Banya Japanese Restaurant

07/28/09

Was great, now mediocre

by fhilton

Having spent a year in Japan, I used to love this restaurant since real Japanese people worked here serving authentic Japanese food. The menu included not only sushi, which is available everywhere, but lots of other authentic Japanese dishes.

Now the place is under new ownership. I believe the new owners are Korean because I saw "Kim Chee" listed under deserts on the menu. The menu has been reduced to just sushi and a few other common Japanese foods.

My server had no idea what I meant when I asked for "tempura donburi" which used to be my favorite item on the menu. The sushi we ordered was pretty average, except that one roll had what tasted like cheese whiz on it. The tempura moriawase I ordered was not nearly as good as it used to be and the rice was not very sticky. We also tried to order house salads, expecting the usual lettuce and ginger dressing salads (small and cheap), and received instead something large with fried chicken and crab meat in it that turned out when we got the bill to be expensive.

The bottom line is that this used to be an excellent, authentic Japanese restaurant experience and is now a mediocre, me-too-Korean-Japanese restaurant. I will not be returning.

• Pros: None.
• Cons: No longer authentic Japanese. Now just mediocre immitation.

07/20/09

Banya has new ownership

by deebo32

We went to Banya over the weekend and were surprised to see many new faces. It looks like the restaurant is under new ownership, now family run with the kids helping out in the restaurant.

The food and quality have changed, it is not as authentic as it was and the menu was pared down greatly. Too bad, we often looked forward to our neighborhood gem.

• Cons: No longer offer an izakaya-type menu

07/25/08

Best I've Ever Had

by KiltedWolf

As an exceedingly picky eater, and always wary of freshness, I was very loathe to wander into an unknown Japanese place, much less order sushi. One day, my friend came down from Seattle with his wife and convinced me to go for supper with them. I was admittedly skeptical, especially as the decor from the outside speaks of, well, worrisome colours and questionable tastes. The only reason I didn't balk at the last moment was my experience travelling, and knowing that the best food is often found in little hole-in-the-wall places.

I have to say that this was truly the case here. Walking in, I was greeted like long-missed family, shown to a table by a very kind and traditionally mannered Japanese hostess, and presented with what must be about a 5 page menu, not including the sushi or the wide array of alcohol. Over the next several hours my friends and I ordered one or two dishes at a time, shared them, and enjoyed ourselves, never rushed to order more or to place a single large order. I'd be lying if I said I knew how much time passed that night, but it must have been at least three hours and we were the last customers in the place by the end. Before we left though, the owner came out, sat down and began chatting with us for a while, laughing and joking, and said "let me show you, not on menu" and brought out a dish I don't know what it was.. nor do I care. It was sweet, succulent, tender meat with a lovely marinade cooked to perfection.

Ever since then, I've gone in at every opportunity while in the Portland area and eaten everything on the menu several times over. But if you want favourites? I'd have to say the "Spider" rolls and the honey-ginger pork filet. Even my friends who didn't like Japanese food have gone in there and loved it, to return as often as possible - even when that means driving an hour or two each way to do it.

In fact, it's the only thing other than Powell's book shop that I miss about Portland!

• Pros: Excellent food, service.
• Cons: Parking, out of the way location