There are so many restaurants at which to experience Happy Hour (HH) in the Fashion Mall complex, Mrs. K and I decided to try one that has been a part of the mall area for a very long time: Benihana at 8830 Keystone Crossing Road. Honestly, we had not been there since a graduation celebration about six years ago.
Their HH is featured in the menu list on their website – benihana.com/menus/happy-hour – and features selections for $3, $6, $9, and $12, plus something called the Blue Ocean Punch Bowl (For Two or More) priced at $35.
We sat down in an empty bar area, and a friendly server/bartender took care of us. The first thing we noticed about the HH drink menu was a lack of any Chardonnays. This seems to be a semi-normal point on many area HH menus. Mrs. K ordered off the regular menu, trying a California wine from Sea Sun winery; it was quite good. Out of a large selection of Sakes and mixed drinks, I decided on a Kirin Light beer, staying with the Japanese theme.
Benihana’s Tokyo Wings with a plate of Edamame. (Photo by Ken Klingenmeier)
If you are a sushi lover, there is a decent variety of six types to choose from on Benihana’s HH menu. We are not fans, but found some interesting things to try. We started with a plate of Edamame, which was a generous, lightly-salted portion for $3. While we worked on that, we came up with two very American style but Japanese-themed dishes. I chose the Black Pepper Teriyaki Tokyo Wings ($12) and my wife ordered the Wagyu Burger and Fries ($9). She requested tomato and lettuce, which was added for no charge, and also asked for mustard, which they do not offer.
The wings came out hot and with a nice crispiness that we both commented on. There were no celery stalks or blue cheese, so I guess they weren’t as American as this old Buffalonian would have thought. They didn’t need any of that, though, as the wings were very tasty as they were, brushed with teriyaki sauce, and also very meaty.
Mrs. K’s Wagyu Burger was smallish, but very flavorful. I had to look up what ‘Wagyu” means – it is a type of Japanese beef from specially raised cattle. So meticulous is the breeding and care for these animals, the resulting beef can cost between $200 to $400 per pound! Hence the smallish size, I guess. Anyway, the burger was quite good and the fries were actually some of the best we have had. Crispy on the outside and nicely seasoned, the smallish portion of these didn’t get a chance to cool down.
As usual, our tab came to just under $50, plus tip.
While we sat and ate, very few others joined us in the bar-room. Two folks separately sat at the bar and ate. I realize it was a Wednesday, but many of the other places we have visited on our mid-week jaunts have had good turnouts. No reason to shun Benihana’s though – it has a very comfortable room and the menu is full of pleasing possibilities.
Ken Klingenmeier offers this series of columns, called “A Seat at the Table,” wherein he reviews Indy-area restaurants – specifically their Happy Hour offers. Keep reading The Reporter for future restaurant reviews.