Tairyo Grows Up

Like the popular Gongti branch of Tairyo, this place offers the same all-you-can-eat-and-drink deal that leaves you stuffed, red-faced and happy. But this branch is aimed at an older, more sophisticated clientele. It can still get rowdy, but a slighter higher price and opulent décor entices more discerning patrons—not groups of students after alcohol-fueled adventures.

It’s ¥198 to eat and drink to your heart’s content—¥30 more than at Gongti. The food is pretty much the same, except for a few additions like sea urchin. We stuck to our usual Tairyo favorites, like the melt-in-your-mouth cod fish and the beautifully juicy filet mignon. The beef sashimi is also very good. The black tiger prawns are a little bland, but we loved the “prawn steak”—shrimps that are actually served pre-peeled. The lamb chops are fatty but still enjoyable, especially after a few carafes of sake. While you probably don’t visit Tairyo for the vegetables, we ordered several servings of the deliciously crunchy bean sprouts. For dessert, you can’t miss the “flame ice cream.” You get a sliced banana and scoop of ice cream cooked on the teppan grill and set on fire for an exciting show with a tasty ending. The fresh mango, served with plain yogurt, is also good.

Service is very attentive and pleasant—most waitresses were hired from the Beijing School of Hospitality and speak some English. The restaurant is decorated in accordance with feng shui principles, with a golden, hand-woven tapestry of a dragon along one wall and a small infinity pool in the center of the dining room. There’s a private room upstairs, and al fresco dining on the rooftop should be available later in the spring.

Sienna Parulis-Cook