When it comes to fat, no one undercuts Benihana’s Lite line. From Shrimp in Spicy Garlic Sauce to Roast Pork and Mushrooms, none of these oriental dishes get more than 25 percent of their calories from fat. Most, in fact, are under 15 percent. With two exceptions, the entrees in Benihana’s Classic line also stay below the 25 percent mark, with most under 20 percent. Only Beef Szechuan and Roast Pork Lo Mein are fattier.
Despite its success in the fat department, Benihana isn’t perfect. Its Achilles’ Heel is sodium, which hovers around the 1200 milligram mark, and in one case — Shrimp and Cashews — hits 2,000 mg! That’s an enormous quantity of sodium for what is really a 300-calorie “mini-meal.” By the time you consume a day’s worth of calories (say 1,600 to 2,400), you’re virtually guaranteed to overshoot the 1,100 to 3,300 mg of sodium recommended for a whole day.
