Sometimes, a trip to a restaurant is an entire experience, not just an opportunity to dine. Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting Ichiban Japanese Steak & Seafood House in Winchester, VA, located on Pleasant Valley Road. This was much more than a simple lunch – it was a full-fledged experience, and one of the most rewarding trips we have done on this Foodies journey. From the incredibly friendly and interactive staff to a thoughtful parting gift, this was truly a five star experience.
Price 💲💲out of 5
Ichiban prices are on par with the other hibachi restaurants in the area. There is definitely a cost involved, but you are talking about some of the freshest fish for sushi, a do-it-yourself ramen bar, and top quality proteins for the hibachi. Plus, not only do you get amazing food, you also get a show with highly trained hibachi chefs. All in all, the cost associated with a trip to Ichiban is for dinner and a show.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
From the moment we walked in until we left about two hours later, we had massive smiles on our faces. Ichiban went above and beyond for us, letting us be a part of the show. We got to go behind the grill, but to catch pieces of shrimp in our mouths, and just had an amazing time interacting with the staff.
The restaurant itself is beautiful and clean. The fresh sushi is prepared in-house, and they have multiple hibachi stations. The kicker, however, is the self-service ramen station, where you can pick your own flavor of ramen and then get toppings added as well.
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
Let’s get to the food. We got to try so many amazing appetizers and entrees:
Miso soup – the perfect start to a hibachi experience, the miso soup is warm and satisfies the soul.
Shumai – these little dumplings were so flavorful, packed with tender shrimp and steamed to perfection.
Sashimi appetizer – this appetizer had an exquisite presentation. Served with a few pieces of fresh fish, it was a decadent starter.
Fantasy roll – one of the creamiest sushi rolls of all time, I love the addition of cream cheese to the crunchy tempura shrimp. What an amazing roll.
Green Dragon roll – this one was similar to the Fantasy roll, but the addition of that umami blast of eel sauce took it to the next level.
Firecracker roll – I love some spice to my sushi, and spicy tuna is one of my all time favorite proteins for sushi.
Karaage chicken – we got the spicy and regular, and both were crispy and fried to perfection. The spicy wasn’t overpowering, but it did have a slight kick.
Ramen – Moy opted for the standard chicken ramen, while I went with the Spicy Buldok Carbonara. Both of us got eggs, scallions, and corn on top. The spicy Buldok definitely brought the heat.
Hibachi – we got the ultimate hibachi experience, sampling chicken, filet, shrimp, lobster, and even swordfish! The rice noodles and fried rice were incredible, and I love the slight crunch of the grilled veggies. This spot has some of the best hibachi I have ever had.
Cheesecake – we finished our meal off with one of the creamiest cheesecakes I have ever had. This piece of cheesecake melted in your mouth.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
This experience was easily a top three moment in the nearly two years we have been doing this Foodies thing. This is truly a testament to how dining at a restaurant is about more than just the food. That is obviously important, but creating an atmosphere of fun and joy is equally as important. At Ichiban, it is not enough to provide you with a quality meal – they also want to make sure that you have fun while enjoying said meal. Go check them out ASAP!