New Madness on Hill Avenue

Teriyaki Madness indeed. Lines formed all the way down the street last Thursday as the fast food Asian restaurant gave away free Teriyaki bowls for two hours, to celebrate its new opening.

New owner Russ Thyret, who worked in sales and marketing for Coca-Cola for 17 years, has signed a franchise agreement with the company to bring three new Teriyaki Madness locations to the Southern California area, specifically in Pasadena. Hill Avenue is his first, and he is mum, for the moment, as to the other locations.

“This is very exciting, and I hope today is some indication of our success,” he said, looking out at the packed shop on Hill Avenue, just around the corner from Pasadena City College. Thyret is Pasadena-born and raised, and is also a Tournament of Roses volunteer.

The new restaurant serves a variety of  bowls, all served with over ½ a pound of meat, a choice of rice or noodles, and a choice of a crispy green salad with a house dressing, or  homemade macaroni salad. There is also a Chicken Yakisoba, which features stir-fried noodles and fresh vegetables in a yakisoba sauce with chicken.

The vegetable mix includes green cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and onions, without rice or salad.

In addition to the bowls, there are a number of appetizers, including Shrimp Tempura,  eggrolls, potstickers, crab rangoons, and edamame.