hat.

Generous portions of the rice were served up to each person at our table, followed by the entree.

Two of the diners in our group ordered sushi appetizers. They split a two-piece order of Ikura (salmon roe, which means eggs to most people). Both enjoyed the salty taste of the roe nestled on rice and wrapped with seaweed. The two-piece orders of sushi cost $3.50 at Shogun regardless of which one you opt for.

The adventurous appetizer eaters also tried Unagi (cooked fresh-water eel) in a maki roll (which allows for six pieces). The Unagi, which had rice on the outside of the roll instead of inside, was also heralded as delicious. Maki ranges in price from $3 to $4 with most at $3.75.

For entrees, the diner who had Teppanyaki New York steak ($8) said it was “wonderful.” After being cooked to perfection, the steak was swiftly cubed, perfect for eating with chopsticks. If you can’t manage the chopsticks, however, don’t worry. Shogun also gives each diner a fork. There’s no need for a knife because the chef does all the necessary slicing and dicing.

Another diner opted for the Japanese version of turf and surf. He got the Teppanyaki New York Steak & Shrimp ($11), an excellent combination and appropriately seasoned.

The teppan lunches range in price from $6 for the Teppanyaki Chicken to $11 for the steak and shrimp.

The third member of our party loved the Teppanyaki Shrimp ($8). Complete with the fried rice and a large helping of sauteed vegetables, he thought the lunch was both filling and delicious.

He called the food “the best Asian meal” that he’s eaten in Northwest Arkansas.

Shogun also has a “lunch express” section on the menu. It contains interesting, inexpensive combinations of cooked and sushi items.

We find it interesting to note that Shogun is owned by John Pak, who is Korean by heritage and birth. And many of the better chefs at Shogun are Mexican. In any event, the result is an international mix we can’t resist.