Kengon Japanese Teppan Restaurant, Northbrook

Kengon is a teppan style restaurant where the chefs cook in front of you on hot metal surfaces. Just like Benihana and Ron of Japan, the chefs put on the same show, where you are supposed to participate and pretend that you have never seen those moves before.

Anyways, my friends and I order our meals (seafood combination for me, and steak and shrimp for the other), and decide to order some sushi. We ordered uni, anago and toro (fatty tuna). Here is where the predicament happened and feel free to reply how you would react. The sushi list stated that Toro - Fatty Tuna was market price. I know how expensive it is, but did not really care. The sushi came, and the fatty tuna was well... not fatty. It looked (and tasted) exactly like regular tuna. Not even blue fin tuna... regular tuna.

We proceeded to ask the teppan chef.

Us: What is this fish?

Chef: Yes, it is tuna

Us: But we ordered Toro

Chef: Um... yes, it is toro. You should ask your waitress, she would know better...

We asked the waitress:

Us: We ordered toro

Waitress: Yes, this is toro

Us: It does not look like toro. Toro is supposed to be fatty right? At least a few streaks of white?

Waitress: Oh, toro comes in different colors and types. You just do not know toro.

Us: Hmmm...

Manager comes over.

Manager: We used to carry toro, but American people keep returning it because they did not like it. And we lost a lot of money, because toro is expensive. So now we serve this as toro.

Us: So this is not toro.

Manager: Well, there are many types of toro: chutoro, otoro...

Us: So what kind of toro is this?

Manager: Ummm...

Us: We want to order regular tuna, then can you show us the difference?

Manager: No no no. American people don't like regular toro.

Us: But we are not American. Why didn't you tell us that you did not have toro?

Manager: <Silence>

Us: Well how much is this piece of "toro"?

Manager: $7

So, we ate the "toro", and paid the $7... but, how would you react in this situation? Mind you, we were not angry when we had this conversation. We were more confused. So this was a very calm conversation.

Anyways, dinner was not very good. Everything was overly sweet: fried rice, scallops, calamari, etc. And the waitress, who pretty much ignored us in the beginning, began to pour tons of attention on me (since I was paying) towards the end of the meal, right before the check was presented.

Needless to say, I will not be returning. I wish I brought my camera with me...


Kegon Japanese Restaurant
569 Waukegan Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 498-1109

That's most unfortunate. We've been there twice and eaten at the sushi bar in the back and the sushi was quite good, although we never ordered toro. We were very pleasantly surprised given what the main operation is about. We also sat in the sushi area, where they might not attempt that kind of trick. It's a pity if they are making good sushi to spoil it with the unacceptable treatment you received. It's also possible the sushi operation has slipped (we went a couple of years ago) because most of their customers just come to see the volcanic onion and a flipped shrimp.

I have been to this place on a couple of occasions, mostly because the neice and nephew like the onion "volcano" the chef makes. I enjoy a Japanese steak house once in a while. To me, Ron of Japan is the best of breed of these in Chicago. Kengon seems to be really geared to the north shore trixies and their kids.

Anyone tried Zin Mi?

What is the price range?TIA.


Zin Mi Japanese Steak House
9219 Waukegan Ave.
Morton Grove
847-966-3303

hattyn wrote:Anyone tried Zin Mi?

I like Zin Mi. It's definitely a family-run place - a nice alternative to all the corporate Japanese Steakhouses. It's a little threadbare, not fancy, but I thought the food was pretty good. Not quite as much "playing with the food" by the chefs as you might get at Benihana, but they do the basics, like flipping bowls of rice and the onion volcano.

I especially like the squid (which I view as one sign of a chef's skill, since it's so few seconds between perfectly cooked and rubber).

Apparently it's been there over 30 years, so they must be doing something right.

I've been to Ron of Japan at least 20 times. I've never had to deal with the 'SHOW'. I hate that stuff. Just cook my damn food!

hattyn wrote:What is the price range?TIA.

IIRC basic stuff goes for mid-high teens; fuller meals can push $30.

Yes, I agree... Ron of Japan is my choice for teppan cooking. I wonder if we could request that the dramatics be kept at a minimum... =)

For teppanyaki, I've been pretty happy for years at Rokbonki on Dundee just east of rt 53 (Arlington Heights). Yes, they're too sweet, but their dipping sauces are good, their food is fresh and perhaps a buck or two cheaper than others of the same ilk, and they're in the Entertainment book.

CrazyC wrote:Yes, I agree... Ron of Japan is my choice for teppan cooking. I wonder if we could request that the dramatics be kept at a minimum... =)

Yes. And I get the feeling that the "chefs" appreciate it, too.

As I mentioned, I've never had the 'show' at Ron's. Maybe I don't look like a 'fun' kind of guy.

midas wrote:As I mentioned, I've never had the 'show' at Ron's. Maybe I don't look like a 'fun' kind of guy.

The quality of the food is higher and the quantity of shtick is lower at ROJ

BTW, just as a point of reference, I've actually been to a Japanese steak house in Japan. No show at all. They do not play with your food.

midas wrote:BTW, just as a point of reference, I've actually been to a Japanese steak house in Japan. No show at all. They do not play with your food.

Yep, I grew up going to teppanyaki restuarants, and only when I came to the US did I see the "show". My parents always said that we should not play with our food...

A good teppanyaki restaurant is Tsukasa of Tokyo in Vernon Hills. It's in the same mall as Best Hunan and Peacock.

I second the recommendation of Tsukasa. Their golden preparations are a heart attack on a plate, but delicious, basically extra egg yolky mayonaise cooked on top of the shrimp or lobster. There is a lot of entertainment, though, if that is a problem, but the kids love it.
-Will

CrazyC wrote:

midas wrote:BTW, just as a point of reference, I've actually been to a Japanese steak house in Japan. No show at all. They do not play with your food.

Yep, I grew up going to teppanyaki restuarants, and only when I came to the US did I see the "show". My parents always said that we should not play with our food...

Then you would be a good person to ask this

When I was in Japan, we only went to one place (I was only there 2 days). So I don't know if the one I was at was typical or not. They prepared the steak different than I've ever seen it done here.

They started by melting butter on the grill. Then they sliced pieces of garlic. Lots and lots of pieces of garlic. They then layed out the garlic in a single layer on the butter and started frying it. They then put the meat on top of the garlic. The meat cooked almost the whole way sitting on the garlic.

When the meat was finally done they continued frying the garlic. They flipped it a few times and kept cooking until it became crispy. They then served the garlic slices like potato chips.

So was this a typical way for them to cook it?

Oh yes! That is what I ate as I was growing up. Sometimes, they fry the garlic in the butter, then they have very thin slices of beef, and they roll the beef up with the garlic inside. They usually place the beef on a piece of bread to soak up the grease, but that stuff was good.

I am going home next week, and I will be sure to have teppanyaki. I will remember to take pictures...

It's really funny. Before I went there, I never put Japanese food and garlic together. Of course, I'm not a sushi fan, but I watch Iron Chef And I'd been to a lot of Japanese steak houses here in Chicago and don't remember ever seeing a clove of garlic. And here I am in Tokyo the first day and I swear, I've never seen so much garlic in my whole life.

Needless to say, I really look forward to seeing those pictures.

Without a doubt my favorite is Ron of Japan, but only the Northbrook location. I don't know why, but I just don't like the downtown one as much. I am in love with the lobster and always order the Shogun. I must also admit to ordering it once with an extra lobster tail. Talk about a heart attack just waiting to happen.

The thing that always stands out a Ron's to me is the size of the lobster tail. At most of these place you're lucky to get a 4-6oz tail. At Ron's it's usually in the 12oz and up range.

My second favorite is no longer there. I believe it was on Dundee, also in Northbrook called Ichiban. But I guarantee it's been at least 20 years since they closed down.

Now I have to give a tentative thumbs up to Benihana, but it's a very limited recommendation, so READ CLOSELY. The downtown location HAD a 'businessman's lunch' special. I don't know if they still have it and I've never been to another location that's had it either. But for the money it was one of the greatest deals I've ever seen. If I remember it included soup, salad, Tempura shrimp, grilled shrimp (but without the heart attack sauce), fried rice, chicken and steak along with a glass of plum wine. All that was $12.95.

Myleast favorite place is one my father insisted I go to because "It's just as good as Ron's." Well, it's not. I don't remember the exact name, nor even know if it's still there. But my one experience there will never be forgotten.

I think named something like Kam Phi. It was on Elmhurst Road just north of Oakton. This was one of those 4oz lobster tails without heart attack sauce. But that wasn't the worst part. I've already mentioned how much I hate the 'show'. Well this place was full 'show' with the shrimp tail in the hat and the onion volcano and all the rest.

But the best part of the show was when the chef was showing off his knife skills and chopped the tip of his finger to the point it was gushing blood. He tried to wrap it in a towel but eventually had to leave the table and, I assume, go to the hospital. The chef at the adjoining table had to finish cooking our meal in his absence. Needless to say, I've never been back.

Midas wrote:But the best part of the show was when the chef was showing off his knife skills and chopped the tip of his finger to the point it was gushing blood. He tried to wrap it in a towel but eventually had to leave the table and, I assume, go to the hospital. The chef at the adjoining table had to finish cooking our meal in his absence. Needless to say, I've never been back.

There was an Iron Chef episode where the female Chef cut her hand rather badly. Her husband was a famous Japanese baseball player who was in the commentary box. She wrapped her hand in a bandage that consisted mostly of silver duct tape. Unfortunately this happened almost at the beginning of her hour, though she gamely carried on, it was clear she was thrown off by this injury. It is no surprise to note she lost the competition and probably exited stage left to go directly to the hospital.

midas wrote:My second favorite is no longer there. I believe it was on Dundee, also in Northbrook called Ichiban. But I guarantee it's been at least 20 years since they closed down.

I loved Ichiban. My folks used to take us there every once in a while a couple of decades ago. As a kid, it was a "special occasion" place for us. As I got older, I really began to appreciate it. Then one day, before I really kept track of such things, it was gone. Went there with a date and realized it was gone. Great place.

There is a place in Edens Plaza (Skokie Blvd. and Lake Ave., Wilmette) that opened somewhat recently. I cannot remember its name (I'll be back to fill in that detail -- or maybe someone else knows). I thought was just okay. But my 4 dining companions really loved it and proclaimed unanimously that it was "better" than Ron of Japan. I didn't think so, which isn't saying much, but perhaps it's worth a try if you're in the area.

=R=

This looks like it's probably it:

Ichigawa Japan
Edens Plaza, Wilmette
Tel: (847) 251-4177
Fax: (847) 251-7683

Obviously I've never been there.

These restaurants - and I think here particularly of Benihana - deserve some credit in that they introduced non-adventurous diners to cuisine that they might not otherwise have experienced. I think of this as the Trader Vic's syndrome. Some of these individuals eventually came to appreciate the possibilities of ethnic food. So think of ROJ, Benihana, and the others as Japanese-food-with-training-wheels.

I remember growing up in New York going to Benihana, Trader Vic's, La Fonda del Sol, or Forum of the Twelve Caesars - all Disney-like in their way, but permitting a recognition of the possibility of alternatives to standard American cuisine.

I would guess that Benihana may have done as much for Chowism as Alice Waters.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

midas wrote:My second favorite is no longer there. I believe it was on Dundee, also in Northbrook called Ichiban. But I guarantee it's been at least 20 years since they closed down.

I loved Ichiban. My folks used to take us there every once in a while a couple of decades ago. As a kid, it was a "special occasion" place for us. As I got older, I really began to appreciate it. Then one day, before I really kept track of such things, it was gone. Went there with a date and realized it was gone. Great place.

There use to be 2 Japanese restaurants downtown, one called Ichiban and the other called Daiichi (2 ways of saying "Number 1" in Japanese).
I wonder if the Chicago Ichiban was related to the Northbrook Ichiban?

The Iron Chef referred to in this thread ("There was an Iron Chef episode where the female Chef cut her hand rather badly...") is on right now, if anyone is interested.

midas wrote:My second favorite is no longer there. I believe it was on Dundee, also in Northbrook called Ichiban. But I guarantee it's been at least 20 years since they closed down.

Ichiban has been gone for a LONG time. It's been a jewish synagogue for at least a decade. The funny thing is they use a typeface for hebrew that's almost identical to the old Ichiban logo at first glance.

midas wrote:Myleast favorite place is one my father insisted I go to because "It's just as good as Ron's." Well, it's not. I don't remember the exact name, nor even know if it's still there. But my one experience there will never be forgotten.

I think named something like Kam Phi. It was on Elmhurst Road just north of Oakton.

Kampai is still there. It used to be the only game in town when I was young and it was a special occasion to go there. Their sushi bar was the finest in the 'burbs... and it's slid downhill gradually. If I'm in that neighborhood I'll go to "Indian Cuisine" in the same strip. Cheap and effective dinner buffet. We went there once recently on the ubiquitous entertainment book coupon. Just not worth it.

Sorry, it took me a while to get to this. But I promised to post pics of my teppanyaki dinner when I went home... Note... I did not pay for this meal. For 3 people, it was about USD$600... yikes... Sorry about the bad pics, but I was still learning how to use the camera...

To start we had miso soup and a special oxtail soup...



Then a starter of abalone with broccoli and garlic



Then lobster will a light egg sauce (like Ron of Japan only lighter)



Kobe beef with crispy garlic (hidden under the meat)



Fried rice with the crispy garlic



All done with minimal circus acts from the chefs