Brunch is one of the best mealtimes in my opinion. In a
resort city where people go to bed late and only surface after mid-morning,
it makes sense to combine breakfast and the mid-day meal. This was how
“brunch” was born.
Bloody Good Mary’s.
The Benihana Japanese restaurant, on the second floor of
the Royal Garden Plaza on the Beach Road side (by the way, that is the
European numbering of floors - Ground, First, Second), is already a favorite
for many diners with the cooking shows put on by the chefs just adding to
the enjoyment of the meal. For those with children, it is one of the few
restaurants that has the ability to keep the short attention spans
enthralled.
Benihana is a very pleasantly appointed restaurant, with
an overall Japanese theme. The cooking is done on a special Teppanyaki hot
plate in front of the diners, with chefs specially trained to produce some
culinary ‘theater’ (and look out for some flying eggs)! The very numerous
staff are outfitted in black with the words “Brunch Squad” on the back.
The pricing of the Saturday Brunch is an all-in deal at
B. 1,100 net for adults with children between four and twelve at half price
and those under four are free. Free flow of wine/beer/cocktails and
smoothies with a punch is B. 500 net. This certainly makes for an
inexpensive Saturday brunch. (And a boozy one!)
The action which includes
flying eggs.
Around the restaurant area are four private rooms each
with its own Teppanyaki hot plate, and in between are some live stations
including one making “Bloody Good Mary’s”, and others with Tempura items,
seafood, meat grills, Japanese items, cheeses, desserts and freshly baked
breads. Take your time to walk around and see exactly what is on offer
(including oysters)!
After being seated, we were presented with the live
cooking menu which includes fried eggs with vegetables and buffalo
mozzarella, hibachi fried rice, Teppanyaki assorted vegetables, fois gras on
grilled asparagus with Spanish tomato salsa, Australian sirloin beef rolled
with green onion and enoki mushrooms and a venison tenderloin with garlic
butter. These items are cooked in front of you by your own Benihana chef,
and it is worthwhile going just to see the action which includes flying
eggs, heart-beating fried rice and rubber chickens. (I am not going to
explain further - you just have to go!)
We decided on the free flow option and the Accomplice
vineyard white wine, an Australian Chardonnay, was eminently quaffable,
though I did start off with one of Benihana’s “Bloody Good Mary’s” (and it
was).
For me, the dish of the lunchtime was the fois gras on
grilled asparagus with Spanish tomato salsa, closely followed by the
Australian sirloin beef rolled with green onion and enoki mushrooms.
Wonderful!
We ate, we drank, we made many visits to the stations
(after all, how do you turn down oysters and rock lobsters) and the lovely
lady with “Brunch Squad” on her shirt kept refilling our glasses. It was
difficult to call a halt to it all, the whole experience had been so
enjoyable. But all good things must come to an end eventually (and that is
2.30 p.m.).
In fact, when I thought about the Beni Saturday Brunch
afterwards (and after an hour’s sleep) I came to the conclusion that the
attraction of this brunch was its total entertainment package. The live
music trio was not too noisy as to be intrusive, and the singer certainly
knows how to entertain. There are more expensive brunches in town, and some
cheaper ones as well, but none of the others offer such a total
entertainment value.
The food was excellent, with plenty of choices and having
your own personal chef a great gimmick. It is a venue that is suitable for
families and visiting guests, that will have them coming back for more. I
can certainly give the Saturday Beni Brunch top marks. Highly recommended.
Benihana Restaurant, Royal Garden Plaza Second floor,
Brunch Saturdays 11.30 a.m. until 2.30 p.m., telephone 038 412 120 (booking
advised), fax 038 429 926, secure/free parking in the basement of the Royal
Garden Plaza (but remember to get your docket stamped at the Information
counter on the ground floor).