After more than a year reviewing teriyaki, and with so many varying experiences now under my belt, I must admit I am becoming quite the teriyaki connoisseur. That means, I suppose, with knowledge comes power… the power to emphatically differentiate the bad from the good, the good from the great, and to accurately identify the subtle differences that separate one from the other.

That said, it must come to light that my finely tuned teriyaki palette has transformed me into a bit of a teriyaki snob. Where once I might have recommended a decent teriyaki, I now snub my nose at the thing correctly recognizing it for the average meal it truly represents.

Case in point: Oak Tree Teriyaki. Their #1 teriyaki is decent, oh yes, with a fair portion of chicken, rice, and salad, but where I once might have yielded it a 3 star rating, I am now able to correctly recognize it for the solid 2 ½ it truly represents.

As for the particulars, Oak Tree's teriyaki chicken itself is nicely grilled, a little bit more on the dark side than I I prefer, and features the tried and true sweet teriyaki sauce all teriyaki connoisseurs know and love. The white rice is cooked well, not hard and dry, not wet and mushy, but it could have been more amply portioned. The salad is typical iceberg lettuce with a watery ranch dressing that is saltier than normal. Not better, not worse, but different. Combined, the trio forms a satisfying if unspectacular meal that ranks a sturdy “pretty good” on my soon to be patented Teriyakimeter. At $6.29+ tax it's a fair price falling somewhere in the middle of teriyaki costs.

Like so many other teriyaki joints, Oak Tree is a fine establishment that won’t do you wrong. I’ve been there before and enjoyed their spicy teriayki, a buck more than the #1 and about that much better. No matter, whatever you order Oak Tree your meal will be consistent, the sign of a decent establishment. Oak Tree certainly won’t change your perspective on teriyaki, but it is certainly good enough to satisfy.