At 7 Nana, dinner is the show

A teppanyaki chef entertains while he cooks at 7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse in Billerica. (photos by Nicole dinoia for the boston globe)

7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse
199 Boston Road., Billerica
978-262-1300
www.7nanasteakhouse.com
Open Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9:30 p.m.
Major credit cards accepted
Accessible to the handicapped

In my eyes, an ideal dinner out should include three elements: good food, excellent service, and a great overall experience. My friend and I recently enjoyed all three at 7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse, which opened last summer.

Sandwiched into a shopping plaza, the restaurant is painted in warm colors and is large and open inside.

On a recent weeknight we were seated at a hibachi grill table, where diners are able to interact with the teppanyaki chefs who prepare their food, using an iron griddle or hibachi grill. Each of the four rectangular hibachi tables at 7 Nana has two grills and seating for 20 people. The restaurant also has private dining areas and a sushi bar.

The service was friendly and efficient as we started with drinks and sushi rolls from a menu of more than 80 options. I chose a shrimp tempura roll ($7) while my friend was more adventurous, choosing the Amazing Red Sox roll ($13), consisting of lobster, tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and jalapeno, topped with tobiko. She enjoyed the mix of ingredients with a bit of spice. My selection, while more traditional, was also tasty, and I enjoyed the flavor and crunch of the tempura.

For the main course, we chose to share two dishes cooked at our table by the chef - filet mignon ($23) and hibachi chicken ($16). Along with the main dishes, dinners are served with soup, salad, noodles, rice, shrimp, and vegetables.

When the soup arrived, we found it average, with a flavor that was milder than miso soup. Next was the salad, topped with a tasty sweet dressing. In order to save room for the main dish, neither of us finished our soup or salad.

Our chef then greeted us and began preparing our dishes as well as those for the family of six across from us, including four children. While he had a lot of cooking to do, our chef was entertaining from the start. With cheerful energy, he sang songs while he prepared the grill, squirted water into the children's mouths to make them giggle, and impressed us all with tricks he performed using our food and flames from the grill. We were all laughing and enjoying the show.

To complement our meal, we were given three sauces: ginger, ginger mustard, and white. The noodles and rice were cooked first. We chose fried rice, which was made in front of us. I added a bit more soy sauce to the rice and it was excellent, as were the noodles, which were similar to lo mein. Next, our chef cooked shrimp and mixed vegetables and I was especially impressed by how the vegetables were tender with a little crunch.

Our main dishes were last to be grilled and served. As full as we already were, we enjoyed both. The filet mignon was cooked the way I'd ordered it and was tender and flavorful. The chicken was moist and tasty, especially when we added the ginger sauce. While we enjoyed our meal, we still had enough food for leftovers.

Miraculously unable to pass up dessert, my friend and I chose to end our feast by sharing one of the restaurant's frozen treats, a peanut butter bomba. While the desserts are not made on site, the smooth peanut butter ice cream topped with a solid chocolate coating was a delicious treat.

The 7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse offers the three elements of an ideal dinner. The generous portions of good food, friendly service, and entertaining chef made for a fun night and I look forward to returning.

NICOLE DiNOIA