Tokyo Teppanyaki, South Yarra + Groupon GIVEAWAY!!

Teppanyaki, baby!

Howdy!

When Groupon first approached me to kindly ask if I would review one of their restaurants so that they could assess the restaurant options they're listing, I wasn't sure how I felt about that to be honest. On one hand, I liked the idea of helping them improve the quality of offerings to customers. On the other, there seem to be an unspoken "taboo" from the blogosphere for participating in too many sponsored posts for fear of being labelled "commercialised". It's true...

After (very) much thought, I realised it was really silly to not do something if your only concern was what others might say about you, when you yourself know perfectly well what your blog stands for, more than anyone else. At the same time, I was very persuaded to do this because I personally know people who actually buy Groupon vouchers regularly and that this would really interest them and actually be a huge benefit to them, in one way or another. That, to me, makes it all worth it. Plus, it's always great to work with different people and build connections, IMO...

Can you see how it really is a journey when it comes to (re)-discovering and (re)-affirming the identity of our blog? 

Anyway, SO glad that I went because I got to experience my very first live Teppanyaki dining experience (where the chef cooked and does awesome tricks/games in front of you). Always wanted to go! Also got to make a FUN day out of it as I brought 3 of my really good friends to dine with me at Tokyo Teppanyaki in Chapel Street on a nice, sunny afternoon... Hurrah! 

BIG shoutout to my mate Julian for putting a video together just for this post so we could share our uber fun Teppanyaki meal with you guys. Love itttt...!!

The voucher was for the Osaka Set which usually costs $65 per head (without sake) but on Groupon it costs $27 per person INCLUDING SAKE. Here's what we had... =)

Course #1: Spring Roll, Salmon and Avocado Sushi, Chicken Karaage

LOVE the concept of having an assortment of entrees on individual plates, just feels more cute and personal. Loved everything on the plate. Chicken: good. Sushi: good. But the spring rolls.... YUM!! After that, I was so tempted to ask the waitress if I could have like 10 more of them rolls lol.

Course #2: Miso Soup

Good as well. Right amount of Miso/saltiness and always comforting to have...

Hot sake!

Love sake!! Doesn't burn down your throat (despite being hot) like most liquor but it's smooth and excellent to slowly sip on throughout the meal.

Course #3: King Prawns

Omg these prawns were SO darn tender and succulent. Awesome knife skillz were involved when making this too. It was perfectly cooked and every mouthful was a delight, with a slight crunch too. LOVE.

Course #4: Tenderloin Steak

Wait till you see you see what happens next...

FI-YAHHH!!

Lots of "ooohs, aaaahs" and camera action going on for sure

So beautiful...

BEST DISH OF THE DAY!!

I read somewhere that the BEST way to enjoy good quality beef (like Wagyu) was in strips or cubes, then seared all over so that the meat juices caramelises the meat, which is exactly what happened here. Let me tell you, that blazing flame really did wonders to the flavour/texture of this beautiful piece of meat! Wow.

Meat was SO darn tender that it was effortless to bite apart, and it was nice and bouncy too! Was savouring each piece so much. Some of us even wondered if it could be Wagyu because it was SO tender. Friggin amazing, this one.

Course #5: Calamari

Enjoyed this a lot too!! Thick, but still chewy and springy, which I enjoy. Great smokey flavour from the teppanyaki plate. Yum.

Then, midway through our meal, the chef did something unexpected...

We were wondering what it was until he told us it was omelette rolls for a game he'd like to play with us... LOL

The game was SO funny you'll have to watch the video at the end to see what games we played... It was hilarious!

Course #6: Chicken Thighs

Nice. Juicy, tender and perfectly glazed with teriyaki and garlic butter. 

After this, the chef asked if we were ready for our next game. And here's the funny bit: When it came to my turn, he asked me to stand far away at the counter near the entrance. I thought he was joking so I laughed along, but apparently he wasn't. LOL. The challenge was for me to catch a bowl of fried rice from halfway across the room! NUTS!! Again, you gotta checkout the vid below to see how it all went down...

Course #7: Teppanyaki Fried Rice

Lovely. Beautiful smokiness from the scorching hot grill, which elevated an otherwise plain bowl of fried rice to a whole new level. Loved how the rice was slightly nice and buttery too, mmm...

Course #8: Beansprouts

Another simple, yet deliciously cooked dish. Wouldn't have this veg any other way. 

 

The aftermath from another table...

 

To cap off, I really, really enjoyed the meal here at Tokyo Teppanyaki. It was fun, interactive and most of all... DELICIOUS. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of meats too, to be honest! Every dish was great but the winner really was, without a doubt, the AMAZING beef tenderloin... Whoahhh. 

Will I be back? Most definitely! In fact, I think it's a great place to celebrate a birthday, with 6 - 7 of your good friends while sharing laughs/games over delicious food and sake. Also found out that they've actually been open for more than 20 years. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend people looking out for the voucher at Groupon so they can enjoy this meal at a very affordable price! Thank you, Groupon for such a splendid meal. We really had a great time here.

For more information on Groupon's deals in Melbourne, click: HERE
If you'd like to find other Japanese restaurant deals in Melbourne, click: HERE

Finally, do check out the short video Juls put together of all our games that day for all of you to enjoy... See whether I embarrassed myself in public or not, HAHA!!

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GIVEAWAY COMPETITION:

On top of that, Groupon would also like to giveaway a $50 voucher to any of YOU!! Woooo-hooooo~~

And all you need to do is leave a comment below for a chance to win! 

Now, the rules:

- Competition closes 7pm, 31st October

- Open to Australian residents only

- May enter once a day, as many times throughout competition

- Winner will be chosen at random and announced on my Facebook page

Gooood luck!! =)

Disclaimer: Winston and friends dined at Tokyo Teppanyaki courtesy of a voucher from Groupon. All opinions are honest and based on own personal experience at the time.