Express Teppan-Yaki @ Food Republic, Pavilion

Express Teppan-Yaki @ Food Republic (Pavilion) is among the many eateries located in Pavilion's food court.  Teppanyaki is a Japanese style of cuisine that uses an iron plate (teppan) to cook grilled (yaki) meats and seafood.  The most 'fun' aspect of eating teppanyaki has to be sitting in front of the 'action station' (ie. the teppan) and watching the food being cooked/grilled in front of you.

Once you're seated and placed your orders, they'll lay a piece of aluminium foil (on the iron plate) in front of you (for the food to be placed).  I know it sounds kinda 'unsavoury' since it's also the place they cook your food (though it's further away on the upper end of their teppan) but I'm afraid that's how it is.  If you feel 'uncomfortable' with this set-up, you can always ask for your food to be plated instead (like I did once before).

Their teppanyaki set meals are served with a complimentary bowl of rice (which is hardly filled up to the brim....tsk-tsk) and soup of the day.

They'll start off with cooking the vegetables first, the "choy sum" (Chinese flowering cabbage) followed by the "taugeh" (bean sprouts).  Then, the chef adds some fried garlic and a dash of seasoning.  A quick stir-fry and the vegetables are ready.

Next, they'll cook the seafood/meat ordered.  They would normally finish off the cooking with a bit of butter to give it the fragrant aroma and buttery taste.  Finally, it would be doused in their special sauce (whatever it is).

The Shrimp Meat Set @ RM20 was lightly fried shrimp meat (with shells removed) in a chilli, garlic and special sauce.  The medium-sized shrimps were fresh and, when doused with the special sauce, was pretty tasty.  The sauce, which looked a bit similar to black pepper sauce, but not as peppery, had hints of black pepper and garlic.
 

The Seafood & Meat Combo Set @ RM35 came with shrimps, butter fish and a choice of beef tenderloin or Chicken Drumstick.  I chose the beef tenderloin...definitely a good choice as it turned out to be the best item on the plate (err, I mean aluminium foil).  The beef (with the addition of their special sauce) were flavourful, succulent and tender.  The butter fish was extremely soft and buttery and it was finished with a sauce made from butter and Japanese soy.  The shrimps (2 pcs), I thought, were just ok as they were not very fresh.

Here's a closer look at the beef tenderloin, shrimps and butter fish...I absolutely loved the beef tenderloin!  [#Tip: I tried the Sliced Beef Set @ RM16.80 (on an earlier visit) but it didn't even come close to anything as good as the beef tenderloin.]

As for drinks, they have a very, very limited menu of Herbal Tea, Orange and Mango Juice...and that's it.  The juices were not fresh and tasted like they were from the can. 

Orange Juice @ RM3.80
 

Mango Juice @ RM3.80

My Personal Opinion

If you're looking for a good teppanyaki meal in a non-classy Japanese restaurant, this is just the place for you.

A teppanyaki meal here is very affordable and will cost you just between RM12 - RM20.  You can get almost everything from chicken, lamb, beef, fish (even salmon), shrimp, oyster or squid for between RM15 - RM20.  For a more expensive choice, you have King Prawns, Beef Tenderloin, Scallop and Combo sets (choice of 3 or 4 items) which will set you back around RM23 - RM35.

Likes:  The Beef Tenderloin, without question, and the Butter Fish too.

Dislikes:  Limited choice of drinks (and no Green Tea in a Japanese eatery?)  Also, don't be stingy with the rice, please!
 

Express Teppan-Yaki @ Food Republic

Lot 1.41.00 Level 1
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur