Land of the Rising Sun Restaurant is Number 1 in Bayou Country

By Brad "Scoop Daniels" Thibodaux

You may have heard the radio commercials where I proudly tell everyone that the only place I eat sushi is at Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in front of Wal-Mart on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Houma, La. Well that’s not entirely accurate. The truth is the only restaurant where I’ll eat Japanese cuisine is at Ichiban and I hope after reading this review you’ll make the switch to Ichiban.

I remember the first time I dined at Ichiban with my friend Kevin Voisin. I was skeptical about the whole "raw fish" thing. A fear that most of us have when we think about sushi and Japanese restaurants. Which, looking back, was laughable considering I was born and raise in South Louisiana and have eaten my fair share of raw oysters, boiled mud bugs, and fried fish eggs. Believe me, if you can eat any of these popular Cajun dishes then you can most definitely eat anything on Ichiban’s menu.

It was lunch time and Kevin had been begging me to go to Ichiban and on this day I had given into his constant pressure and reassurances that I was going to "Love it!"

As we walked passed the fish-filled, clear water stream that stretches the entire width of the building and pushed our way through the double frosted doors I immediately smelled and heard something “cooking” at one of the hibachi stations located to the left side of the lobby and immediately I began to relax as my hunger grew.

We were seated quickly at one of the wooden-seated booths that lined the wall next to the enclosed bar. It was then that I realized that this was once a Lone Star Steakhouse. I had been to Lone Star a few times and I remember the old wooden floors and the scattered seating and Texas Western feel that it tried to convey. The Ichiban owners and designers took the shell of the failed restaurant and changed into a relaxing, very inviting dinning room. The numerous tables, along with the other booths near us were occupied but it was not loud. You could easily carry on a conversation without the need to shout or lean over the table to hear.

Our waitress arrived and took our order. Kevin, knowing I was new to sushi and Japanese food, ordered for both of us. For an appetizer we enjoyed some edamame. Edamame is steamed or boiled Japanese soybean still in the pod, sprinkled with sea salt and served in a deep dish bowl. Delicious. He also ordered a couple of rolls for me to sample. None of which contained any raw seafood: the Ichiban Crunch Roll and the Shrimp Tempura Roll. The first thing that stands out about Ichiban’s rolls is the size and amount. The rolls are easily the size of a half-dollar in diameter and come eight to an order. They are easily a meal unto themselves.

Both of these rolls are excellent for the individual trying rolls for the first time. They are prepared with only cooked shrimp and crab and are packed with strips of fresh cucumber, avocado, and carrots surrounded by fresh almost sweet tasting Japanese white rice. The Crunch Roll was covered with tempura (fried batter) crumbs topped with an eel sauce. Eel sauce is a thick, sweet, hickory flavored sauce that is heated and drizzled on rolls and sushi.

The Shrimp Tempura Roll was equally as delicious and just as filling. It is made with whole fried shrimp wrapped in rice with fresh vegetables and topped with eel sauce and fresh strips of sweet avocado. The avocado's sweetness and the salt of the fried shrimp made a rich complete flavor that will make you go for the next piece before you are finished chewing the previous one.

For our entree Kevin took the meal to the next level, the Sushi level. Kevin order raw white fish and raw red tuna. Both were presented on a cube of Japanese rice and came in a serving of four pieces. I have to admit that I was reluctant to try raw fish but with some urging from my friend I took my first bite into this exotic food world. I picked up a piece of the white fish on rice and took a bite.

I was expecting the texture of redfish and the taste of tuna salad but what I got was the sweet taste that had the feel of cooked ham. It was spectacular. The fish was so mild that I forgot it was raw. The sweet Japanese rice only added to the overall flavor, it was not there to cover anything up. The red tuna was a little stronger but just as delicious. I was informed that sushi is a personal food. There are some fish that you will like better than others, as for me, I am a white fish kind-a-guy and for all of you trying sushi for the first time it is what I recommend. White fish is nearly odorless and has a sweet “non-fishy” taste.

To put in local terms it is the difference between eating redfish and large mouth bass. One is simply milder than the other.

That lunch excursion with Kevin is nearly a year old but there isn’t a month that goes by that my wife, daughter and I don’t make Ichiban a lunchtime must. My wife loves the Chicken Teriyaki and the Crunch Roll. My three year old daughter enjoys the Yaki Soba noodles with Chicken and I enjoy the rolls. My new favorite is the Ichiban “Who Dat?” roll but I still have to have the Shrimp Tempura Roll. And for our appetizer we will stick with an order of edamame.

Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse is affordable and families on a budget can enjoy a great night out without breaking the bank. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Meals are made fresh as you order but come out quickly so you can get one with your day. Because of the quality, quantity, affordability, and freshness of the cuisine served at Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Houma, I give it a thumbs up and give the cooks, staff, and food 4 ½ Sunbursts out of five.