Out & About #285 | Teppanyaki Dinner at Katsura

For those capable of recalling my last encounter with an all-meat déjeuner, you're probably aware that my dietary habits lean heavily towards the pescetarian side despite being an omnivore. I thrive off greens and small amounts of protein.

With that being said, it should be clear that teppanyaki isn't my first choice. But eating out is a group decision, so it would be impractical to solely focus on the interests on a particular individual.

Katsura, located in the Westin Prince Hotel across from Dragon Pearl, was the party's destination of choice. The objective was a Wagyu beef-centred meal in a peaceful environment accompanied by appropriate ambiance.
Upon first glance, the restaurant comprised of the basic elements of a proper teppanyaki dinner: sleek marble tables arranged around a well-ventilated grill, timeless decorations of seemingly Japanese origin, and hardcover menus consisting of both English and Japanese.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for us to discover that the resulting experience would be anything but unauthentic.

It started with menu distribution: our kimono-clad waitress was expressionless, emotionless, and appeared utterly disinterested in responding to our questions and concerns. Her questionably Chinese-sounding name printed on her badge proved our suspicions correct.

Majority of the staff were also of Chinese descent with the exception of a select few that displayed evidently Japanese mannerisms. While some phrases were a tad hard to decipher due to slurring, most members, chefs and host included, possessed competent English comprehension abilities.
Conversation skills, as one member of our party had observed, were essentially nonexistent; the chef hadn't bothered to converse with us at all during the cooking process, but rather seemed hurried and eager to finish his job. The lack of exchanged words wasn't much of an issue for me, as I honestly preferred to keep to photo-taking during the experience, though it's an understandably important factor for chattier customers.
He seemed genuine enough, in my opinion, and even cracked small smiles from time to time.

The sequence and speed at which our orders were served were my primary concerns of the evening. Our appetizers arrived with incredible speed, which was appreciated considering the level of hunger that was rapidly amounting within our stomaches. However, it came as a shock that no buffer period was provided to actually consume them: the staff did not wait until appetizers were finished to emerge with hot food.

​< Pictured above and below: Tsukiji Market Spicy Tuna Roll, Appetizer Sashimi, and Crab, White Asparagus & Avocado Salad >

I can't quite comment on the other two, but the Crab, White Asparagus & Avocado Salad definitely proved more descriptively pleasing than it tasted. While the wasabi content in the dollop of pea-coloured mayo was

​I should remark: the cooking process was super speedy (somewhat unnecessarily so) and unlike anything else I've witnessed in metropolitan or suburban areas. Wagyu beef, according to those that had requested the meal(s), was tender, but not particularly memorable.

​My own order of Big Eye Tuna was seared nicely, but not uniformly. The ends - or should I say "tips"? - were a bit overdone, leaving the surface on the dry side. Ginger garlic soy sauce and mustard were served on the side, with the former providing a subtle hint of sweetness and the latter with a savoury kick. Both flavour profiles were straightforward, pairing decently with the tuna but less favourable for dipping beef. Teppanyaki is generally served to a large number of guests, but for future reference, utilizing a wider variety of ingredients would have undoubtedly enhanced flavour depth.

Hygeine was found to be lacking in some parts: an ant crawled across the menu as we were inspecting its contents. The dimness of the establishment also contributed greatly to the illusion of cleanliness, specifically surrounding the dining area. 

Perhaps my greatest matter of concern was the condition of the washroom. Incandescent light bulbs and an absence of automatic soap- and paper-dispensers were telltale signs of an ancient facility. Though the item that caught me off guard was the imminent danger that would befall upon the plastic stall separators. Once firmly secured to the adjacent stone wall, the stall barrier hinges were gradually yielding from decades of wear. Not one part of that section was structurally sound - in short, it was an unstable situation in dire need of remediation.​

It was my belief that an upgrade would need to be executed quickly if customers are to be retained. However, as the night carried on, I soon discovered that Katsura's main client base stemmed from locals, many of which were large European families consisting of too many loud young children.

​It was my belief that an upgrade would need to be executed quickly if customers are to be retained. However, as the night carried on, I soon discovered that Katsura's main client base stemmed from locals, many of which were large European families consisting of too many loud young children.

The experience was underwhelming until desserts arrived. First was the Flambé Banana Crepe: a pre-cooked sheet of batter that was doused in Grand Marnier, wrapped around two banana halves, and set ablaze on the grill until a nice char appeared on its surface. The crepe itself was a bit chewier than expected, but nonetheless enjoyable with its singed orange aftertaste.

​Diving into the Sawayaka Berries with Pear & Champagne Sorbet was the climax of the trip, which I can't quite determine whether is disappointing or not given that Katsura supposedly places emphasis on Japanese cuisine and teppanyaki. The dessert was undeniably 爽やか ("refreshing") - who knew subtle citrusy hints of alcohol-infused sorbet could taste so heavenly?
Truthfully, most of the champagne had sunk towards the bottom of the serving glass due to density differences emerging with the melting of the sorbet. Nonetheless, both flavour and alcohol content were found to be satisfactory.

It would be immature of me to declare a second visit solely based off the final two dishes of the evening. They were admittedly enjoyable, but not convincing enough to warrant a return trip to an aging establishment with subpar service, mediocre management, and ancient facilities at a driving distance of forty minutes away.

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