Ukai-Tei Omotesando: Top-notch Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki: A visually engaging gastronomical experience where guests are seated at the counter with chefs meticulously preparing the ingredients in front of you. A toss of a spatula and a swift movement of the knife, the day's freshest are magically transformed into exquisite dishes.

Ukai-Tei Omotesando elevates it to the next level. Situated at and occupying the entire 5th floor of a small shopping building, the premises offers a panoramic view of the Omotesando skyline, complemented only by the artisanal and specially selected furniture located at the waiting room as guests eagerly await their turn to be seated.

Chilled Hokkaido Queen Crab served with Crab Consomme Jelly 

Freshness is guaranteed in such high end places. The queen crab starter was pleasantly sweet, awaking the taste buds and the crab consomme jelly added depth to an otherwise light appetizer.

Pan-seared Foie Gras with Poached Figs.

Foie Gras is an ubiquitous item in fine dining and Ukai-Tei was no exception. The Foie Gras was sinfully creamy, rich and luscious as expected. The differentiating factor, however, was the fig. Accompanying ingredients to  goose liver (poached pear or daikon) often play second fiddle and are disregarded and cast aside. The humble fruit here, played the ultimate supporting role by being even more meltingly tender which was so unexpected, and its mild acidity contrasting the heavy goose liver. Leave it to the Japanese to achieve excellence by always looking at the details.

Chestnut Soup

Due to the limited English displayed on the menu with practically no descriptions of the dishes, I naturally assumed the Chestnut Soup would be a palate cleanser. Oh how wrong I was.

A creamy and piping hot broth with incredibly complex flavours bombarded me and I was sorely taken aback at the level of finesse executed in such a normal and relatively uninteresting looking dish. The soup was soothing to the stomach and the soul on a cold, wet afternoon. I regret not asking the staff more about this humble soup.

Japanese Lobster with bisque, topped with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Tarragon

Progressing to the mains, our personal chef carefully butterflied a whole lobster and separated the head from the body and proceeded to work his magic. The meat was completely pried out off the shell easily and topped with bisque and tomatoes. The tarragon, like the fig in the foie gras before, played an important role once again by imparting a lingering fragrance which whetted the appetite and further heightened the anticipation.

Fresh, scrumptious, meaty and infused with the crustacean flavours of the bisque, the dish was a clear winner in my books. It was substantial yet not too filling, and the tomatoes rounded it all up with the intense umami.

Grilled Lobster Head

Our polished and professional maitre'd inquired on our preference on how we would like the lobster head to be cooked. We went with his recommendation of simply adding salt, pepper and a dash of cognac and letting it sit on the grill.

This was it. The entire essence of a lobster condensed into  a half-shell. The tomalley was mind-blowingly sublime and I was nearly entering a crustacean-induced trance.

Seared Abalone with Aoyama Wakame topped with Citrus Butter

Abalone is often shunned as a rubbery and tasteless mollusk, only making appearances in Chinese dinners due to its perceived value. The Japanese Kuro-Awabi (Black Abalone) challenges the stereotype with its mild fragrance and flavour. Under the hands of a skillful chef, it becomes a tender shellfish that gives a nice chew. Lightly prying it off the shell, the abalone was encased in 2 large pieces of shiso leaves and covered completely in a salt crust for about 20 minutes. The chef then proceeded to make a yuzu butter sauce topped with parsley and sliced Aoyama wakame.

After the abalone was ready, the chef made deft incisions into the shellfish, criss-crossing it in order that it would absorb the sauce better. The butter sauce was so seductive yet perfectly balanced at the same time, it is difficult to think of a better pairing.

A5 Kuroge (Black Haired) Wagyu

As with most Teppanyaki places, beef is the choice meat to showcase the quality of its ingredient selection; an A5 grade wagyu, no less.

As our chef showed us the sirloin laying seductively on a pristine porcelain plate, we were gushing with excitement and requested it to be done "rare". Medium Rare is normally the optimal choice for steak, but for Japanese Wagyu, I would go one step down to "Rare" to savour such a delicate and beautiful piece of beef.

A5 Kuroge Wagyu done Rare. Paired with Garlic Chips and sliced white onion.

Few ingredients in the world elicit "oohs" and "aahs" from diners. As the chef seared the beef carefully on the teppan, the intense beefy fragrance wafted through anyone in a meter radius, sending olfactory senses into overdrive.

My eyes were closed as I sank into the beef. It was a tranquil moment between man and meat which no other external forces could interfere as I sat there, awestruck by the floral fragrance with the unbelievable marbling intensifying the umami flavours. The garlic chips and sliced onions cleansed the palate as I re-entered beef heaven for the remaining 7 cubes.

Steamed Japanese Sea Bream Rice

Concluding the savoury menu was the steamed Japanese Sea Bream Rice. The fish itself was sashimi-grade, still retaining its delicate nature despite being cooked fully through, and the skin was flavourful. The rice was clean and pristine and absorbed the flavours of the fish and cilantro well.

Liquor Trolley

We were escorted into a separate room for dessert. What greeted us was a 2-tier trolley stacked fully with all sorts of liquers and spirits. Cognacs, Armagnac and Aged Port wines were all available.

Mont Blanc

I opted for the Mont Blanc upon the waiter's recommendation. The chestnut butter cream and vanilla sauce sat nicely with the fresh chestnuts and provided a sweet ending to a sublime lunch.

Chocolate Sundae

The Chocolate Sundae was not bad as well. Freshly whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings and chocolate sauce, though I could not help noticing it looked more like a Tiramisu instead.

Petit Four Trolley

Sweet-toothed guests and ardent dessert lovers can unleash themselves as the Petit Four Trolley offers unlimited servings of a wide array of tiny desserts and pastries.

Petit Four: Cassis Macaron and Mont Blanc Tart.

The Cassis Macaron was my favourite of the lot as it was fruity and light without being too overpowering. It made a comfy afternoon tea snack together with the coffee they provided.

Chocolate Truffles and Madeleines 

The chocolate truffles were the epitome of a sweet indulgence. They were dark and rich with a splash of liquor. Chocoholics, please take note.

The food here is unquestionably sublime and the quality is of the highest level possible already. From the selection of the ingredients to the preparation, every single factor was taken into account which provided a complete dining experience. I loved that their herbs and garnishes used in their main dishes really brought out the dish.

Napkins with hand-sewn embroidery

Special mention must be given to the top-notch and highly professional service. From the moment we entered, we were greeted warmly by the impeccably dressed hostess who spoke fluent English, and she offered to stow away our coats. Each action and gesture was precise and elegant.

The tableware and service gear were all intricately designed and felt classy and posh to the touch. Every single plate that the food was on, were all specially designed which only added to the visual aspect. The menu cover itself was red velvet, which made the first tangible service encounter so deeply embedded in my mind.

Upon leaving the restaurant, the service staff got the lift for us, and walked us all the way out from the restaurant to the exit of the building and even offered to call a taxi for us in lieu of the heavy downpour outside, to which we politely declined.

Despite not serving entirely traditional ingredients, the  lunch experience I enjoyed here could not have been more Japanese. Every single detail and aspect was considered for, leaving nothing to chance.

This is one of the more, if not the most memorable 4 hour journey I've had the fortune to experience thus far in my gastronomic adventures. They are fully deserving of all praise and accolades that have been awarded to them and more.

Omotesando Ukai-Tei
5-10-1 Omotesando-Gyre 5th Floor,
Jingu-mae, Shibuya Ku,
Tokyo.

Nearest Station:
Omotesando on the Chiyoda/Hanzamon/Ginza Line.
5 Minutes walk. Take Exit A1

Operating Hours:
Mondays to Fridays

Lunch:12:00 - 14:30
Dinner: 17:30 - 23:00 (Last Order at 21:00)

Saturdays
11:30 - 23:00 (Last Order at 21:00)

Reservations via Hotel Concierge highly recommended.

Link to the website (English)