The House of Teriyaki stays true to its name in appearance, as well as in smell. Upon walking in, your olfactory senses are paralyzed with the finest aromas of Asian spices. "Write about the smell … because it smells sooooo goooood," remarked one of my companions in only the way that a hungry college male athlete who loves to eat could.
We were led to our table in the corner of the main dining room. A speaker above our heads serenaded us with relaxing classical music. We were also in direct view of the sushi chef. We were each served cups of hot tea immediately upon seating. We noticed that there are tables of Asian diners surrounding us which we discussed as always being a positive sign when eating at ethnic restaurants.
The menu is large enough to cover any cravings a diner may have, but limited enough as not to overwhelm you with indecision. It also provides pictures of several of the dishes, helpful in letting you know what you're really ordering and how much of it you're getting.
We were all brought complimentary bowls of miso soup with our orders. It was a very good, traditional miso soup replete with the requisite cubes of tofu and thin slices of fresh green onion. Duker and Catherine were each served the side salad with their entrées. The side salad was very much on the side. It was no more than a handful of iceberg lettuce, a half slice of tomato, one cucumber slice, and shredded carrots and cabbage. "Oh wait … it's good," Duker remarked. Much to our surprise, the miniscule salad and its accompanying dressing were actually very good.
I ordered the Yakitori with skewers of teriyaki chicken clumps between alternating pieces of zucchini and red and green peppers ($4.75). The skewers were sprinkled with sesame seeds and garnished with two orange slices. The chicken was a fatty cut and I thought the glaze should have been much better. Regardless, I still enjoyed it.
The teriyaki chicken in Catherine's Teri Sushi Box ($12.95) was a lean cut of chicken breast that was far better than mine, much to my disappointment. Her box also came with Vegetable and Shrimp Tempura, two pieces of sushi and six California rolls. Each of the constituent parts were really good, particularly the tempura.
Gloria ordered several kinds of sushi including the Shogun roll (six pieces for $8.50) of fried shrimp, tuna, crab, avocado, cucumber and smelt roe. It was wonderful. The shrimp's crunchiness and the avocado's creaminess made for an awesome experience which I hope to enjoy again. The pieces were also massive. I felt like an animal in the wild as I needed the aid of my hands to pack its giant pieces into my tiny mouth. I'm sure I looked real classy. Gloria also ordered the Avocado roll which was solid.
Duker had the Spicy Chicken ($10.95) which smelled fabulous and its taste proved to be a worthy opponent. The slices of chicken are cooked with celery, carrots, onions, broccoli, and red peppers in an overwhelmingly spicy sauce with a cup of rice on the side. After conquering India, I didn't expect I could be so arrested by spice in your average restaurant, especially not in a Japanese one. Boy, was I wrong. If you intend to order this dish, make sure you order a soda on the side. Don't ask me why. Just do it. You can thank me for the advice later. Duker also ordered the Firedragon roll (eight pieces for $6.95) with crabmeat, avocado, cucumber, and spicy tuna on top. Again, this one was spicy, and very good.
In addition to the Japanese offerings, the restaurant has a substantial number of Korean dishes in the second half of their menu. According to Gloria, other good dishes to try are the Salmon Donburi and the Teriyaki Tofu.
My only real complaint, aside from my disappointment in the quality of my chicken, was the fact that diners really have to work hard to get the attention of the staff. However, once you get them, they're pleased to help you. We were provided with several tea refills, but only after we practically had to hunt them down by their scent in order to get four glasses of water.
On a side note, the restaurant is BYOB. Genius.
We had a fine dinner, and the sushi and tempura were unquestionably delicious. However, I'm not so sure I'll go out of my way to go back there before graduation. There are new places to discover, and old favorites I'd prefer to bless with my gluttonous presence.
For tips on good eats, contact Leigh for her recommendations at lfrivlin@amherst.edu.