text: Jiro dreams of sushi would not be pleased I went to lunch with a coworker for teppanyaki I should have known better no one goes to a circus for a great meal nnFrozen mixed vegetable in the fried rice old tasting shrimp heavy handed sauces The same meal minus the show served in a Tokyo JoeSamurai Sam bowl would cost and be plated far more delicately and with greater attention to flavor Instead I paid a little more than an Andrew Jackson with tip for a flavor fail in a dark and mostly empty roomnnFood and ambiance aside the show was spot on We had a Mexican teppanyaki chef who really was on his game So much so that I awarded Ichi Ban a starnnYes it was much of the same old tired act teppanyaki chefs have been passing along to us for years twirling spatulas spinning eggs onion volcanos shrimp in the hat but the passion this guy had for the show was undeniable If only the ingredients and room matched his joie de vivre I might have left Tolleson with a huge smile nnIchi Ban Shichi Ban Two stars