A longtime Edmonton favourite, the venerable Japanese Village looked out at the new wave of fast-food sushi places and decided — with a single cry of “Banzai!” — to school the newcomers.
The result is fast, fresh, flavourful food that beats its competitors on every level, including price. My bento box was loaded up with vegetable and shrimp tempura, chicken teriyaki and noodles for only $8.75. The tiny plum wine sidecar ($3.95) was a sweet treat I savoured through the meal.
Banzai should be a lot more popular. Its location on Calgary Trail should be a boon, its space is smallish but fashionably decorated, the servers are happy to help you and the food is outstanding. What’s not to love?
One warning: if you recommend Banzai for your next lunch, it will be so popular that you will become the one people turn to for lunch suggestions. It’s a lot of pressure. Think you can handle it?
