japanese/bbq: TAIPEI CITY CLUB TEPPANYAKI

TEPPANYAKI
at TAIPEI CITY CLUB
156, Mingsheng E. Road, Sec. 3
B1

(02) 2713-9955

$$-$$$

date reviewed: 6/27/2006

I think you have to be a member or know one to eat at the Taipei City Club. Luckily, we had a chance to eat at their Teppanyaki restaurant which features a multi-course meal with your choice of lobster or other seafood. While most people are familiar with teppanyaki-style of dining as popularized by the American food chain Benihana's- these chefs don't do tricks, but it's still fun to watch them cook. Personally, I always find it fascinating how they keep the cooking surface so spotless.


While their frills (appetizer, salad, soup, fried rice, dessert) were easy to forget about,

appetizer


soup

their steak and seafood were divine. The steak was grilled and cut into tender bitesize pieces (with all the garlic soysauce you could eat)


and the lobster cooked right in front of you (so that I could yell "no cheese" before he melted a slice onto mine).


It's sort of weird to see the lobster wriggling in front of it while it cooks, but I try not to think about it too much. I'm just happy that I get to eat my whole half-lobster rather than it being diced into pieces and divided amongst the group when you can't be exactly sure it's being divided exactly evenly! When you are eating lobster, it does matter!


My friend who loves garlic ate this whole pile.


Their portions are not huge for the prices you are paying and the pace is leisurely, but it's a special treat for occassions like anniversaries and such. Most teppanyaki places I've been to have multi-course meals with smaller portions. I don't know if they didn't have it, or we just didn't order it- but it would have been nice to have some steamed mushrooms or spinach or bok choy vegetables to go with the dinner. If you want to eat a lot for less, you're better off eating all-you-can-eat bbq where you can grill your own food. But the higher quality steak and seafood can be found here.