Mon Cher Ton Ton – Teppanyaki in Tokyo

My first meal in Tokyo was at Mon Cher Ton Ton which is a teppanyaki restaurant in the Roppongi area of Tokyo. I chose it as it was close to our hotel and we had a late arrival into Tokyo. Teppanyaki differs from Yakiniku in that they are both Japanese grilled meals, but “teppanyaki focuses on cooking diverse ingredients on a flat, hot iron plate, while yakiniku is specifically about grilling meat, often on a built-in grill at the table”. The dining room is very unique and has the chef cooking in front of you on a flat top:

However, if you are expecting a show in terms of “beating heart” fried rice or ingredients beings thrown around, you will be disappointed. The entertainment aspect of teppanyaki is not the focus here. The following is part of the menu and we went with the mon cher ton ton dinner as it included Wagyu:

Here’s the meal:

The lobster looked better than it actually was. Considering how much effort the chef put into cooking it with his technique and seasonings, it was “flat” tasting.

While the lobster was cooking, we got an extra course that was not listed on the menu – chawanmushi:

I started to get really excited once the steak was presented:

We were given various condiments including a black pepper from Sri Lanka.

After the final savory courses, we were moved to a lounge area for dessert:

Overall, service was good and the food was good. I would not say it was outstanding though. Considering the price, if craving beef, I would prefer a place like Yakiniku Ushijirushi, which is more than half the price, but better in my opinion.