ALL'S FARE
Sushi, Steak
And Style
BY DAVID MOSS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT MOUNTAIN
ill
-1r Mid
•
T
o those of us who, week
after week, strolled past the
former La Fondue in down-
town Royal Oak, the renovation of the
space seemed to take forever. The
wait, however, was worth it.
Two long years in the making,
Katana Nu-Asian Japanese Steakhouse
has been unveiled — and, owned by
Shepard Spencer, who also owns Little
Tree Sushi next door, it is wowing the
city's diners.
To the Japanese, presentation is as
important as the food itself, and that
concept is apparent upon stepping
through the door. From the rich oak
paneling, to the seven teppanyaki
tables (each seating up to 10 people),
to the granite floors, Katana glistens.
Even the silverware was impressive —
full of heft, rather than the flimsy flat-
ware found at many restaurants.
For our long-anticipated first visit,
10 • OCTOBER 2005 • JNPLATINUM
my dining companion and I chose tep-
panyaki — a style of cooking that fea-
tures chefs whose expertise involves
fast-moving knives, spatulas and vari-
ous cuts of fish, seafood, steak and
chicken. Think of it as "dinner and a
show."
We began with a bowl of clear
onion broth, followed by an iceberg
lettuce salad with a tangy ginger dress-
ing. As we ate, the chef had already
cleaned the grill before us, put on a
small pyrotechnic display and created
a deliciously light Japanese fried rice.
I chose for the main course
Hawaiian Snapper, which was tender
and flaky, in a sauce of sesame oil and
soy glaze. My dining partner ordered
the filet mignon, which the chef
grilled to a perfect medium rare, cut
into small cubes on the grill and tossed
onto her plate.
Seafood, chicken and New York
strip are other main-course options, as
is vegetarian fare. All dinners are
accompanied by a side of grilled
onion, mushrooms and zucchini. Prices
range from $15-$36 for complete din-
ners.
On the plus side, you are well fed
but still have room for a cappuccino at
nearby Caribou or a cone at Gelato
Roma.
On the down side, if you prefer a
slow-paced romantic evening, forget it.
You sit with several strangers, dinner is
flipped onto your plate by the smiling
chef and then you leave.
If you prefer to linger, consider
grazing over the small-plates menu or
the robata yaki (open grill) bar, which
offers fresh seafood and Pacific fish,
sushi and sashimi, salads and an Asian
"pancake" of seafood and veggies, bat-
ter fried and topped with a garlic may-
onnaise — all under $10 and meant to
-
be shared and combined with other
plates.
Katana has a full bar, complete
with sake and saketinis, Japanese and
domestic beers and several moderately
priced wines by the bottle or glass.
With an elegant yet casual atmos-
phere, and even offering a kids' menu,
Katana provides another great option
to the Royal Oak dining scene. ❑
For previous restaurant reviews,
see www.,INOnline.com
Katana Nu-Asian
Japanese Steakhouse
111 South Main, Royal Oak
(248) 591-9900
Dinner-only Monday through
Saturday;
1-9 on Sunday;
100 percent non-smoking.