The room isn't huge, but space is well distributed between the four hot-plate tables.
The concept couldn't be more convivial!
Each time we pass by, we end up talking to our neighbors seated around the table, and the square that forms where everyone can see the chef at work can't help but make eye contact and start a conversation.
Another area of the restaurant offers a more secluded setting if you just want to enjoy a tête-à-tête or discuss business. It's a bit tricky to watch the show from there, but the food is just as good wherever you sit!
The decor plays on Zen simplicity, with no frills or Asian clichés, and subdued lighting playing between that of the ceiling and that of the hotplate tables.
Teppanyaki is a type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot plate to grill food.
Apart from the fact that it seizes meat, seafood and vegetables remarkably well, preserving their softness and flavor, it's also a spectacle that always delights guests.
The chef is a specialist in the field, having worked as a chef in many of Paris's top establishments and studied with a Japanese master for several years.
Passionate and agile, he loves to share his taste for Japanese cuisine.
Dressed in his chef's costume, you won't fail to notice his Cowboy Holster carrying his various knives.
Juggling pepper pots, jumping tofu and vegetables, guillotined shrimp tails: all little tricks to liven up the evening, without falling into the trap of turning the preparation of your dish into a circus!
You too will be dressed in a cute black apron, as the chef has a bit of bad luck from time to time, and falling tofu is not out of the question :-)
Le Comptoir Nippon isn't just about Teppanyaki!
Of course, you'll find all the great themes of Japanese cuisine: tempura, sushi and sashimi, maki or california...
But once again, this Comptoir de la gastronomie japonaise surprises us with a Fusion-oriented menu.
How could we resist the temptation of Nems with foie gras and shitaké (15€), Spider rolls (soft crab tempura and grilled eel sauce) or Crêpes with duck breast and barbecue sauce.
For starters, we were more than spoiled!
First, the chef prepared an assortment of several sushi specialties (I should point out that sushi is not available à la carte in this form).
The Lobster Hot Sushi is a real taste experience, the quality and freshness of the ingredients is unequivocal, and it also explains this abundance of flavors... which implies that many of the house specialties are not given away, but the price of the products explains that!
The fish sashimi wrapped in a cucumber leaf is brilliantly fresh and visually appealing.
As for the main courses, the Teppanyaki is a must.
The chef introduces us to pan-fried foie gras on a plate, seasoned in the Asian style... on a bed of baby vegetables.
Needless to say, it's a total kill... at €27 all the same...
On the meat side, Teppanyaki comes with either chicken (18€) or beef ribeye (22€) or tenderloin (even more melting at 27€).
The dish is always accompanied by small vegetables sautéed on a plate with a mix of fragrant sauces.
We were able to savor the Filet de boeuf, requested rare and served as requested, the quality of the meat is also to be commended, melting, melting, melting...
When it comes to fish and seafood, the choice is even wider: Gambas, Salmon, Scallops and even whole live Lobster (depending on availability).
We were delighted with the Gambas and scallops, grilled to perfection and served with a homemade Asian-style persillade (a bit like the one used for the stuffed mussels), which I'm sure you'll be able to tell me all about.
Although the quantities may seem a little too small, I can tell you that after two dining experiences, I always left the restaurant feeling good, not hungry or heavy...
As for dessert, the Japanese are never champions of the genre.
For the fun of it, we'd advise you to have the flambéed green tea crepe, topped with a fresh fruit salad.
Perhaps the only weakness of the house, the dessert suffers no reproach, but next to the explosions of flavors of the meal, the soufflé falls a little.
Other desserts on the menu: Banana fritters with coconut flambé (why not!), Lychees in syrup (déjà vu!) or Mystère flambé (very Chinatown).
Location
Au Comptoir Nippon
3, avenue du Maine
75015 Paris 15
Booking
www.comptoirnippon.com
01 45 48 28 98
