Eat like a sumo wrestler at Banzai

If Japanese food is your thing, then Banzai, the “Great Teppanyaki Theater” at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, is definitely a must-try.

The magic word starts with “u” – unlimited. Guests with sumo wrestler appetites can have all the teppanyaki, sushi, sashimi, steaks, ramen, tempura, okonomiyaki, and takoyaki they want.

With a seating capacity of 300 and a floor area of 1,200 square meters, Banzai also offers unlimited dessert and drinks that include beer.

But more important than the “u” word is the “a” word – authentic.

In an interview, Banzai owner Ricky Laudico said three Japanese chefs head the kitchen’s team of experts to ensure that the restaurant serves only authentic Japanese food.

“It should pass as something a Japanese citizen should be able to enjoy,” he said. He added that he doesn’t believe in fusion food and prefers traditional Japanese cuisine—a preference seen in the restaurant's name, which means “10,000 years.”

Laudico, who used to work for GMA Network before becoming an entrepreneur, said these chefs won’t work unless they are provided with the freshest local ingredients and special spices sourced from Japan.

He shared that one of their chefs chose to settle in the Philippines after losing his family in the March 2011 tsunami in Japan.

This is not Laudico's first Japanese food venture: he co-owns the successful SumoSam chain with business partners that include actor and chef Marvin Agustin.

Knives, fire and ninjas

Laudico said they chose to make teppanyaki the highlight of their buffet restaurant because it was something special and upscale.

“Sushi, you can have every day and you'll find it everywhere in the streets of Tokyo, and also ramen and tonkatsu. But teppanyaki is really for the executives, it’s high-end,” he said.

Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cooking that uses an iron griddle. A wide range of dishes may be cooked teppanyaki-style: steak, shrimp, pork, beef, chicken, fish, and vegetables.

Laudico said Banzai offers more than just good teppanyaki: they want guests not only to have a taste but also a feel of the real Japan.

For one, teppanyaki chefs will do regular shows featuring their knife-handling skills. “They play with fire, they play with their spatula and their knives,” said Laudico.

“Then we're going to have like a parade here from the Geisha period to the J-Pop period,” he said, adding that there will be ninjas and sumo wrestlers going around the restaurant as the guests are eating.

Banzai also has a trick art gallery where guests can take photos while wearing traditional Japanese costumes and headgear while holding iconic Japanese weaponry.

Buffet prices and special discounts

Located at the strip of buffet restaurants at the Mall of Asia Complex, Banzai offers buffet rates of P699 for lunch and P899 for dinner on weekdays, and P1,088 for all meals on weekends and holidays.

Children below 4.5 feet can eat for only P499, while kids below 3.5 feet get to eat for free.

Every weekday until June 30, Banzai is holding a “Power Lunch” promo where employees of any company or students of any school with valid IDs will get a 15-percent discount on lunch buffet rates.

On May 11, Mother’s Day, Banzai offers free lunch or dinner to mothers in a group of four. Only one mom per group may avail of the free buffet.

A food lover

A marketing graduate of the University of Asia and the Pacific, Laudico confesses that he is a food lover, which is why he chose to enter into the food business even though nobody in his immediate family is in the food industry. Renowned chef Rolando Laudico is his second cousin, he adds, but Laudico said he has not yet had an opportunity to collaborate with him.

“The food that we serve are the dishes that I enjoy,” said Laudico. “When I eat I really start with salad, then soup, appetizer, the main course, the dessert, and the coffee. I make sure that all of our restaurants have all those.”

At Banzai, his favorites are the sushi and teppanyaki. He said he likes aburi sushi best because “it's broiled and baked on top, and then inside, it's very soft.” He added, “What they do is put rice, then put wasabi, cover it with salmon, put some salt and white pepper and they blow-torch it.”

Laudico said he enjoys being in the food business because, being an artist, he Iikes the creative aspect. “I like creating brands. I designed the place also,” he said, pointing to Banzai’s interiors.

He said he even designed the restaurant’s furniture and staff uniforms. “When I was in grade school I would also be the go-to guy for drawings. If my classmate needed a drawing, they'll ask me,” he said.

There are more restaurants to come from Laudico in the next few months, including a burger chain that he promises will change the way Filipinos appreciate burgers.

Get your palates and wallets ready. — BM, GMA News

Banzai is located at Bldg J, SM By The Bay Leisure Park, Seaside Blvd., Mall of Asia Complex, Brgy. 76, Zone 10, Pasay City.

Operating hours for lunch are from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.