Food, flames and fun at Arigato Japanese Steakhouse

Last night Lisa and I joined my parents and my sister Anita for dinner at Arigato Japanese Steakhouse in Greensboro, to celebrate Anita's birthday. This was the second time we've been to Arigato and whenever we've gone there, we've beheld quite a show. Chef Nawh (shown at left during one of the evening's more spectacular moments) thrilled us not only with his outstanding cooking, but with his quick wit and displays of culinary acrobatics. The theatricality of the chefs is one of the things that I've come to look for most whenever I'm gauging a Japanese steakhouse, and at Arigato they do not disappoint. Indeed, I think that Arigato's chefs are among the most colorful in the entire area. That alone is worth a visit.

And the food is outstanding, too! Last night I ordered chicken, with all three kinds of sauce - white, mustard and ginger - to sample from. The first time I was at Arigato I ordered well-done steak. They are both to be recommended. But be warned: at Arigato they really pile on the food! In two times going there I haven't seen anyone who actually consumed everything on their plate. They give you lots of main entrée, lots of rice, lots of other vegetables... so much food that I don't think the waiter even bothered to ask us if we wanted boxes to take all this stuff home, he just brought them straight out (the service is terrific too).

If there's one thing that I would love to see the good folks at Arigato do that could be an improvement, it would be that they should offer some kind of dessert. There's one dish in particular that I've seen a lot of Japanese steakhouses feature for dessert, that is this bananas and cinnamon concoction and it's really tasty. I'm not suggesting that Arigato go that particular route for dessert, but something along those lines would be a wonderful way to wrap-up such a nice meal.

Arigato Japanese Steakhouse is located at 1200 S. Holden Road in Greensboro (practically smack at the midpoint between Holden's intersections with High Point Road and Wendover Avenue, if that helps any).