Our Honest Review of Norwegian’s Teppanyaki Restaurant With Menu
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Looking for a fun meal at sea for the entire family? The chefs at Norwegian’s Teppanyaki restaurant put on a show that will delight everyone.
Dining at Norwegian’s Teppanyaki restaurant is a unique experience that combines Japanese teppanyaki grill cooking with an entertaining chef who sings familiar tunes as he prepares your meal in front of you. Audience participation is encouraged, so sing along and don’t worry if you’re off-key. The chef may be too!
We dined at Norwegian’s Teppanyaki restaurant on Norwegian Joy on our most recent Caribbean cruise, and this is our honest review.
The Details
- Specialty: Japanese teppanyaki cuisine
- Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Dress Code: Casual or Smart Casual
- Cover Charge: $59 per person plus 20% gratuity
As with all specialty restaurants on Norwegian Cruise Line, you can either pay the cover charge, use a dining package credit, or use a Latitudes Rewards coupon to pay for your meal.
The Restaurant
First things first, what exactly is teppanyaki?
Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine that involves cooking food on an iron griddle, which is also known as a teppan. The word “teppanyaki” actually means “grilled on an iron plate” in Japanese. This cooking style is known for its interactive and theatrical presentation, as the chefs often perform various tricks and flips with the food as they cook it in front of the guests.
U-shaped tables seating eight or ten guests wrap around the grill, giving everyone a front-row view of both the cooking and entertainment. Another grill table and chef are back to back with yours, and sometimes the two chefs will interact with each other, playing tricks.
Now, let’s get into the details of Norwegian’s Teppanyaki restaurant. The restaurant is located on one of the ship’s middle decks, and it has a fun and lively atmosphere. The decor is modern and chic, with pops of red and black throughout the space.
As you walk in, you’ll be greeted by friendly staff members who will show you to your table. The tables at Teppanyaki surround cooking stations, so each group of guests will have their own chef who will cook their meal right in front of them.
Pro Tip: For the full Japanese experience, try some sake, warm or cold, or one of Teppanyaki’s signature cocktails.
When you’re seated, you’ll find your place setting with a dinner plate, two small sauce dishes, and a long serving plate, which is where the chef will place your food. You’ll also have a water glass, a fork, a soup spoon, and chopsticks. Your menu is in the standing black wooden holder.
The Menu
As for the food itself, Teppanyaki offers a variety of dishes to suit all tastes. The menu features fusion-style dishes, such as grilled shrimp and steak. The chef will cook your chosen ingredients to your desired level of doneness and will season them with butter, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
One of the unique things about the Teppanyaki experience is that you only need to choose your entrée and your dessert—all the other items come to you automatically. Vegetarian choices are available. If you have special requests, such as no garlic, don’t hesitate to ask your chef.
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The Entertainment
The chefs at Norwegian’s Teppanyaki restaurant are trained not only to entertain their guests but to engage them as well. Before long, you’ll find yourself singing along to old favorites like Sweet Caroline or I Can’t Help Falling in Love. At one point, the chef will perform a demonstration of his skills with a spatula and serving fork, which are usually quite impressive.
The chefs will often ask for volunteers to participate in some of the tricks, so be prepared to get in on the action. They’ll also ask you questions and engage you throughout the meal, making it feel like you’re dining with a group of friends rather than in a formal restaurant setting.
The Appetizers
Teppanyaki appetizers include Miso Soup with mushrooms, dashi, tofu, and wakame, and Seaweed Salad with ginger dressing. First, though, you’ll receive a dish of edamame in the pod.
Pro Tip: Don’t eat the edamame pod; it’s very fibrous and not pleasant. Instead, place the pod flat between your front teeth and pull, releasing the soybean into your mouth. Yummy!
The Entrées
Entrée choices include classic selections such as New York strip steak, seafood, vegetarian, and chicken. Four combinations of the above are also offered.
The entrée selections are all served with garlic fried rice plus grilled vegetables and onion with two creamy dipping sauces, one for vegetables and the other for meat.
Dessert
Two choices are available for dessert: Green Tea Cake with cashew nut brittle and vanilla ice cream, or Fresh Fruit Sashimi with sliced exotic fruits.
Our Meal
As is our custom on embarkation day on Norwegian ships, we had dinner that first night at Teppanyaki.
I had the Kamakura combination, steak and chicken, and Myron had the Edo combination, shrimp and scallops. Both were good, but I miss the filet mignon that used to be served instead of the New York Strip steak.
The chef served everyone their chicken except me, having miscounted, so he had to prepare another chicken breast just for me. He was a fabulous entertainer, though, and we enjoyed the meal as always.
One thing about Teppanyaki is that you can count on the dishes you love being served the same way, time after time, and you’ll never leave hungry.
Recent Changes
Belt-tightening at Norwegian has necessitated some changes in the menu at Teppanyaki that we’re not happy with, to be honest. The traditional beef has always been filet mignon, but now that has been replaced with a New York strip. Also, on this last meal, we were disappointed that the traditional salt-dusted edamame was served without the salt, which wasn’t nearly as good.
However, the experience is still wonderful, so we plan to continue our first-night tradition of eating at Teppanyaki.
Our Gift For You
Download your free copy of our Norwegian Joy Restaurants Guide Enjoy!
Joy Restaurant Guide
Would you like a restaurant handout you could print out and take with you on the Joy? Our exclusive handout gives you the location, dress code, and hours of all the restaurants on the ship. Of course, the hours are subject to change.
Final Thoughts on Norwegian’s Teppanyaki Restaurant
Dining at the Norwegian Teppanyaki restaurant is always a fun and delicious experience, perfect for couples or families. The service is quick and accommodating, and the food is quite good, which helps make the Teppanyaki restaurant a fan favorite on all of Norwegian’s ships.
We also have a quick guide to all the restaurants on Norwegian Joy, so be sure to check that out.
Happy cruising!
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