Around Town: Banzai: The Great Authentic Japanese Buffet

For centuries, Japanese cuisine has always been one of the most celebrated and revered in the world not just because of the wealth of flavors it offers with each bite, but also largely due to the art and painstaking discipline that accompanies the preparation of each dish.

In the Philippines, there is a wellspring when it comes to the number of Japanese restaurants, yet only a few can proudly claim that they serve authentic Japanese cuisine.

Just a few weeks ago, Banzai: The Great Authentic Japanese Buffet was opened in Pasay City, introducing itself as the only authentic Japanese buffet in the country. It is the world’s largest teppanyaki restaurant, with 1,200 square meters of floor area.

“It’s not just about the food, it’s about the whole experience,” says Sheryl Laudico, one of the owners of Banzai, “that’s why from the interiors, we made sure to integrate authentic Japanese items and places. All the lanterns here [were] brought in from Tokyo. All the paintings, masks, we hand-carried them.” 

In fact, from outside the restaurant, one will already feel as if they are transported to the land of the rising sun. Large letters perched atop the building make for an attention-grabbing façade, flanked by what is recognizably a traditional Japanese mask.

Inside, Japanese lanterns adorn the ceiling and food stations, while Japanese masks add a quirky feel. A section of Banzai features a wall decorated entirely with neon signs a la Dotonbori, a chief tourist destination in Osaka.

Of course, a buffet restaurant could not claim to be so if it did not serve an overflowing variety of flavorful food. But with Banzai, there is not only abundance; there is also authenticity.

“All ingredients are authentic Japanese ingredients,” says Sheryl. “Ours are all imported from Japan. And we [also] have three Japanese chefs, [who] apply real Japanese techniques in our cooking.”

These three chefs are Executive Chef Hiroshi, Chef Iwa, and Chef Masuda. “Chef Hiroshi’s specialty is sushi,” explains corporate chef Nikki Nicolas. “Sushi chefs have a certain way of cutting, and they have a [special] knife for sashimi. It’s really an art. When they’re working, it’s really like [an] art. There’s a process.”

Click "View Slideshow" below to see more photos of Banzai.

 

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The buffet is divided into several stations for tempura and tonkatsu; yakitori and grill; gohan, noodles and ramen; takoyaki and kaniyaki; pizza (okonomiyaki); sushi, sashimi and rolls; teppanyaki; salads; desserts; and beverages.

Banzai chefs prepare a steady stream of food to keep the stations constantly replenished with fresh and hot dishes, and they can prepare dishes to your liking. “Unlike the usual buffets where they put [the food] already in warmers, we prepare dishes by request,” says Sheryl. 

Another feature of Banzai which makes it a memorable dining option for families is its trick art gallery, wherein customers, both young and old, can wear different Japanese costumes and pose by the specially-designed walls. Guests can choose to be a sumo wrestler, a ninja, a geisha, or an anime character (Naruto or Sakura). On Sundays, the Banzai staff give printouts of the photos to their customers for free. Sheryl says more murals will be added featuring scenic and iconic Japanese settings. 

“It’s something we saw in Tokyo,” Sheryl shares on how the idea for the gallery came up. “It was inspired by an actual trick art gallery. With it, our customers can have a slice of an experiencewhere they can take photos with 3D paintings.”

Click "View Slideshow" below to see more photos of Banzai.

 

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Why “theater”, then? It’s because Banzai regularly holds theatrical shows for its guests at 12:30 pm, 7:30 pm and 8:30 every Friday and Sunday. Four chefs do stunts and flips with their cooking tools, while performers, dressed in resplendent Japanese costumes created by production designer Gino Gonzales, dance to the choreography of the director, playwright Floy Quintos.

Watch the “A Festival of Japan” performance here:

“’Banzai’—which means 100 years of celebration—is what the [Japanese] use for toasting,” explains Sheryl. “That’s what we want the whole place to be. It’s really for celebrations or gatherings..”

Buffet prices for adults are P699 for lunch from Monday to Friday, P899 for dinner from Monday to Friday, and P1,088 for Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Buffet price for children below 4.5 feet is P499, while children below 3.5 feet can avail of the buffet for free. Rates are inclusive of service charge.

Banzai is located at Bldg. J, By The Bay Leisure Park, Seaside Boulevard, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63999-471-3597, +63916-377-5357, or (02)552-7368. For updates, e-mail banzaiphilippines@gmail.com, visit their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/BanzaiPH, or follow them on Twitter at @Banzai_PH, or on Instagram at http://instagram.com/banzai_ph. 

Click "View Slideshow" below to see more photos of Banzai.

 

Photos by Majoy Siason, unless where otherwise specified