Nov. 9, 2021

A traditional Japanese teppanyaki restaurant with a sushi bar has opened on the west side of Sioux Falls.

Samurai Tasteas is in a retail center on Sertoma Avenue just north of 41st Street.

The menu is filled with Japanese specialties, including the featured teppanyaki fajita served on a sizzling plate. The teppanyaki entrees also come in four other sauces: black pepper, Samurai curry, tomato steak sauce or teriyaki. Diners can choose from 17 protein options such as ribeye, New York strip, salmon, tuna, chicken, pork loin and tofu. Entrees come with soup, salad, a fried egg, veggies, fried rice and noodles.

There also are teppanyaki dinner combos with steak and seafood, appetizers, bento boxes, fried rice, pan-fried noodles, noodle soups, tempura and katsu.

Dinner-for-two meals have clever names like Hungry Monkeys, which has chicken, steak and shrimp, Sea Monster with squid, shrimp and scallop, or Valentines with steak, shrimp and a lobster tail.

Owner Chunxing Pan moved to Sioux Falls from the East Coast in 2014 to work at a Japanese restaurant. In 2017, he started Tasteas at 1018 W. 41st St., but he was drawn to bringing a traditional Japanese steakhouse to the city.

His dream restaurant at 3217 S. Sertoma Ave. seats about 50 people, including at the sushi bar.

The sushi menu is extensive and also includes sashimi and maki rolls. There are 22 house special rolls, including the Roosevelt, a nod to the high school across the street. It has shrimp tempura, eel, spicy crab and eel sauce.

Eventually, the menu will include boba teas and other drinks like those served at Tasteas, but Pan said he wants to spend time perfecting the food service first.

Lunch specials and the full menu are served from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The restaurant closes then and reopens at 4:30 p.m. Dinner is served until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 10:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.