Around the World in 10 hours: Epcot 1/12/2016 Part 11
After enjoying retail therapy at Mitsukoshi, our table was ready and I was soon at Teppan Edo with Debbie, Jose, Rebecca, and Adam. Just like I remembered, I found Teppan Edo's atmosphere to be warm, inviting, immaculate, sleek, and authentic.
Once inside, we were greeted by two kimono-clad hostesses, who were very sweet!
We were escorted to our table, where we were only seated with a couple from Boston, who had participated in the Marathon and were happy to share about their experiences with us. We were then greeted by Ene, our waitress, who was wonderful as well as she was bubbly and efficient. She took our beverage orders and I opted for an Iced Green Tea. At that time, she noted that I had food allergies and arranged to have the manager, Kin, take care of everything. About a minute later, Kin, a Japanese manager who was middle-aged with glasses and dressed in a business suit came out to greet me. He could not have been nicer and was very accommodating. He asked me if I needed my food cooked separately from a regular grill, in case there is a risk of cross-contamination? I said he did not have to do that, as cleaning the grill is good enough for me. In addition, I told him he did not need to provide me with gluten-free soy sauce, as for some reason, I am fine with regular soy sauce, since it contains a trace amount of gluten at most. I also asked if I could get a Sushi Sampler from the sushi bar, as I had it on my last visit and loved it. He said he would be happy to do it, but he wanted to make sure that there would not be a risk of cross-contamination as some of the sushi dishes use mayo (egg allergy) and tempura flakes (wheat allergy) in some form, so he offered to check with the sushi bar. It turned out they would be able to prepare my Nigiri separately, sans the Spicy Tuna and California Rolls, as they had mayo, so a Sushi Sampler it was!
In addition, I ordered Tori (Boneless Chicken Breast) with no udon noodles (they gave me extra vegetables instead) and steamed white rice instead of sukiyaki beef rice (as a matter of preference and other people did this too.). Once again, Teppan Edo started off on the right foot, impressing with their excellent service!
We first received our salads (now included with entrees at Teppan Edo) and it made for an excellent start, as the greens were crisp, the tomato was sweet and pleasantly acidic, and the ginger dressing was tangy. This was also washed down with a refreshing Iced Green Tea.
After enjoying my salad, I then received my Sushi Sampler, which was fantastic!
It was beautifully presented and I found the Salmon Nigiri to be pristine, as it had a satiny sheen and a buttery mouth feel. The Tuna Nigiri was also delicious, as it was soft, moist, and meaty.
Ene then removed our plates from our salad and appetizer courses and refill our beverages as needed, of course, careful not to rush us and not be too attentive. Before I move on, I must give Ene a shout-out as just like the last time I dined here, she provided excellent service, as she was not only very friendly and efficient without making us feel rushed, she also had the perfect balance of being attentive without being intrusive, adding to an excellent meal. Without further adieu, Chef Koichi from Myoko, Japan introduced himself and he was very friendly, funny, and charismatic. He started off by confirming our orders (including giving me all of the sauces except the one which has a mayo base), which were all perfect and he fired up the grill, first placing vegetables which included zucchini, onions, and a mixture of cabbage and carrots.
As Koichi was chopping vegetables, he then made an onion volcano and since it was almost like building a snowman to him, he just had to burst into a rendition of "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" from "Frozen."
I loved this and it while Teppan Edo may not use pyrotechnic tricks like some other hibachi restaurants I have been to (due to Reedy Creek fire regulations which prohibit indoor fires), he definitely set our laughter in flames and added an awesome dose of Disney magic by singing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman." And the onion volcano erupted! Mazel-tov!
Next, Chef Koichi prepared some spinach and next, he added the proteins to the grill, which included chicken, steak, and shrimp. He then added oil, spices and if I remember correctly, he also added garlic, sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lemon. Unlike some other hibachi restaurants I have been to, he did not use butter with the proteins, except for the shrimp, which is something I like as while I have nothing against butter, I feel that if proteins are high quality, they can stand on their own. Anyway, I thought that Chef Koichi's knife skills were impressive and he definitely had a ball!
After Chef Koichi's fantastic performance, I then had the chance to tuck into my food. Once again, I was impressed, as the quality was excellent and the portion size was generous. The chicken was juicy, tender, moist and complemented by the flavors of pleasantly piquant seasoning and zesty lemon juice. The onions were sweet and tangy, the zucchini was pleasantly smoky due to the cooking method, the cabbage was leafy, and the carrots were sweet and crunchy. Also, the rice was fluffy and well-cooked and went perfectly with the mustard and soy-based sauces that accompany the meal. Overall, another impressive meal!
After this satisfying meal, I then thought about dessert, and while I had originally planned to go to L'Artisan Des Glaces in France, seeing that Debbie and her family were ordering dessert here, I contemplated ordering Soft Serve Ice Cream. I asked Ene if the ice cream had eggs and she was happy to find out by checking with Kin, who in turn checked with the kitchen. To my delight, the ice cream was egg free, so I ordered a dish of Green Tea/Vanilla Soft-Serve Ice Cream. It made for a fantastic dessert, as the vanilla was mild and sweet and the green tea was refreshing. In addition, the texture was creamy and while the ice cream was cold, it was not too icy. All in all, it was fantastic!
With everything, my dinner came out to about $50 in change, which was definitely worth it as the food was excellent, the service was very friendly and efficient, and I thoroughly enjoyed the festive atmosphere! What's more, it was nice having dinner with new friends!
After we were all finished, I used the restroom and headed out for more adventures with Debbie and her family. Where would we go next with about 2.5 hours until closing? Find out soon!