A spur-of-the-moment decision to try a new restaurant with my friend proved to be a rewarding experience for my taste buds and the fuel I needed to craft a new edition of this very column.

Teriyaki Madness on Royalton Road in Strongsville is a relatively new Asian fast-casual restaurant that specializes in what its name suggests: teriyaki-flavored proteins. The restaurant’s menu is a bit small, but what the restaurant lacks in options it makes up for is fresh ingredients and big flavors. Offering dark meat chicken, chicken breast, steak, salmon, and spicy tofu teriyaki, Teriyaki Madness definitely lives up to its creative name.

For my first experience at Teriyaki Madness, I decided that I should try the most popular item: the chicken teriyaki. I ordered the medium-sized chicken teriyaki dish with fried rice and stir-fried vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and onions. I also impulsively added a chicken egg roll to my meal because I was curious about what kind of treasured ingredients I would find concealed in the crispy wonton.

Once I got home, I unpacked my meal and prepared to eat. First, I tried the egg roll and was pleasantly surprised to taste both chicken and vegetables within the wonton. All egg rolls from Teriyaki Madness are served with their house-made Gyoza sauce which adds a nice tanginess to the savory filling of the egg roll. Then, I tried what the restaurant is most known for chicken teriyaki. The chicken was juicy and tender except for a few dry pieces that must have been a little over-seared for my taste. I then ate the stir-fried vegetables, and their fresh, springy bitterness complemented the bold, savory chicken. The chicken and vegetables’ bed of fried rice acted like a sponge, soaking up almost all of the delectable teriyaki sauce, which I think contributed to the slight dryness of the chicken. However, the flavors from the seared chicken melded together with the fresh vegetables and sauce-filled rice to make for a satisfying bite once all parts of the meal were at the correct ratio on my fork. 

Overall, Teriyaki Madness certainly lived up to its name, as the teriyaki sauce was definitely the highlight of the meal for me. I’d probably recommend eating at the restaurant to prevent the rice from stealing the sauce from the protein, but despite the faux pas of ordering to go, Teriyaki Madness is still deserving of a 7/10 and my professional recommendation for anyone craving teriyaki protein and fresh vegetables.

Yours,

The Food Dood