Food & Drink

Sapporo is a diverse location. The restaurant features a trendy bar, a traditional dining area and their piece de resistance, the Teppanyaki style tables (Hibachi to some, or even Japanese Steakhouse if you prefer).

Their dining room menu looked extensive, but from our perspective, if you are going to go to a place that will do Teppanyaki style, that is what you have.

If you have never been to a restaurant in this mold (Benihana's, Kyoto's, Kobe) I highly recommend it. Tables are set up to seat 8 people along one long and the two short sides of a rectangular table. The other side of the table is reserved for the chef to work as he comes and prepares your food on the grill surface in the center of the table. The chef's are trained to not only make delicious food, but also entertain you while you wait. They are masters of their equipment and I am sure do not recommend you try any of their tricks at home in your own kitchen.

Sapporo serves your meal with fried rice rather than most of the other restaurants which offer fried rice as an add-on to the meal and serve steamed white rice. I was glad to see fried rice come standard; it is the highlight of the meal for me (isn't it criminal to hear me say that when I order two lobster tails as my entree?). Each dining guest receives a bowl of mushroom soup, a salad with the house ginger dressing, a shrimp appetizer, mixed grilled vegetables and your entree. It sounds like a lot of food. Well, ok, it is a lot of food. But don't worry, while chopsticks are on every place setting, forks are available.

Many if not all of these restaurants offer Kobe beef, which before our dinner at Sapporo, I had never tried. One in my party ordered it and offered some to share. I have to make this statement clear: Kobe beef was the best steak I have EVER had. Kobe beef is from cattle whose days feature massages and a diet enriched with beer, and no I am not kidding. (*You will never want to order Kobe beef cooked longer than medium rare.)

Sapporo is located at 14344 N. Scottsdale Road near the Greenway-Hayden Loop.