Words by Tara Pepper 

Bobby and I were looking for something different to do for dinner the other night. We went through all the regular options and decided on something Asian, but sushi by itself wasn’t quite right. What we really wanted was a great meal combined with some fun, so we decided to head to The Prince Japanese Steakhouse for teppanyaki.

What’s that, you ask? Wikipedia describes it as: “Teppanyaki (????) is a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food. The word teppanyaki is derived from teppan (??), which means iron plate, and yaki (??), which means grilled, broiled or pan-fried.” I describe it as “good food and lots of it, an entertaining show and amusement to be had by all.”

The Prince is located in a non-descript strip mall that borders Mississauga and Etobicoke. When you enter, you are greeted warmly by the staff and walk by a koi pond to go to your table.

The teppanyaki tables at The Prince are in large squares divided in half by the cooktops. There are eight seats, so dining with a larger party would be a lot of fun. What did we have for dinner? Lots! The menu choices are endless, but it’s good to remember that your main meal comes with both soup and salad.

We decided that we also wanted to have some other appetizers—we were hungry!—and started with an order of tempura (deep-fried shrimp and vegetables, $7.50). One of my downfalls is anything fried, and this was no exception. It was very good, if somewhat greasy. Two extra-large shrimp, plus eggplant, zucchini, sweet potato and mushrooms were fried in an incredibly light batter and served with a slightly sweet, soy- like ponzu sauce. Yummy.

We also ordered some makimono from their great selection. Makimono is another name for sushi where the raw fish is laid out on sushi rice. We chose hamachi which is yellowtail ($6 for two pieces) and sake (in this case it’s salmon; $4.50 for two pieces) and were thrilled with how fresh and silky the fish was. I love the texture of the fish when it’s so fresh. We also ordered a spicy tuna roll ($8). What a great juxtaposition: spicy tuna (which was very spicy!), smooth, cooling avocado and then the crunch of that deep fried goodness. Outstanding! If you’re not a sushi or tempura lover, there are many other delicacies to try: yakitori (BBQ chicken skewers, $5), age gyoza (deep-fried pork dumplings, $4.25), or beef tataki (charbroiled tender beef, $11) to name just a few.

While we were enjoying our appetizers, our soup and salad was also served. The soup was a steaming bowl of very subtly miso- flavoured broth with a couple of wontons—very good. The salad is always delicious—very crisp lettuce and tomato with a hint of ginger and sesame in a light house-made dressing. It’s one of my favourite things and I wish I knew how to make the sauce—maybe I’ll ask next time!

A meal like this calls for either Japanese beer or sake. I ordered the house Gekkeikan Premium Sake ($9.50) and was pleasantly surprised when it arrived at the table hot. Sake is made from fermented rice and its flavor is hard to describe, but take my word for it—it’s a unique taste experience that just shouldn’t be missed!

The cooking show starts with an intense flash of fire on the cooktop in front of you. If you’re not paying attention, this can be quite intimidating! The cook lays out various things on the griddle and it’s fun to watch him crack eggs by throwing them in the air and having them land on the edge of a metal spatula. I’m sure that takes a lot of practice!

The cook made an onion volcano by taking a half an onion and stacking the rings on top of each other. He then poured a liquid into the center and lit it on fire causing it to blow smoke high in the air. I asked what he had poured into it and his answer with a huge smile was “Gasoline!” and everyone at the table cracked up. (He came back and told me it was brandy.) The fried rice he made was accented with soy and had a very smoky flavour that was scrumptious. Along with that came veggies, also flavoured with soy and cooked to perfection. Bean sprouts were added to the mix—I love bean sprouts!

For our main dishes, Bobby chose the New York steak and scallops ($22) and I had shrimp and scallops ($22). They were expertly prepared: Bobby’s steak medium-rare; the shrimp had that pop I covet; and the scallops were sweet and tender with two dipping sauces, one ginger and the other mustard. Altogether, it was a perfect marriage of meat, seafood and veggies. There are also lots of other options like chicken teriyaki ($18), salmon ($19) or even lobster ($36), so there’s something for everyone.

For dessert, I usually get green tea ice cream ($4), but we were both so full we decided to forgo it this time. There are other offerings as well like deep-fried ice cream ($5) or deep-fried cheese cake ($8) that looked really good; I think I’ll save room for the deep-fried bananas ($6) next time!

All in all, The Prince Japanese Steakhouse offers a unique dining experience that is both entertaining and delicious. I think next time we’ll get a group of friends together and reserve the whole table for a party! I hope you’ll try it out yourselves… you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

The Prince Japanese Steakhouse
5555 Eglinton Ave. W.
416-695-2828
princesteakhouse.com 

Check out my weekly blog, Tara’s Tales and Tastings, on mississaugalife.ca. It’s published every Monday and contains articles about food, events, recipes and even the occasional rant when the mood strikes! Enjoy!