Saturday, May 19, 2007

Gengi...yum yum sauce, For serious!!??

Yum Yum Sauce=Mayonnaise and Sweet Mustard

Please tell me...what Japanese recipe books includes a recipe for such a sauce? None. That is the answer. ZIPPO!

So the fact that a Japanese Steakhouse, which yes, may be an oxymoron in itself, offers such a sauce is so incredibly condescending and insulting. You crazy Americans who think it is amazing, please realize, you are putting MAYONNAISE on your asian-esque food!

I would consider myself an expert on the House of Japan cuisine. It is something I have experienced multiple times (like, lots) and it has always been the same. Soup, good. Salad, good (sometimes two salads). Chicken and Steak, very good.

At Gengi, I got the same entree. The salad tasted fine; although I like the ginger dressing at HofJ a little better. The soup, tasted like straight up beef broth, which to me can have a bit of a rodent cage flavor. Like, it tastes like a gerbil cage smells. I had a couple slurps and was done. The steak was excellent. My dining companion had the scallops and they were just fine. The chicken was a little dry. Vegetables good. Bean sprouts, fine.

Interesting note: The servers have ear pieces like they are in the frickin' Secret Service. I imagine, "We are going to need some chicken and a steak...but this girl is a BITCH, so make sure it is a crappy piece of chicken." Of course I was not the bitch in this scenario. My chicken was fine!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

How that all rings so true! Yet once again the company was amazing.

Amber Sells Columbus said...

I agree with you too! I was very disappointed after all the hype I'd heard about it! House of Japan and Japanese Steakhouse are much, much better, IMO!

Anonymous said...

Hmm. I think you should do some more research about Japanese food. They use mayo. There is even a very good Japanese mayo called Kewpie brand mayo. Also, the soup you are talking about probably does not contain any beef. It is probably miso. Maybe you should try something other than a Japanese steakhouse and go to an actual Japanese restaurant.

Kristy said...

Ha! For the record, I was a bit intoxicated when I wrote that post, and so the exaggeration about mayo is possibly a bit, well, exaggerated. (If you read the sushi--yes, not a Japanese steakhouse--blog from a couple weeks ago, you'll see there was a spicy mayo with the "big mouth roll").

But the yum-yum sauce? Come on.

And it possibly was miso but doesn't change the fact that it tastes like gerbil cage.

But thanks for replying! I like responses!

What's Cookin Chicago said...

I actually use Japanese mayo, especially when I make maki-sushi. Just as Jessica mentioned, its called KewPie brand and is pretty good.

Anonymous said...

One of the most popular kinds of "steak houses" in Japan is the "yaki-niku" or "cook-your-own-meat" restaurants. They bring you plates of thin slices of raw beef and veggies to cook on the grill that's on top of your table. And there's no mayo in sight! Just a lemon sauce and a delicious soy-teriyaki sauce.

I'm not a fan of Japanese mayo, but it's just my taste preference. I find both their mayo and ketchup to be too sweet for my taste.

Anonymous said...

This is hilarious.

I could imagine the first people using ketchup. People saying, "But hey, all you're eating is liquid tomato."

I don't think that many people go into a Japanese steakhouse thinking they are getting something truely "authentic". But who cares, it tastes good. Thank God you have food.

Anonymous said...

I was there at Genji too. The food was much better (in my opinion) than HofJ. I have not tried Kobe in Easton, but I go to Genji just b/c it's in Dublin, where I live. About the yum-yum, I've asked about the ingredients--it's definitely a secret since the secret service servers don't know either. I brought in a party of 5 and there was a party of four. They actually put automatic gratuity on our bill, but I gave them more since it was only 15%. I mean, who the hell still has a 15% gratuity?? It's more like 18/20% now MINIMUM! Anyway, I've observed my dinner neighbors and they didn't any grat. The servers said they frequently have customers like this. "This" meaning black/african americans. That is messed up. I've been a server in restaurants b4, "they" just either don't know how to tip (I doubt) or they deliberately don't tip. You friggin' go to eat and get served. It ain't no buffet! Tip those pour souls!
I know I did the right thing and tip 30%...but that probably didn't cover the other guest's tip amt...

Tips get shared by all people it seems. Not sure how much to each, but servers get like 5.2% (weird number)??

Dawn said...

Why is it Americans always get criticized for not always being on the mark when it comes to ethnic restaurants? Have you been to an American restaurant in other countries? I promise you that the food is always at least a little bit altered to suit the local taste.

I love yum yum sauce and couldn't give a flying flip if it is authentic or not. :)

Anonymous said...

I just happen to be an african american and we do leave the 18% gratutity. Genji just happens to be the birthday place for my family of adults. And as an owner of an eating establishment, there are a lot of you white people thata don't leave a tip while your children mess up the place. The soup isn't beef at all, it's onion based. No matter what's in the yum yum it is good! OBAMA '08

Anonymous said...

Fried food is bad for you anyways, why not throw in some mayo sauce that makes you say yum yum!

Anonymous said...

I am also african american and the ignorance that 7:12pm displayed on this comment is a shame,
We do know what the gratuity is and how much to leave sounds as though you need to work on your profession because I have that right to pay my for what I feel my standards are and you sound very ignorant on this blog I can only think of how you serve( no wonder you get stiffed) Take a life course get some education about people before you make idiot comments~that will help your server career

Anonymous said...

JAPANESE YUM YUM SAUCE

1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 teaspoon paprika
3/8 teaspoon garlic powder

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, white sugar, rice vinegar, melted
butter, paprika and garlic powder. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Jessica. Mayo mixed with other ingredients (resulting in Genji's "Yum Yum" sauce) is actually very popular in Japanese cuisine. It is used frequently as a topping on sushi with tempura and okonomiyaki. The soup that you are referring to was indeed miso. The term Japanese steakhouse is not at all ridiculous either since these are popular in Japan as well. Stop being so pretentious by pretending that you know what you are talking about.

Kristy said...

Okay, I am going to say it...as the author of this blog. Stop fucking commenting about the YUM YUM SAUCE!!

I haven't updated this blog in months and yet the yum yum sauce is still getting comments on it!

IF you people could see how inappropriately I've seen this mayo-based-might as well be RANCH DRESSING--used...I'm talking GOBS, you'd be horrified too.

And I DO love the spicy mayo that accompanies sushi...but I wouldn't put it on fried rice.

And "pretentious"? Whatever.

Anonymous said...

It always amazes me when a blogger gets pissed at someone contradicting their opinion despite the age of the actual post. If you don't want anyone posting anymore comments to this then lock it or something. Otherwise shut the hell up and get over it!