Samurai Sushi & Hibachi: User Reviews

Sure there are a handfull of habachi places in town...sure they all have similar food sushi is what sets our places apart. My roommate and I were regulars at Taki for a very long time but the atmosphere has seemed to change since it has been sold so we setout to find a new sunday sushi place. Eventually landing at Samurai while not necessarly as authentic to the culturally focused at Mayabi 9 I find the more interesting chef's creations to be a welcome addition to a basic sushi menu. For me the primary focus is Toro and Amaebi (sweet shrimp) both very hard to find dishes in the city. Not only has Samurai been able to consistantly deliver these (and with consistant quality) their cold sake selections are fantastic as well.
Service was fantastic (I always sit at the bar, real bar not sushi bar)

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Pros: Offered a very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. The food was prepared quickly, I ate at the hibachi, and tasted great. Free Saki-Bombs are offered on your birthday and those are fun for everybody.
Cons: Not as interactive as Ohana, but Ohana doesn't serve sushi so it evens out.
Score: A-

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Pros: Offered a very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. The food was prepared quickly, I ate at the hibachi, and tasted great. Free Saki-Bombs are offered on your birthday and those are fun for everybody.
Cons: Not as interactive as Ohana, but Ohana doesn't serve sushi so it evens out.
Score: A-

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Samurai pretends to a Japanese cultural heritage, but is in interpreted through a Chinese perspective. The sushi preparation is not classically Japanese and the execution is lacking, especially when compared with the rigorous discipline of Des Moines' Miyabi 9 in the East Village where the centuries of Japanese culinary culture and skill is at the heart of the restaurant.

Samurai is an odd restaurant. First, it is huge. So huge, it feels empty. Even the sushi bar seems tiny and set apart from a vast empty space. The atmosphere is almost forbidding, not warm and intimate as a sushi restaurant in Japan would be. The hibahi room (not reviewed) is equally huge and likely perpetuates the sad, semi-comic "chop and flip" routines that have no semblance whatsoever to authentic Japanese-style hibachi cuisine.

The sushi itself is okay, but not great. The rice is not quite right; the execution of the rolls and the compression of the rice is not quite right. The garnish is not quite right. There is a nagging idea that this is an amateur production of sushi, yet the ingredients are good; it is just an odd execution of the art of making sushi, and it lacks authenticity and flavors.

The dishes at Samurai are expensive, very expensive. One person for lunch with a modest selection of sushi and the total was over $30. The Jordan Creek Town Center overhead costs doubtless are responsible for these prices; it remains to be seen whether they will stick. Des Moines has suddenly grown a lot of sushi restaurants, most are only average, but two -- Miyabi 9 and (oddly enough) the Waterfront -- are excellent. While Miyabi 9 maintains the art of the ancient cuisine, Waterfront serves good sushi. The rest, including this newest pretender, Samurai, are only shadows of the art of sushi preparation and service, but they are not afraid of charging high prices.

Food Skill and Preparation: Below Average
Ambiance: Barn-like, dark and cold
Value: Have not earned their stars
Recommendation: Pass. There is much better, more authentic Japanese cuisine available at far more reasonable prices.

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So Des Moines has three Hibachi restaurants. If you have been to Taki or Ohana, the food is very similar and Samurai does not go beyond normalcy. The sushi was very disappointing, do not waste your money. If you want good sushi go to Taki or Waterfront. The atmosphere: the show, the service, and ambiance. was great. Raking the three, Samurai comes in third behind Taki and Ohana, respectfully.

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After hearing about Samurai through word of mouth and checking it out-- I can't get enough! Although the location is a bit hard to find (across from Lowe's by Jordan Creek) it is definitely worth it to make the trek from downtown. On our first visit, we opted to sit at the sushi bar and were treated to a complimentary appetizer (spicy crab) by the delightful sushi chefs. We sipped on our (free) green tea and enjoyed conversation with a background noise of the waterfall wall and watching the chefs at work.

Although the Juice review has it listed $$$, I found most items to be very reasonable, especially compared to other sushi places in Des Moines. Some rolls start at $3.50-$4.00 (you MUST try the sweet potato tempura roll) and the specialty rolls go up from there. I have yet to try the hibatchi grill, but am planning on heading back (for a 4th time already) in a few weeks.

This is well worth the trip and you will leave full & happy!

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