Benihana-Style "Social Grills" As Popular In North Dakota And Montana As Southern California -- WSJ; Something For Bakken Millionaires To Consider

The WSJ is reporting:

Forget the fire pit. The latest luxury backyards are being outfitted with everything from movie theaters to dishwashers to bathtubs.

Todd and Cathy Ressler's elaborate outdoor kitchen at their suburban New Haven, Conn., home has custom cabinetry, a full bar, a pizza oven and a beer tap. The space also includes radiant-heat light fixtures, allowing the family to use the space in cooler months. And to avoid going back and forth between kitchens, the Resslers purchased a separate set of outdoor flatware and dinnerware. Mr. Ressler, who cooks most meals in the summer months, says he built the new kitchen because he's "really into the outdoors, more than the indoors." The project, which included elevating a deck to the level of their house, cost roughly $100,000.

The homeowner basically wants you to duplicate what they have indoors, outdoors," says Larry Smith, the marketing manager of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, a Wallingford, Conn.-based company that made the cabinetry in the Ressler home. Newer options include a round Benihana-style "social grill" designed for gathering around during outdoor parties.

"Strange as it may seem, it's as popular in North Dakota and Montana as it is in Southern California."