Brandon Augustine serves customers at Ichiban Japanese Steak and Seafood Restaurant in Roanoke. Casey Templeton | The Roanoke Times

Life imitates art. Art imitates life. But a Japanese restaurant should never imitate a Japanese restaurant, especially since authenticity is an expected menu item.

Ichiban Japanese Steak and Seafood House served up imitation. It has the basics -- Japanese-looking decor with sparse wall coverings and pillowed benches in the waiting area; several hibachi grills with community seating; cooks trained to entertain with circus-like moves; and the usual Teriyaki-laden menu.

Unfortunately, having only the basics is enough for a good Japanese restaurant, but not one that's great.

So much of what Ichiban and other Japanese restaurants sell is in the dining experience. After my date and I picked our items from a menu that was somewhat lacking (less than 10 entrees), we and the three other diners seated at the grill watched as our chef juggled banter and dinner.

Some of the act was successful, some not.

My order of Teriyaki scallops ($13.95) came with the usual sides of fried rice, mixed vegetables and two types of sauce (ginger and white). Everyone's entree also came with a bowl of onion and mushroom soup, and salad (standard fare with most Japanese restaurants).

The scallops were grilled to satisfaction -- they were juicy and tender. The entree paired well with the crispy vegetables and nearly flawless fried rice.

My date's choice of the steak and shrimp entree ($15.95) was also quite good. The chef cooked her steak to a requested medium rare. The shrimp were well-proportioned and held a grilled Teriyaki taste.

Both meals were large enough to satisfy our empty stomachs without making us regret our meal an hour later.

Ichiban's prices were on par with most Japanese restaurants. Most entrees -- various combinations of steak, shrimp, chicken, scallops and lobster -- ranged from $10 to $30 (including soup and salad). I did think their wine and beer menu pricey, with $3 domestics and little in the way of variety (a few of the usual domestics and some Asian imports). Dessert offerings were limited to either a brownie or cheesecake.

Since such a large emphasis is placed on service at Ichiban and other similarly styled Japanese restaurants, it was nice to see attentive waiters and a friendly chef. This was despite his bad jokes and inability to complete all his tricks. (Yes, he threw shrimp for us to catch in our mouths. No, I did not catch mine.)

THE BOTTOM LINE

The predictability of Ichiban's style, menu and service made for a muted dining experience. While I do enjoy a familiar restaurant, it's generally not until I've been there several times.

With Ichiban, I felt as if I HAD been there many times before. And I didn't feel a desire to return anytime soon.

Rating: ** 1/2

Where: 2004 Electric Road, Roanoke

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4:30-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday.

Soda products: Coca-Cola

Adult beverages? Beer, wine and mixed drinks

Smoking? Only in the bar area

Plastic? All major cards accepted

Takeout? No

Delivery? No

Reservations? Yes

Live music? No

Call: 725-1288

What the stars mean

***** Excellent. A one-of-a-kind experience.

**** Very good. Memorable menus accompanied by exciting environs and/or savvy service.

*** Good. Solid places that beckon with generally appealing cooking.

** Just OK. A place not worth rushing back to. But, it might have something worth recommending: A view, a single dish, friendly service, lively scene.

* Poor. Don't waste your money here