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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend September 29, 2006 Bonsai Teriyaki Sushi Once almost invisible in Medford's Greyhound station, Bonsai Teriyaki Sushi has become a local favorite, now with three restaurants between Medford and Ashland. The latest addition on East Barnett Road serves up a twist: steaks and other meaty entrees to accompany its popular sushi menu. But in setting its sights high, Bonsai sometimes falls short in executing the new menu offerings. Guests can expect generous portions of high-quality meat and a wide variety of side dishes. And apparently — unless requested on the side — a lot of teriyaki sauce. Both sushi rolls and entrees were draped in the brown sauce on a recent weeknight visit. The ubiquitous teriyaki somewhat dulled my husband's enthusiasm for his New York steak ($16.95), which was large and otherwise perfectly cooked. Likewise for my lamb shanks ($16.95) with a dollop of pesto that was tasty enough to warrant a solo role as accompaniment. Although I often fear servers don't believe I really want lamb prepared rare, they rarely disappoint. This time, however, my mother-in-law and I theorized that some of her medium-cooked shanks ended up on my plate and vice versa. Advertisement Not that we needed four shanks apiece. Each plate contained no fewer than five side dishes, albeit in small quantities. Two skewers of grilled scallops and vegetables joined two coconut-fried shrimp; a quarter ear of corn; one tomato wedge marinated in balsamic vinegar; one slender spear of asparagus; and one steamed baby carrot, broccoli and piece of cauliflower. A small heap of rice and choice of miso soup or salad came as no surprise, but the final side dish left me scratching my head. I couldn't imagine the inspiration for a melange of sauteed white onions, kidney beans and black olives that formed the backdrop for cuts of meat. In lieu of this peculiar mixture, I would have appreciated another skewer of grilled vegetables. The tender red onion was a natural with the meat. Skewers also comprise steak and vegetables, depending on the entree chosen — salmon, for example. Beef ribeye and tenderloin are the most expensive entrees at $18.95 apiece. For $7.95, patrons can order udon with two tempura-fried shrimp or with steak or scallop skewers for $10.95. Appetizers range from $4.95 for edamame to $12.95 for an eight-piece sashimi assortment. Sushi and sashimi combos are priced from $14.95 to $20.45. The a la carte sushi menu is the same guests find at the other two Bonsai restaurants, featuring 44 different rolls from $3 to $10.95. Sushi portions, however, seemed smaller than their counterparts at the West Sixth Street restaurant. The spider roll — shoft-shell crab, avocado, imitation crab, cucumber and tobiko — came in four pieces. The Las Vegas roll — smoked salmon, imitation crab, cream cheese and tobiko, all tempura-fried — came in six. Each cost $8.95. Three dinners, sushi and beverages came to just under $80 without gratuity. If you're planning on appetizers and have an average stomach capacity, perhaps consider sharing an entree, as two in our party did. — Sarah Lemon Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com