Kyoto Express, Fayetteville, NC

I’m not incredibly sure why chains like this use locations as their names in the first place, since the foods are so obviously pan-Asian.  Of course, the real star of the “menu” is the white sauce, or yum-yum sauce as J calls it.  Let there be no doubt that said sauce was the sole reason for our trip.  In fact, we were only turning around in the parking lot, joked about the yum-yum sauce, happened to glance in, and sure enough some local gays were carrying a plate of rice dolloped with a healthy portion of the sauce.  Any former denizen of Chapel Hill, NC (and no doubt, every town with a mall) is well aware of yum-yum sauce, for it makes everything in the restaurant not only palatable, but addictive.  This stuff is mayonnaise on crack.  So much so that usually the restaurants will limit customers’ consumption of it, and indeed Kyoto Express is no exception.   Patrons are limited to three containers, which to me seems like an awful lot.  Three per person.  Can you imagine eating three sauce containers full of what amounts to shrimpy mayonnaise?  I guess so, or else why would it be a common rule, important enough to warrant a printed sign?  Let’s just overlook the fact that the sauce containers are not resting in a bed of ice.  I can’t recall if I ordered teriyaki or hibachi steak, but let’s be honest – these are all the same thing.  Kyoto Express actually also offers sushi and dumplings, and we tried a plate of the latter.  Definitely deep-fried in peanut oil, which I will admit is an interesting innovation – if you can call it that.