It's Dinner and a Show--One Night, One Place

Kabuki’s Japanese Steak House in Christiansburg, Virginia is more than just a restaurant, it is a show. This steak house is designed for a night out on the town with family or friends giving all who enter an opportunity to experience a new way to eat. This unique restaurant is perfectly designed for groups with up to ten people celebrating anything from an anniversary to the fact that it is Friday night.

I dined at Kabuki’s on a Saturday night after a Virginia Tech football game. The restaurant was busy, but luckily and we had reservations and we did not have to wait.

At Kabuki’s, your party is seated around a large grill, where you soon find out that is where all your food is prepared, made exactly how you want it to be fixed. The waiter first got drink orders then took down the entrée order—what meat or combination you would like for dinner. I chose the filet mignon and teriyaki chicken combination. Promptly, they bring out the first course, a chicken broth soup. The soup is visually appealing because it is presented in a little bowl with an abnormal spoon, making it fun to eat.

A minute or two after the soup comes out, they proceed to bring out the salad that comes with the meal. This also is served in a small bowl, trying not to fill you up too much before the real meal comes. I got the sesame house dressing as my dressing, and I highly recommend this dressing—it is not too sweet, but still sweet with a hint of sesame.

After you finish with your soup and salad, the show begins. The chef comes out with a tray of ingredients and fills small dishes with different sauces to dip the vegetables and meats in. The chef then proceeds to do a show with his utensils. Our chef dropped his utensils a couple times and was not as interactive as some I saw, but his entertaining skills were still very impressive.

He began the grilling by making a smiley face with oil to cook the vegetables and rice. The rice cooks throughout most of the meal, being infused with flavor and warmth. Along with the vegetables, the chef cooked shrimp, which everyone received a small portion of, even if you did not order shrimp with your meal. The vegetables were finished cooking, and were served hot off the grill to our plates.

While we were eating our vegetables and rice, the chef had kept a couple pieces of shrimp aside, letting them cool off. I was curious about those few pieces of shrimp and what he was going to do with those. My curiosity was soon satisfied. Using his utensils, he tossed the food to the hungry observers, who attempted to catch the flying shrimp in their mouths. Only two out of the ten people at the table caught the shrimp, but it was very amusing and helped the guest-chef interaction.

Next came the main part of the meal—the meat. After the meat finished cooking the show was over. The chef wiped up the grill and departed from his work station to entertain another group.
The filet mignon and the chicken were both very tender and burst with indescribable flavor. This was by far the best part of the meal. Unfortunately, if you have eaten all your vegetables and rice served to you, you may be satiated by the time the meat comes, but it is so delicious that you would be crazy not to eat it.

Throughout the meal, the waiter was very attentive to our needs, refilling drinks when necessary, and making sure we did not need anything else. Also, as the courses progresses, the old dishes were cleared quickly and neatly.

Kabuki’s is a very nice restaurant to go to if you want a show with your dinner. The interior of the restaurant is visually appealing. The ceiling has stars painted on it and there is Japanese memorabilia that decorate the foyer. The atmosphere of the restaurant was an experience within itself.

For Virginia Tech students, the restaurant is only about ten minutes away from campus, but you will need a vehicle to get there. Also, Hokie Passports are accepted there, but it is a little expensive due to copious amounts of food you are given, but the little trip and the big bill is well worth it!