Author Spotlight
Sydney Newton
It’s safe to say that my bank account has taken a hit from the gas money spent on biweekly 30-minute drives for a hibachi dinner with friends. So when I heard about Shinju Sushi & Hibachi, located at 3935 W 69th Ter. just a few minutes from East, I convinced myself I’d save money by trying out the first reasonably close hibachi restaurant.
Replacing C. Frogs in the Prairie Village Shops, Shinju offers sushi for those looking for a classic dining experience, and hibachi if you want to see the chef grill your meal in front of you with a culinary show.
Rainbow-colored lights hung on the ceiling, and a circular bar in the center of the restaurant made it a modern twist on a traditional hibachi restaurant. It gave off a young, hip vibe unlike most other hibachi joints in the KC area. Considering I went at 5 p.m. on a Monday, the restaurant was fairly empty at first, but filled up by the time I was leaving around 6:15 p.m.
With no wait, my friend and I were directed to their family-style tables, with eight seats surrounding each cooking station — making it a perfect place to go for large occasions like a birthday party. The only downside was that right as I sat down in my chair, which was rather close to the ground, it felt like I was looking eye-level with my plate.
The menu was overwhelming at first, with options for types of protein, appetizers, drinks and even sushi, but no clear categories for each item. I appreciated the menu’s variety of vegetarian options for both hibachi and sushi lovers. And after my server explained each dish, I chose the basic chicken hibachi dinner, which included vegetables, fried rice, miso soup and ginger salad. The soup and salad took no more than five minutes to arrive at the table, which is some of the quickest service I’ve had in a while.
I can’t complain about the soup — it was okay, but tasted like every other miso soup I’ve had. And not to mention there was way too much seaweed in the soup for my liking. It felt like the soup and seaweed were fighting for room in my mouth. The ginger salad, on the other hand, redeemed the course as it was the perfect balance of sweet corn and lettuce to the savory ginger sauce, and had the ideal sauce-to-lettuce ratio — it was by far the best ginger salad I’ve ever had.
After about 10 minutes, we finished up the first course and now came my favorite part: the chef. He immediately lit the table on fire, flipping eggs with his utensils and creating a volcano of onions, then went on to cook the actual meal. His grand finale was letting us catch scrambled eggs from the air — a huge disappointment from the shrimp I’m used to during my other hibachi experiences, and honestly kind of gross.
My main course had three parts: vegetables, fried rice and chicken — plus a few pieces of shrimp that the chef generously included. I started with the vegetables, which consisted of carrots, broccoli, onions, mushrooms and zucchini. The mushrooms and onions instantly stuck out to me, with strong flavors and an added saltiness from the soy sauce glaze. All of the vegetables were well-cooked and seasoned, but as an avid broccoli and carrot hater, the rest were not for me.
The best part of my meal was by far the fried rice. It had the perfect amount of soy sauce, and the rice balanced well with the egg and vegetables, which stood out from the more bland fried rices I’ve had in the past. I finished it in less than five minutes, which my stomach didn’t thank me for. Looking around, it was the first thing gone on the other customers’ plates as well.
When it came to the chicken, I was underwhelmed. Though the chicken was cooked perfectly and had a smooth texture, it didn’t have a strong flavor and felt bland. The redeeming factor was the “yum yum” sauce, which, when paired with the chicken, added the perfect amount of sweetness. I even asked for a container of it to bring home.
The portion sizes were obscene — I couldn’t even finish half. I’m used to huge sizes with hibachi, but Shinju’s sizes were especially big. The amount of food on my plate felt overwhelming, but at least I had enough to save for lunch the next day — the leftovers surprisingly kept fairly well. Two people could definitely share one of their meals.
The waiters were sure to check in throughout my meal, asking if I needed anything or how my food tasted — but unlike some restaurants, it seemed like they genuinely wanted to help. The friendliness of Shinju’s staff made me feel welcome, making my experience even brighter.
The total cost of my meal was $16.29, plus a three-dollar tip. The price seemed reasonable for the amount of food I got, and was way more affordable than the countless $30+ dollar hibachi meals I’ve had in the past.
Shinju offered an enjoyable dining experience with great service. If you try it out yourself, you’ll probably see me there too, chowing down fried rice with my friends and reveling in the cheaper prices and closer location.
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