PROFILES BY DE GROOTS MEDIAShogun captures that most authentic of Japanese qualities – the aesthetic. Black lacquer furniture is set off by red napkins that wave gaily to their red lantern cousins on the ceiling. Images of traditional Japanese ingredients are spaced neatly on the walls. There is a large tatami area in which shoes may not be worn, so the waitresses will take them off each time they bring or clear a plate, and will kneel to take your order or serve the table. There is also a large teppanyaki arena where the chefs will entertain you with your own dinner before you eat it.
In such a visual cuisine culture presentation is neat and symmetrical; this is perfectly articulated in Shogun’s compartmental Bento Box. Little touches alert me to the lack of corner cutting in the kitchen, like the fresh tofu cubes in the miso soup, and the leaves in my pot of Gen Mai tea. The sushi is not the best I’ve had, but I appreciate the difficulty of serving raw seafood inland. The menu covers cold and hot a la carte, noodles, sushi and teppanyaki. The wine list offers beer, wine and sake with BYO at $5 corkage. With brisk, polite service and reasonable prices, for an authentic Japanese meal I can find little fault with Shogun.
Sarah Theeboom, February 2007
