We recently had the opportunity to again dine at Teppan Edo, a teppanyaki-style restaurant in Epcot’s Japan pavilion. We always have a great time here, as CMs are friendly and engaging, and sitting family style with 6 other people is usually an interesting experience. We also love the food!

Hibachi-embedded Dining Tables

Most everything is cooked teppanyaki-style, meaning foods, usually steak, other meats, and vegetables in the Western version of teppanyaki, are grilled using a hot plate in the middle of the table.

Japanese restaurant chain, Misono, was the first to introduce Western-influenced teppanyaki-style dining in Japan back in 1945. Since then, the “Japanese Steakhouse” genre has been more popular with tourists than locals in Japan; locals tend to prefer fish, noodle dishes (like Yakisoba), and flour- and vegetable-based dishes for their teppanyaki.

Staff Greeting Ceremony as Restaurant Opens

Long Hallway of Dining Rooms

At Teppan Edo, you and your table mates are brought to and seated at your table, soon to be welcomed by a CM taking drink and food orders. You’re then welcomed by your table’s chef, who explains the process of teppanyaki and confirms the orders.

Me? I had to try a Sake-rita! It came highly recommended by our waiter, and who am I to turn down an opportunity to imbibe a sake-based margarita?

Sake-rita

And then, the show begins! Our chef expertly delivered on the standard teppan chef tricks–the onion volcano, the shrimp tail throw-and-catch, the knife tricks. She did a great job.

Our Talented and Funny Chef

onion volcano

The appetizers we’d ordered soon came out of the kitchen (these aren’t the table chef’s job, luckily!), and we enjoyed a tempura selection, miso soup, and a salad while watching the show.

Tempura Selection with Dipping Sauce

Miso Soup and Garden Salad

Chef Action!

Wondering about the name, Teppan Edo, I did a bit of reasearch and found the following:

According to Wikipedia: The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai?), or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai?), is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 and is the premodern era. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa shogunate, which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Edo period is also known as the beginning of the early modern period of Japan.

The Teppan Edo menu also sports a map of Japan during the Edo period, and the main dishes are named after cities in the country. We orderded the Nihonbashi, which included both steak and chicken, with noodles.

Nihonbashi--Steak and Chicken

The meal was delicious, as usual, and I’m always amazed by the relative healthiness of these dishes. Soybean oil is used to grill, so although there is some fat, it’s not exactly artery-clogging stuff. Don’t be fooled, however–the portions are large!

You can find Teppan Edo in the large building on the right-hand side of the Japan pavilion in Epcot–just head up the stairs and you’ll come across the entry for both Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining.

To make a reservation, call 407-WDW-Dine, or book online by clicking this link.