Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse- The only halal Japanese restaurant in Texas

Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse
8482 Highway 6 North, Houston, Texas 77095
Buffet or a-la-carte: a-la-carte
Date of visit: 11/29/13

Photo Credit: (http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/c4/82/da/bonsai-fusion-japanese.jpg)

Background:
Salam/hey guys! Today I will be reviewing Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse. This restaurant has a major first. This is the first (and currently the only) halal Japanese restaurant in all of Texas. This is the nearest restaurant to my house. I was craving for some Japanese food, and I had enough time to try some place before I attended the ICNA convention near the Galleria. I heard of this restaurant from an advertisement in one of the newspapers at the local mosque. I have been here before, but it was a really long time ago. I wanted to see how it changed and decide whether it is worth spending that sort of money. So after bidding goodbye to my parents, I took the 5 minute drive to come here.

Let The Experience Begin:

When I arrived at the restaurant, I proceeded to the door. Now why did I mention this? Because when I tried to open the door, IT WAS LOCKED! I actually came after the posted opening time. Isn't there a rule like "This door is to be remain UNLOCKED during business hours". 2 minutes later, one of the waiters opened the door and let me in. Inside is very dark. There is a bar and tables set up. I asked him whether the food is halal, and he said yes. As always, I take his word. There are a couple of tables that have TVs in front of them, and stoves too! The tables sit around 5 people. This is called hibachi. In hibachi, a highly skilled chef comes and cooks the food right in front of you. In other words, it is like Benihana's but with halal food. The chef performs tricks with the food and the knives, such as flipping them and cutting up the food at an insane rate. So I decided to do the hibachi even though I was by myself. A few minutes later, I got the menu, studied it, and then decided to place my order.

Let's Eat!

I decided to order the New York Strip. Each meat comes with fried rice and vegetables. For the temperature, I got it medium-well. This means that the meat is slightly pink. (Click on this to see the types of steak that are common). I got I also got some free miso soup (dashi stock mixed with miso paste). While waiting for the chef to come, I turned on the TV and watched some basketball highlights. I paid a good price of $11.91 (Tax included). When he came, I turned the TV off, got my phone out, and began to take a video. 

Hibachi Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRAy_j2a4AA

Hibachi Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w61oP6W9ZU

The menu (click to view): Lunch Menu 

Dinner Menu (There is more than a page. Just click the arrow to proceed)

Sushi

Well good news, no alcohol is used in the cooking even though it is very common in Japanese food! The alcohol that is used is called sake, which is a rice wine. It is often used to give flavor to the rice when it is cooked. I do not know as of yet what they use on the Sapporo steak. This, however, is definitely the most expensive restaurant I have ever been too in my life! Nevertheless I am happy that there are more halal Japanese items than just sushi.

Miso Soup

New York Strip with fried rice and vegetables

The Verdict:

The food was worth the price! The miso soup was one of the most flavorful soups I have ever had in my life. The steak was perfectly cooked medium well. The fried rice was actually tasty, and the vegetables were also delicious! Now I wish I had the money to come often! I am happy that there is no alcohol in the food, and I was able to enjoy it. 

The service was normal. Everything was done as it is expected for a restaurant, despite the locked door during business hours.

Conclusion:

Bonsai is a great restaurant to eat at, and everything is done to accommodate Islamic dietary laws. I will recommend this place for lunch as it is much cheaper than dinner. Only go for dinner for special occasions like birthdays or graduation parties. I will definitely come back for lunch and give my money to them. 

Grading: Because the food is cooked on the table, there is no waiting time. Also, the standard grading for service is 8. I give more points if the people are courteous, professional, and friendly. I deduct points if the people are rude, use profanity, mess up the order, or are unprofessional.

Service: 7/10

Food: 10/10

Waiting time: N/A

Total: 17/20 = 85% (B)

Pricing: $$$$ out of $$$$ 

Restaurant Information:

Bonsai Fusion Japanese Steakhouse

8482 Highway 6 North, Houston, Texas 77095

Phone: (281) 856-0075

Website: www.bonsaifusionsteakhouse.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonsai-Fusion-Japanese-Steak-House/310497929045975?id=310497929045975&_rdr 

Timings: Mon-Thu: 11 AM - 11 PM; Fri: 11 AM - 11 PM; Sat: 12 PM - 11 PM; Sun: 12 PM - 10 PM

Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed