Shinto’s new VIP Ninja Club takes your dining experience to the next level
By Patricia Nugent
This month, Shinto Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar is unveiling the new Ninja Dining Club, an innovative membership program that rewards hibachi diners with beaucoup perks and even more reasons to dine here.
“This is the first time in our 13 years we’re doing anything like this,” says Shinto General Manager Kyle Peterson. “We already treat all of our customers like VIPs, and the Ninja Club takes that to the next level. Our ‘guest-first’ mentality is built on providing world-class service.”
A Slew of Member Benefits
Ninja Diners can dine at any hibachi grill and enjoy select unlimited single-item hibachi entrees for both lunch and dinner—however many times they want, up to once every six hours per day every day.
But wait, there’s more.
Ninjas also enjoy priority seating, as well as VIP access at annual Shinto parties. And the restaurant will accommodate members without reservations ahead of other walk-in diners.
“We are including a host of ongoing dining incentives, and invitations to monthly events,” says Kyle.
“Members will be showered with quarterly gifts, too. As the program grows, so do member perks. Check our Facebook page for an announcement about the Ninja Kickoff Party, which will take place sometime this summer.”
The bill for membership is $99 per month, with a six-month contract period. Sign up now online via the portal at ShinoExperience.com. You’ll receive a membership card with your head shot on it that will be activated immediately.
Summer Menu Shines
Diners know there’s no meal as refreshing and bursting with summer flavors and freshness than sushi. The highest quality seafood is flown into Shinto several times each week, and the rolls are always made fresh to order.
The rolls range from traditional (California, tuna, salmon, eel, crab) to the more exotic. For a fiery dish, don’t miss the Dragon Roll, which includes spicy tuna and tempura crumbs topped with layers of shrimp, eel sauce and sesame seeds.
In addition to Poke Bowls, Sushi Tacos and Sushi Burgers, one of the most popular items is the Cali-Tu, which layers crab salad, avocado and yellow pickle topped with succulent lobster tail, drizzled with eel sauce and the signature lemon dressing.
On the hibachi side, Kyle mentions they’ve recently added duck to their menu.
“It’s prepared simply, with garlic butter and soy sauce to let the duck shine,” he says. “It joins shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken and steak. Due to diner demand, we’ve also put soba noodles on the list of side starches.”
To entice people to come in earlier and get a table, Shinto has just launched Hibachi Happy Hour, Monday-Thursday, from 3:30-5:30 p.m., with amazing deals on select entrees.
On any given day, Kyle says their hibachi tables are hopping.
“What makes hibachi perfect for diners of any age or walk of life is that it’s a meal, and it’s an entertaining show,” he says.
“We are all about the experience of celebration. All of our chefs are highly trained, true artists and each has his own tricks up his sleeve. They go way beyond tossing a shrimp in your pocket.”
Oyster lovers revere Shinto for its expansive oyster bar, with different varieties featured each week, served raw on the half shell. And don’t miss Thursday nights, which are Oyster Nights and half-priced bottles of wine.
Kyle reports any dish tastes better with a little sake. They offer 14 varieties of this tantalizing Japanese rice wine, served chilled or warm. If you’ve never tried sake and want to get a feel for it, try one of the flights the trusty bartender can put together for you of three two-ounce sake shots. Or, why not go all out and launch a Sake Bomb, which is a petite glass of beer with a sidecar shot of sake?
Making Parties Perfect
Brittany Swan, guest service and events manager, reports that this summer they are busier than ever, with everything from showers to rehearsal dinners, weddings, corporate affairs and parties at the restaurant to epic events at businesses and homes.
“We can accommodate groups from 20 to 500 and up, and can customize any menu to fit what people envision,” she says.
“People can rent out our patio, or part of the restaurant for events. With black leather couches and dining tables, underneath a glowing canopy of Japanese paper lanterns, the patio is a cool, laid-back setting.”
She also says that this time of year parents are looking for “that something different” to make their kids’ graduation parties memorable, and that having a hibachi chef come to their home and set up his entertaining cooking table fits that bill to a tee.
Shinto Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar is at 17070 Pearl Road in Strongsville. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday, noon-11 p.m.; Sunday, 2-9 p.m. Call 440-878-3868, or visit ShintoExperience.com for more information.