Teppanyaki with a tiny Tryst
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YAMA
Most Chinese aren't familiar with Japanese teppanyaki restaurants (the word refers to the iron griddle used to cook the meat) and that's mainly because of the price. But while most teppanyaki places tend to the upscale, YAMA Huashi is aiming for the regular crowd with their 158-yuan "buffet". This is not the slowly drying assortment of abject-looking noodles so beloved of the usual all-you-can-eat, however; instead, all dishes are offered a la carte and the diner is free to order as much of whatever they want.
YAMA derives its name, apparently, from the Spanish liama, meaning flamboyance and the Chinese huashi, meaning variety and style, according to manager Fan Wei. We ordered oyster to begin, and watched young chef Xiao Bai artfully twirl and scoop the ingredients as we dined on some cold tuna and salmon sashimi served with a variety of sauces, including a milky fish one made with milk, orange juice and crab roe, among other ingredients. Then our oyster was ready, tender and light.
I observed the chef griddling without oil; he explained that while it does quicken the process, oil can easily over-toughen the meat and give it a greasy taste. The chef swiftly assembles diced spring onions, garlic, butter and soy sauce to accompany our next dish, prawns, with water and dry white wine quickly slammed down under an iron cover to seal the dish. They tasted excellent, thoroughly seasoned without being over-spiced, and certainly not greasy!
If we thought the show was over, they were saving the best till last as, tackling our steak, Xiao poured a small circle of brandy which ignited to raucous acclaim from our fellow diners and much appreciation from our table, where we found the meat seasoned outside while retaining its original fresh steak flavor within. Another dish worth mentioning is the teppanyaki cod slice. It was tender and the most delicious cod I have ever tasted. According to Xiao Bai, his secret is the thin dusting of flour he gives the fish, which safeguards it from breaking up on the hot iron.
We recommend the flamed ice cream for dessert but dont get me wrong. The ice cream is still just ice cream, but the pineapple ring it sits in gets the flambé treatment, leaving the fruit tasting of brandy and smoke while the ice cream is untouched.
With my stomach fully filled with various teppanyaki, I lurched out of YAMA, having enjoyed two cups of Japanese sweet, slightly tart plum wine with the meal. This is one of the shortcomings of a buffet: people often cant help ordering more than they actually need. But one thing is sure and it is that next time I want to eat myself silly again, this teppanyaki restaurant will be my first choice.
Address: East Gongti Road A-2, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工体东路甲2号
Tel: 8587-1377
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