Fire and Flavor: Setting The Stage For A Culinary Performance at Teppanya

 The teppan grill becomes a stage for a masterful performance of fire and flavor...

 ...it's at the heart of the elegant interiors at Teppanya where you get front row seats for a lavish teppan feast. Located at the brand new North Towers at SM North Edsa, Teppanya takes the teppan dining experience straight to the mall in Quezon City. And with Father's Day just around the corner, Teppanya is the perfect spot to get together with family and friends. The teppan grills at Teppanya are fired up, read on for a tasty peek...

At Teppanya, all the tables are built around the teppan grill and front row seats are always guaranteed. At the entrance, an impressive circular table greets diners draped in a warm golden glow. It doesn't matter if you're dining solo or with a large group, just pick your seat. 

Other large tables (L) also feature the integrated teppan grill set-up including secluded function rooms (R) for more intimate and private gatherings. Each table becomes a stage for an entertaining show of fire and flavor by Teppanya's skilled chefs.

And what a show. That day, Chef Andy (R) takes over our table describing our lunch menu. The show began with a blazing start. That's how they do it at Teppanya, so just sit back and enjoy. The performance engages and teases your palate for the coming teppan feast.

Like an elaborate pre-game ritual, Chef Andy romances and stokes the flame for the teppan lunch. With the teppan grill properly prepped...

...Chef Andy gathered the fresh ingredients for our first dish.

As Chef Andy blazes away on the teppan grill, the Foie Gras Duck Liver Aburi Sushi (P 298-2 pcs) is served. Teppanya offers a variety of traditional seafood sushi, but Chef Andy recommended we try something different. That was a good call. The thick slab of duck liver is perfectly seared and torched delivering indulgent buttery notes that melt in your mouth. The richness of the foie gras is delicately tempered by the sweet and tart fuji apple reduction for balanced flavors. Perfect.

Then, Chef Andy places thinly sliced beef on the teppan grill, tops it with enoki mushrooms and gently rolls it.  

After just a few minutes, Chef Andy served the Usuyaki Beef (P 298), rolled sukiyaki-cut beef with nutty enoki mushrooms topped with spring onions and crisp paper-thin garlic chips. The rich beefy notes are complemented by the mushrooms for deep, bold flavors capped by the garlic chips adding both flavor and texture. And seeing it all prepared right in front of you on the teppan grill adds to the dining experience. Teppanya's signature garlic chips are served on many of the teppan dishes, and Chef Andy will indulge you with an extra serving if you want.

Every teppan dining experience requires a bowl of Japanese Fried Rice and the Emperor's Chahan (P 238) is fully loaded, a real meal in itself. Chef Andy shows his flair in preparing the dish, from flipping the egg high in the air to topping the rice with the yolk. Impressive.

Just like the elaborate moves of Chef Andy, the finished product is equally impressive mixed with beef, seafood and vegetables topped with fish roe and nori. The soft and fluffy rice delivers a burst of rich flavors with every bite.   

Refresh your palate with a duo of light salads, like the Chicken Teriyaki Salad (P 298) with crisp iceberg lettuce, cucumber, creamy Japanese mayo, flying fish eggs or tobiko and tender chicken teriyaki...

...and the light yet flavorful Kani Salad (P 288). The freshness of ingredients ensures you enjoy clean and vibrant flavors.

You can also enjoy a comforting bowl Teppanya's signature soup, like the Miso Soup (P 78) and Clam Soup (P 118) to warm your palate before the next dish.

And if you still can't get over Teppanya's Duck Liver Foie Gras Aburi Sushi served earlier, have another indulgent serving with the Foie Gras with Fuji Apple Reduction Sauce (P 598) prepared right before you on the teppan grill. Just like the aburi sushi, the fuji apple reduction adds that sweet and tart finish to the foie gras. Each order is approximately 700 grams of pure savory decadence. The thick slabs of foie gras deliver that deep and rich flavor and butter-like texture that's just too good to pass up. And if you're sharing this dish, that last piece on the platter can be a sensitive issue among friends.      

Back on the teppan grill, Chef Andy prepares another best-seller. The teppan grill does its magic, delicately charring the outer layer to seal in the flavors. Several twists of the pepper mill completes the dish, served fresh from the teppan grill...

The Seared Sea Bass (P 1,298) with caramelized onions has rich yet uncluttered flavors with the delicate notes of the prized Chilean deep-water fish coming through capped by the subtle sweetness of the caramelized onions. It doesn't have to be complicated when you have the freshest and finest ingredients, just let the sizzling hot teppan grill do the rest.

Your teppan feast at Teppanya becomes even more special with the Wagyu A4 (P 2,188-150 grams/P 3,988-300 grams), a beautifully marbled slab of premium beef from Japan. Teppanya offers a variety of prime cuts with their Teppan A La Carte menu, including Australian Wagyu MS 7+, US Angus Prime Rib, USDA Beef Belly Sukiyaki Cut, Brazilian Tenderloin, US Pork Belly Bacon Cut, Canadian Chicken and Pork Tenderloin plus a wide array of fresh seafood.

When the slab of premium Wagyu meets the teppan, the sizzling sound and fragrant aroma combine to tempt your palate once more. There's just nothing quite like a slab of red meat on a grill.

The vivid red hues of the Wagyu A4 are slowly transformed in minutes on the sizzling hot teppan, with its delicately charred outer layer sealing in the juices.

Perfectly grilled to medium rare with a juicy pink center, Chef Andy lets the Wagyu A4 rest for a few minutes before carving it up to bite-sized pieces. The beef is fork-tender with a savory richness that drapes your palate with deep and bold flavors. You don't need any sauce for beef this good, just salt and pepper and nothing else. That's seriously good beef.

Teppanya's menu selection includes Set Courses ranging from the Premium 5 Course Starter Set (P 365), the Starter Set (P 3,998), Deluxe Set (P 4,998), the Premium Set (P 9,998) all the way to the Emperor Set (P 15,888) for six persons. Then there's the Premium Makimono, Nigiri Sushi, Sashimi, Aburi Sushi, Teppan A La Carte, Teppan Seafood, Ramen, Noodles and Soup and desserts.    

But Chef Andy had one last surprise...

...with the soon-on-the-menu Canadian Lobster Tail. The plump lobster tail meets the sizzling hot teppan grill releasing a fragrant aroma, followed by a drizzle of dashi sauce. The teppan grill comes alive once more with another decadent dish.

Chef Andy then plates the Canadian Lobster Tail topped with freshly grilled vegetables from the teppan grill. The bold briny sweetness of the succulent lobster capped by the rich dashi sauce is an experience in itself. The fresh vegetables complete the dish. It's an elegantly plated dish that tastes as good as it looks. 

The teppan grill is fired up one last time, this time for dessert and one more look at Chef Andy's skills. The Banana Flambe topped with Ice Cream (P 198) is a decadent and meticulously prepared dessert with sweet bananas and tempura crisps topped with ice cream, seaweed crisps and drizzled with chocolate syrup. It's a perfect ending to a lavish teppan feast. Prepare for both fire and flavor for a sensory dining experience...at Teppanya, now open at SM North Towers.