Teriyaki Madness set to open in Hamden, the first one in Connecticut

Another restaurant is coming to Hamden, the first of its kind in Connecticut.

Teriyaki Madness will open its doors in Hamden on Dec. 15., becoming the first one in Connecticut. Ken Schanke and Audrey Poynton, who also own four Jersey Mike’s stores, felt that Hamden was the right fit for their first Teriyaki Madness store.

“We felt Hamden was a central location. Hamden draws from a lot of the local colleges,” Schanke said. “Yale University is only five miles away, Quinnipiac is close and Southern Connecticut is right there, too.”

Teriyaki Madness is a fast food Asian restaurant chain that provides customers with fresh food, specializing in teriyaki bowls. Its menu has many healthy options that Schanke hopes will attract many people, including university students.

“Our menu is full of fresh ingredients, not frozen. Our food is made fresh every day and we think it attracts a different demographic than other places,” Schanke said. “We are really hoping to attract a lot of students with our fresh product.”

With Quinnipiac University only four miles away from Teriyaki Madness, fourth-year student Megan Smith said she would try it out.

“I haven’t heard about it before, but it sounds like a good spot,” Smith said. “I will definitely go.”

The Teriyaki Madness, located at 2100 Dixwell Ave., will not be the only one in Connecticut. Schanke and Poynton have plans to open seven other stores in Connecticut. A store in Enfield is scheduled to open Dec. 22, before three more locations in Connecticut will open in the next year.