Teppanyaki, Japanese cuisine cooked on hot iron griddles, varies quite a bit between Japan and other countries.
Internationally, teppanyaki is often enjoyed as a high-end entertainment show (sometimes referred to as “hibachi”), including performances by the chef during cooking.
In contrast, Japan showcases more casual, everyday-style dishes like okonomiyaki. Furthermore, it’s quite common for customers themselves to cook on the teppan grill.
At “Hokkaimonja Teppan Shabushabu KIBORI” (referred to hereafter as “KIBORI”) in Shinjuku, customers can enjoy Japan’s unique teppanyaki dishes alongside a wide range of menu options.
A new style of sukiyaki using a teppan grill
One of the unique teppanyaki dishes you’ll find at KIBORI is their “Hokkaido Wagyu Beef Sirloin Sukiyaki-style.”
The dish is a creative fusion of sukiyaki and teppanyaki.
“北海道産和牛ロースのすき焼き風,” Hokkaido Wagyu Beef Sirloin Sukiyaki-style 2,500 JPY (tax included)
After dipping the meat in a sauce called “warishita,” which is typically used in sukiyaki, it’s then grilled on the iron griddle.
For the vegetables, first sear them to add color. Then dip them in the sauce and cook them on the teppan once again to ensure they’re cooked deliciously without getting burnt.
The recommended grilling time for the meat is about 10 seconds. Overcooking can compromise its tender texture.
The meat, grilled quickly to a melt-in-your-mouth texture, has a rich flavor unlocked from being dipped in the sauce before cooking.
The Hokkaido Wagyu Beef Sirloin Sukiyaki-style comes with a side of raw egg, which is commonly and safely enjoyed in Japan with sukiyaki dishes. Dipping the meat in the raw egg mellows the flavor.
The velvety texture of the raw egg also adds a variation in texture to the dish.
A classic teppanyaki dish in Japan–monjayaki
When it comes to representative teppanyaki dishes in Japan, okonomiyaki and monjayaki are two that are often mentioned. Okonomiyaki has quite some acclaim overseas, but international diners may be a little less familiar with its teppanyaki cousin, monjayaki, which is a type of pan-fried batter with ingredients like cabbage, meat and seafood.
At KIBORI, they serve monjayaki made with ingredients from Hokkaido, known as “Hokkai Monja.”
One of their specialties, the “Hokkai Salmon Chan-chan-yaki-style Monja,” is an original menu item that takes inspiration from the popular Hokkaido regional dish called “Salmon Chan-chan-yaki” and turns it into a monjayaki.
“北海 鮭ちゃんちゃん焼き風もんじゃ,” Hokkai Salmon Chan-chan-yaki-style Monja 1,800 JPY (tax included)
Salmon fillets are the main ingredient of the Hokkai Salmon Chan-chan-yaki Style Monja.
The fatty salmon is sautéed along with onions, shimeji mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms.
If you ask your server, they can cook your meal for you
Once the ingredients are cooked through, finely chop the cabbage using a tool called kote, which is a spatula specifically used for teppanyaki.
Then, once the cabbage softens through cooking, form a space in the center of it, shaping it like a donut.
This space is for pouring a batter made from dashi broth extracted from bonito flakes, flour, and water.
In the Hokkai Salmon Chan-chan-yaki Style Monja, miso and butter, essential for replicating the flavor of chan-chan-yaki, are added to the batter.
After mixing the cooked salmon, onions, shimeji mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms with the batter, let it sit for a while until the moisture evaporates.
When the batter starts to form a crispy crust, it’s ready to eat!
The burnt edges are regarded as the delicious part of monjayaki. Use a small spatula to scoop up small portions to eat.
The batter has a savory flavor from the the mix of dashi broth and miso, while the butter adds richness, bringing all the flavors together.
The salmon has a plump texture, which balances perfectly with the crispy parts of the batter.
Meanwhile, the crispy batter is really fragrant and adds an addictive deliciousness to the dish!
Japanese yakisoba is an indispensable food pairing partner for monjayaki
When ordering monjayaki, one thing you should definitely enjoy along with it is yakisoba.
These fried noodles are a dish that’s almost always available in restaurants that serve monjayaki or okonomiyaki.
“昔ながらのソース焼きそば,” Classic Sauce Yakisoba 1,100 JPY (tax included)
At KIBORI, they offer several types of yakisoba, including seafood-based ones with a salty flavor and hearty ones made with beef tendons.
Among them, the Umami bites editorial team particularly recommends the “Classic Sauce Yakisoba.”
It’s deliberately crafted to be the definition of traditional yakisoba, with simple ingredients and flavors.
The yakisoba uses pork, cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts as main ingredients, and the sauce, which is the key to its flavor, has a rich taste.
Cooked on a piping hot griddle, the Classic Sauce Yakisoba emits a tantalizing aroma. It’s a simple yet satisfying dish.
Enjoy the combination of monjayaki and yakisoba cooked together as teppanyaki cuisine!
KIBORI offers a bounty of different types of teppanyaki dishes
Including the dishes introduced in this article, KIBORI offers over 40 menu items.
In addition to monjayaki and yakisoba, they also serve teppanyaki dishes that are comfortable and familiar to global diners, such as steak and garlic rice.
With its extensive menu and spacious interior, it’s the perfect place for groups to gather around the teppan and enjoy various dishes together.
KIBORI’s interior
When visiting Japan, experiencing authentic Japanese cuisine is definitely a bucket list item to check off.
Rest assured, KIBORI is a restaurant that will satisfy the culinary curiosity of international diners in Japan without a doubt!
KIBORI’s interior
Information
| Store name | 北海もんじゃ×鉄板しゃぶしゃぶ KIBORI Hokkaimonja Teppan Shabushabu KIBORI |
|---|---|
| Address | Seresa Youei Shinjuku Bldg. 7F, 1-16-3 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Seibu-Shinjuku Station 3-minute walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station Main Exit
Shinjuku Station（SJK） 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit
Shinjuku-Sanchōme Station 5-minute walk from Shinjuku-Sanchōme Station Exit E8
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| Phone nuimber | 03-5292-5516 |
| Reservations | Accepted Phone number, Tabelog, GURUNAVI, Hot Pepper Gourmet, ebica |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | 10% charge when you only order à la carte |
| Hours | 11:30-15:00（last order food 14:00, drinks 14:30）, 17:00～23:00（last order 22:15） |
| Closed | No fixed holidays Unscheduled holidays |
| Seating | 70 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://kibori-restaurant.com/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of March 2024
