十番燒肉 Juban - Menlo Park, CA

Where to take your parents or good friends when they come to visit San Jose?

Juban in Menlo Park, Burlingame or Japantown in the City will be a good place to go.

Wagyu (known as Kobe beef in this country) is the highlight of the menu. This richly marbled beef is imported from Kobe, Japan, where the cattle are pampered with sake massages and fed a special diet that includes beer. The beef remains a rarity in the United States, as its price reflects.

At Juban, Wagyu shows up as an exquisite sashimi ($11.75 and $22.50) -- paper-thin slices of the raw beef atop a pile of shredded sweet onions. Loin slices ($19.50 and $38) are also available for the grill, where they need to cook for only a minute or so to bring out their terrific full flavor and melting texture.

Other cuts of regular beef are also available for grilling, including rib eye ($7.50) and short ribs marinated in soy sauce, with bone ($6.50) or without ($7). Thin slices of meaty tongue ($7.25) come with lemon to squeeze over them as they cook. Wonderful liver ($5.50) gets a boost of flavor from a soy sauce marinade.

But beef isn't all Juban offers for the grill. Cubes of boneless chicken ($7), butterflied tiger prawns ($7.75) and bay scallops with a touch of sesame oil ($7.75) are other great options.

Strips of calamari in a spicy marinade ($7) were disappointing because they ended up chewy no matter how little or how much we cooked them. The vegetable plate ($5) of carrot and zucchini slices and bell pepper strips added little more than color to the meal; however, the wedges of onion held together by toothpicks browned nicely on the grill and were wonderful, especially with the beef.

Lobster tail ($12.50 and $24) comes in bite- size pieces and is marvelous when dipped in a small container of garlic cooking in butter ($3).

Jeff Misaki, formerly of Palomino and Delancey Street, heads the kitchen. His execution of appetizers and treatment of the foods to be grilled shines through. He makes an assortment of spicy pickles that are good on their own and also cut the richness of the grilled food. Plates of kimchee (cabbage), oikimchee (cucumber and daikon radish) and kakuteki (daikon with cayenne pepper) make up the Juban assortment ($4) but can also be ordered individually.

To start, try the yakinori ($2.50) -- thin strips of lightly salted roasted seaweed brushed with sesame oil -- or the beautiful tomato salad placed on minced onions with a soy and lemon vinaigrette ($4.25).

Tiny cubes of cucumber and green onion give beef tartare ($7) an Asian twist, while the requisite egg yolk atop the raw, finely chopped beef keeps the dish traditional.

Big bowls of clean-flavored soups meant to be shared are another great starter. Tender oxtails ($5.25) come in a clear broth with slices of green onion. Clear noodles and strips of chicken ($7) float in chicken broth with chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers.

A number of rice dishes are also available, including nigiri ($3.25), oversize rice balls filled with shreds of bonito, wrapped in nori and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

For dessert, don't miss the mochi ice cream ($4.25). Thin, chewy rice pastry is wrapped around strawberry, vanilla or green-tea ice cream for sweet little bites.

Triple chocolate mousse cake ($5), however, was surprisingly light on flavor despite a dense, moist texture.

The bustling staff can take away the calming effect of the serene decor. Service, however, is quick and efficient. The staff watches the temperature on the grill to make sure it doesn't get too hot or too cold.

Juban has a limited selection of beer and wine but a better offering of sake, including some wonderful cold ones such as Karatamba and Nihonjyo, served in tall, slender glasses.

At least half the pleasure of a yakiniku house comes from the communal experience. The opportunity to cook simple foods and enjoy them with friends in pleasant surroundings is the appeal of Juban.