All up in Your Grill – Discover Nagoya’s Teppanyaki Restaurants

Mar 31, 2022

All up in Your Grill – Discover Nagoya’s Teppanyaki Restaurants

Teppanyaki, the style of cooking famed for its extravagant chefs slicing and dicing meat on a griddle, is believed by many to be a classic Japanese cuisine, but in fact, it is a relatively new invention. Taking its name from teppan [hotplate] and yaki [to grill or fry], teppanyaki first came about in Kobe restaurant Misono in 1945. Though it was not initially popular with locals, it found popularity amongst the American occupying forces, drawn by the pageantry and showmanship of chef Shigeji Fujioka and Western-style dishes.

Over the following years, the Japanese have grown to love teppanyaki, and there are many excellent eateries in Nagoya where you can sample one of Japan’s most recognizable dishes.

Kisentei

On the 41st floor of Midland Square, with spellbinding views of the city below, Kinsentei is a stunning place to enjoy teppanyaki. The specialty here is grilled beef, with carefully selected A Grade black wagyu, but there are plenty of seafood options, including Ise ebi lobster.

If you want the full experience, beef and seafood courses range from 26,400 JPY to 35,200 JPY, and steak courses from 19,800 JPY to 28,600 JPY. However, if you are on a budget, it is best to book lunch sets that cost 11,000 JPY at most but go as low as 4,400.

Where: Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 4 Chome−7−1 Midland Square 41F (map)
Website: restaurant.imahan.com/kisentei-nagoya/

Teppan-Shu Nishikiten

In the heart of Nagoya’s bustling Nishiki area, Teppan-Shu serves the finest teppanyaki dishes, with top quality meat and seafood from all over Japan, including A5 grade kuroge [black hair] wagyu, Matsusaka beef, Omar shrimp, and abalone.

The restaurant’s decor is very evocative of bubble-era glamour. You wouldn’t be surprised to find its dark background and ostentatious art in a Tarantino movie, all amplifying the elaborate ambiance. Whether at the counter, where your senses are assaulted by the ornate show, or in a private booth, Teppan-Shu is an experience.

Where: Nagoya, Naka Ward, Nishiki, 3 Chome−13−1 Delicium Madoro Building 4F (map)
Website: teppanyaki-shu.com

Teppan French Lis

To the east of Sakae, the Shin-Sakae area is unusual in that it houses some of Nagoya’s shadier aspects and some of the most interesting eateries. Teppan French Lis (pronounced ‘Lee’) certainly falls into the latter category.

By combining the Japanese teppan style with French aspects, Lis is an intimate, cultivated restaurant that sits just six people at a counter where you are guaranteed a front-row seat as the chef cooks up the top grade Awa beef from Tokushima and Hokkaido whey pork. Lunch sets cost just 4,200 JPY, while the seven-course dinner set, including steamed abalone with seaweed, foie gras, and Awa Japanese black beef steak, is also very reasonable at 9,000 JPY.

Where: Higashi Ward, Higashisakura, 2 Chome−14−1 Dai Ichi Meito Building  (map)
Website: teppanfrench.com

Shaka Jy . Atsutaten Steak House

The intimate, elegant evening is all well and good, but if you want something with a little more drama and pizzazz, then Shaka Jy. is where it’s at. When you think of teppanyaki restaurants, you may think of the flair of the performance; well, this (so Shaka claims) originated with a man called Jiro Yamamoto, who passed on his skills to his daughter.

The first female instructor approved by the Japan Teppanyaki Association, Aya Yamamoto, can be found at the Nishiki or Atsuta branches of Shaka. However, even if she is not there, you can still expect a performance from one of her equally astonishing chefs. Definitely worth checking out!

Where: 1 Chome-2-24 Mutsuno, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 456-0023 (map)
Website: steak-shaka.jp

---

Image by Simone Lovati via flickr.com [CC BY-SA 2.0] – Modified
Image by Richard Lee via flickr.com [CC BY-SA 2.0] – Modified
Image via https://restaurant.imahan.com/menu-kisentei-nagoya/
Image via instagram.com/p/CY21SrSLdBE/
Image by http://teppanfrench.com/
Image by http://steak-shaka.jp/