TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI InterContinental Tokyo Bay - Fire Up The Gourmet Teppanyaki

A real good teppanyaki meal can somehow hard to come by, even in Japan, not only because the premium quality of the selected meat differs from various Prefectures, but also having the exact know-how on handling it cautiously and applying the masterly culinary skill by turning it into a most sumptuous and delectable teppanyaki meal to remember. TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI at The InterContinental Tokyo Bay is a hidden gem in more ways than one. mylifestylenews writes.

Quite often when you look at the photos of any teppanyaki restaurant you are easily being carried away by its polished and edited images that tempt you by walking in or to make the prior reservation at once but eventually end up to a situation that what-you-pay-is-not-what-you-get and having wasted your supposed satisfactory quota while dining out. Hotel’s juicy marketing and promotions are front and centre trying to grab your attention the moment you step into a hotel that offers multiple dining options. Despite the actual locale of TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI was not that obvious until we asked one of the frontline staff where it was located and found ourselves walking to the back of the lobby lounge down a corridor which then opened into this intimate and off-the-beaten-tourist-track Japanese restaurant.

The restaurant is not big and the interior is pretty much straight forward with the TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI wooden sign crafted in both Japanese and English highlighted by the illuminated lighting that welcomes every diner through its narrow entrance. Upon entering the restaurant, the main teppan grill set in the middle of the entire dining area is the main focus and in bare minimum with counter seating that could comfortably sit no more than ten people. Dim lighting to set the mood of coziness was adorned with two framed tile artworks hung on the wall on one side of the restaurant. A small private dining room is also available to intimately host a maximum of six diners in one go upon request.

Being recognized as the Global Winner of Best Japanese Cuisine as well as the Best Teppanyaki-style Cuisine in East Asia at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards in 2024, as a recognition of sustained commitment to excellent and outstanding achievement in the international luxury restaurant industry, TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI not only just  has a stellar reputation and hosted many VIP’s from around the world but offers a gourmet teppanyaki dining experience. The uniquely Japanese elements with their five senses can be experienced through the passion of the producers and the their artisanship.

The source of the finest produce and ingredients are meticulously chosen and some are exclusively provided only in the restaurant. Hence the name TAKUMI (匠) - literary translated as master artisan or craftsman which it is being named after. The menu concept is based on a unique, healthy and fresh teppanyaki sensation that is cooked with only the finest olive oil, created by Head Chef Mahara.

We may not have the opportunity to meet Chef Mahara but our dedicated and experienced Chef Ide who has been in this role for three years does know how to fire up a gourmet teppanyaki during our visit. The seasonal and exclusive KIKUSUI Wagyu Dinner menu was recommended for the lucky few that manage to get a prior reservation and we were totally in for it.

 

<Peeled Beef Tomato with Grand Marnier>

Who would have thought the humble tomato and Grand Marnier could go so well together?! The liqueur was ignited with fire and then lemon, salt, a local rocket lettuce, garlic and a thin slice of bread with Italian olive oil was put together to create our first taste to savour for the evening. Do not judge the book by its cover as the presentation is basic, placing each ingredient and condiment on the large charge plate, let the freshness of each bite to be delighted as every ingredient was so piquant.

 

<Mini Beef Hamburgers Done Two Ways>

Chef Ide cooked one hamburger with a rare red beef from Aso and the other with black beef from Kumamoto, both Kyushu island superior meats that were so delectable, different in texture, rich yet creamy, lean yet tasty and a touch of the homemade mustard was heaven. This seasonal TAKUMI style appetizer may well be the best mini burger ever? We thought it was!

 

<Sea Bream, Eggplant, Ponzu & Rice Cracker>

The sea bream was perfectly pan-grilled keeping the moist, tender flesh and had a hint of sweetness to it on the palate. A red wine cream sauce was prepared and added to serve along with edible flowers for garnish. We were impressed on how the red wine sauce could work with the fish, creating such a harmonious dish with the sauce perfectly complimenting the fish. The seasonal egg plant was harvested at the perfect time to enjoy the ripeness which was equally enjoyable.

 

<Shimane Beef Sirloin (100g) & Beef Tenderloin (80g)>

This main course gives you two different cuts of beef from the Shimane Prefecture and they were both cooked with the sweetest and crunchy bean sprouts, with the addition of other vegetables – Japanese spinach, rice leaf, sweet potato and shitake mushroom. The premium Shimane Beef comes from Japanese black cattle that are raised with traditional methods and is known for its rich flavour, fine marbling and high oleic acid content.

Each cut of beef is completely melt in your mouth that delighted our senses with a sophisticated umami taste. Condiments were also presented to enjoy – onion and red wine jelly, ponzu jelly, black pepper and white sesame jelly, soy sauce, wasabi, plain salt, macha salt and ginger salt. It sounds like overkill, but they are all in small portions and it is imperative that you try a little of each and everyone, as the flavours combined with the beef seem symbiotic. Not one condiment could be ignored and without over-indulging, to dip a morsel of beef in a condiment was to elevate the taste of the beef and this was such a premium and unforgettable experience!

<Garlic Fried Rice with Pickles & Miso Soup>

This wasn’t just any ordinary fried rice, but the “Origiri” rice which was sensational, with a premium smoky flavour and texture due to being deliberately burnt on the teppan grill – this may sound sacrilegious but when you taste it it all makes pure sense. The crunchy and not too salty radish pickles added a cold counterpoint, a good contrast to the hot fried rice and then followed by the miso soup that offers a natural, mild sweetness flavour. A comfort food done best and well delivered.

<Fig & Grape Semifreddo>

The semifreddo topped with a sprig of thyme didn’t seem like it was adding any value to the palate but just a delicate garnish, so were the fig and grape which was a little underwhelming in flavour.

<Soy Sauce Ice-cream & Japanese Citrus Sherbet with fruit Assortment>

In all honesty, it was little disappointing, as the ice-cream was pleasant enough but not specific to the main soy sauce description and with the sherbet didn’t give a discernible distinctive citrus or fruit taste much. While the desserts were the only let down, the overall dinner was rather quite enjoyable with many moments that we marvelled at the little details on the palate. Wada san, together with the front of the house team looked after us the whole evening by giving multiple input from the food front as well as the pairing beverages to compliment the moreish meal - the 2015 vintage Dom Perignon and the 2013 Goutte d’Argent Pinot Noir worked more than just fine. While enjoying the gourmet delights cooked a-la-minute on the teppan grill and personalized service, we left feeling sated and thrilled by knowing this hidden gem is being discovered. We couldn’t have asked for more!

Tried & Tested:
Location: 4/5
Design & Decor: 3/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5
 

TEPPANYAKI TAKUMI InterContinental Tokyo Bay 

1-16-2 Kaigan, Minato-Ku, 

Tokyo, Japan

Tel: +81 3 5404 2222

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.

LOKAL HOUSE - A Taste of Modern Italian In Osaka

With all due respect, hotel dining can sometimes be a bit formal and pretentious, not only for its overly refined food presentation but sitting upright for the entire evening may not let you relax and unwind totally. LOKAL HOUSE in VOCO Osaka Central brings modern Italian flavours to your table with a sense of little touches in a much chilled ambience and is a breath of fresh air. mylifestylenews writes.

LOKAL HOUSE touts itself as a gathering place where you can savour carefully selected cuisine with a menu that incorporates local stories to be enjoyed in an unpretentious and friendly atmosphere. Before dinner we weren’t sure what to expect, but by the end of the evening we were converts. We didn’t necessarily want to enjoy Italian cuisine while we were in Japan, but sometimes it is not about the type of cuisine but more about the produce and this is where Japan always surprises you, as it is second to none.

The ambience is quite warm and inviting as lighting plays an essential role here to create the soothing cozy mood especially when you come for dinner. With soft lighting from table lamps, strategic ceiling downlights as well as some large boule wall sconce style lamps that creates a chill mood to sit back and relax on a street frontage in a quiet neighbourhood.

The restaurant is not big and also serves breakfast for hotel guests, all the dining tables are well positioned around the open kitchen, with large floor to ceiling window views to the outside street to watch the world go by and also to witness the real culinary action simultaneously.

The cathedral height ceiling lends itself to a very airy ambience adorned with some specific design accents that are added with large wooden beams from the previous building, antique style ceiling tiles in the manner of pressed roses and a very large artwork on the back wall referencing the office building that used to be on the site which has been done in acrylic panels by a Kyoto artist and it is very striking. Modern yet arty and bringing back the heritage to life.

The tabletops are done in beautiful solid wood and they are simply adorned with some chic antique looking cutlery and elegant Riedel stemware. Soaking up the ambience is always an enjoyable start to the evening, but we were looking forward to seeing how good the food was and some surprises were in store. Seasonal three course set menu is available alongside with the small and well crafted a-la-carte menu, whichever you fancy.

<Assorted Appetizers>
Our evening began with this assorted appetizers that vary everyday, we had the spring roll wrap with shrimp and avocado with pickle sauce which was very crispy, tasty and quite filling and we loved it. The sweet pumpkin from its natural sweetness was simply delectable and well balanced with balsamic vinegar. Despite the processed salami with pistachio ham being rather industrial and the potato omelette with ketchup was lacking a certain something, the deep-fried mackerel was extremely tasty and the tomato base sauce was a hit.

<Garlic Shrimp>
Don’t judge the book by its cover, the presentation may not look as appetizing and this garlic shrimp was the standout of all the small bites, perfectly deep-fried shrimp to a light crispiness with tasty garlic and a dash of pepper. It was so tasty and you eat the whole prawns including the head and tail. We were left wanting more!

<“GRAM STEAK” 150g Grilled Japanese Beef Sirloin Steak>
This was very well cooked to medium rare as requested and was so flavourful and tender. The quality of the meat could not be questioned, a total beef heaven. It was accompanied with garlic flakes and salt, so thoughtfully prepared and a carnivore’s delight.

<Kansai Salad with LOKAL HOUSE Dressing and Grilled Vegetable> 

A good and fresh salad sometimes is hard to come by and easily goes wrong. This colourful fresh garden greens came with a home-made peppery sesame dressing made with apple, soy and sansho (Japanese pepper). The sauce was rather addictive to go without makes a good combination to savour.

 
<Burdock Chips>
Burdock is a root vegetable and features quite prominently in Japanese cuisine, mainly used for stock base and yet this is used here to make thin cut chips out of the root deep-fried to golden brown. A new discovery and so organically more-ish!

<Grilled Chicken Thigh with Marinated Herbs>
The chicken meat was beautifully char-grilled, tender and juicy with that smoky flavour that was so rustically delicious. Every morsel was quite a venture and enjoyable, thanks to the quality produce used. No Italian meal should be without Italian wine and we enjoyed a glass of white and red. Firstly a Lama di Pietra Chardonnay 2020 from Puglia that was so fruity and elegant and reminded us why Italian chardonnay can be so good. Secondly a Cascina Chicco Langhe Nebbiolo 2022 from the Piedmonte region that had some surprising complexity and very fruit driven. These worked perfectly with many of our courses from their small yet well chosen wine list.

The Food & Beverage Supervisor Riseon san looked after our table on that evening and well conversed in English with her prompt hospitality ensured us we were not left out and made the evening more relaxing and enjoyable. We didn’t further indulge ourselves and skipped dessert as the generous portions did fill us up and genuinely satisfied our craving. A pleasant dining out evening to remember even on a school night is always a blessing and if nothing else will give you a change of palate while enjoying your holiday, LOKAL HOUSE makes things work and get things right by using the most compatible produce and ingredients for a taste of modern Italian to please your palate.

While some exquisite flavours were to be expected when enjoying Italian cuisine, we thoroughly delighted over dinner from the menu selection and had some surprises cooked from superb quality produce and ingredients. Sometimes the most humble ingredients can be prepared with such expertise and always lets the quality of produce speak for itself as this seemed to be the mantra coming from the kitchen in LOKAL HOUSE, as well as a genuine Italian cuisine.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5
 

LOKAL HOUSE VOCO Osaka Central  

1-7-1 Kyomachibori, Nishi-ku,

Osaka, Japan

Tel: +81 6 6445 1100

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.

INTERCONTINENTAL OSAKA - City Bliss Luxury Staycation

Luxury hotels have to tick a lot of boxes to keep guests returning and being located in the heart of Umeda - one of Osaka’s most vibrant dining, endless shopping options and state-of-the-art entertainment districts - is a huge drawcard to adapt to the energy of Kansai and the InterContinental Osaka already has its prime location as a unique selling point and then some. mylifestylenews writes.

Strategically situated in a large-scale mix-development complex of Grand Front Osaka and well connected to the maze-like bustling Osaka station by foot, the InterContinental Osaka is ideally placed for some serious shopping, world-class dining and entertainment with an exuberant vibe and vigorous lifestyle that you don’t even know where to start as well as easy short trips to discover the popular neighbouring cities such as Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and beyond, thanks to its world-renowned, hyper-efficient and extensive coverage of rail network.

Given that we had arrived in Osaka by Shinkasen via the well developed train network even from as far as Beppu in Kyushu island, in less than 5 hours, we easily made our way through Osaka station and across a footbridge into the iconic Grand Front Osaka complex and easily found the ground level entrance pre-arrival lobby at the shopping mall level. The seemingly identical InterContinental classic interior design of tan marble, dark wood panelling and signature scent is transformed into the large format once the lift doors open on the 20th floor and thanks to the excellent tips from the ever-ready-at-your-service concierge team given prior to our arrival exploration. Too easy!

The expansive lobby with views overlooking Umeda and Osaka city glittering skyline, as well as the river and beyond is flooded by natural light with floor to ceiling windows right behind the main elevated wooden reception desk, with the concierge desk on the left and duty manager desk on the right.

Upon exiting the lift, the much elegant 3-60 Lounge to the far left of the lobby is set in a more sophisticated design to create a cozy and relaxed ambience. The lounge is decorated with a modern glass cylinder chandelier that is illuminated in the hue of turquoise when the night falls, hanging below the large oval motif ceiling which filled the gap of space contrasting those low colour lounge chairs, sitting on a coral motif-like beige colour carpet that enlightened the entire area.

The graceful flower arrangement also adds sophistication to the entire lounge area with a small bar area shelved with large and colourful TWG brand tea canisters while enjoying a late afternoon tea with the spectacular view of the city.

However, the other end of the foyer seems a little disoriented for its seating arrangements, with the small coffee tables, a mix of sofa chairs and small lounges cluttered and placed in a disordered form that created a messy and narrow setting which didn't really offer a sense of coziness, not to mention that the selected colour tone didn't blend in with the stone walls and wooden wall on one side for a sense of luxury, at least not the InterContinental branding visual to our observation and is hard for us to find that contemporary Japanese environment ambience and urban luxury.

The gleaming polished marble flooring inlaid with some illuminated light strips design surely brightened up the lobby area and added an element to design to the almost monotone colour lobby space. Artwork is associated with the hotel and can been seen everywhere in the lobby with large and small scale works of colourful Be@rbrick like figurines which were placed and collocated at the corners and colour shelves with a giant red one leading to the guest room lifts. Overall impression is that the views are unbeatable, but the lobby sense of style itself is exceedingly boring - thankfully, we were told that an upgrade is in discussion since its opening in 2013, including the 215 guest rooms and 57 residential suites.

Our check-in was brief with the usual formalities, but Nana San who looked after this process was extremely on point on all counts due to her warmth and professionalism, we were soon opening the door to our 50sqm spacious Premium Room on the 26^th floor with different skyline views overlooking the other side of Umeda district and to the mountains beyond.

The Premium Room was designed in the classic colour palette of the InterContinental brand, with a blend of contemporary elegance and a few touches of Japanese elements. The king bed was super comfortable, adorned with soft high thread count bed linens as well as a grey cushioned headboard. A large beige day bed by the window could possibly be used as a roll away which sat on a light green flora motif carpet that separated once again the monotone colour scheme in the room.

A spacious ergonomic work desk opposite the bed along one side of the room is the work area against a off-greyish stone motif like wallpaper, with a lump of white stone used as the support which sat next to the well-designed mini bar cabinet along the hallway entrance. Right behind the wall cabinet is the walk-in robe and luggage storage that  had plenty of hanging space, small yet compact.

Embodying the art of refined living, the open-plan marble bathroom design was very generous in size and pleasing, with a free-standing bath tub and indulgent walk-in rain shower that came with strong water pressure that offered a luxury shower experience. The bathroom also featured an interchangeable sliding doors, providing the separation point between the bedroom and the vanity area. Premium bathroom amenities BYREDO Bal D’Afrique are offered which definitely added a luxurious touch to the brand standard.

The modern contemporary in-room design and decor may seem lacking that warmth factor to reflect the harmonious blend of luxury, yet exuding a more clinical execution of minimalist design (some colourful throw cushions would have gone a long way to add some life) prior to luxurious touches. Wear and tear on furniture are clearly seen and water marks and stains ate into the windowsills that we presume was hard to remove, so some TLC would help by keeping the luxury level amped up for more refinement and indulgent comfort.

The hotel was not short on amenities to relax and unwind, so the wellness sanctuary on level 4 became our daily routine to enjoy swimming laps in the large 20m indoor pool which was adjacent to the well-equipped 24-hour gym, as well as the steam room and sauna.

Spacious pool area with plentiful sun loungers.

There is also the ubiquitous spa which we didn’t have time to explore yet the Japanese hot bath onsen was heaven sent for us that delivered a ritualistic experience and rejuvenation after a hard day walking many kilometres exploring the vibrant city.

Breakfast was enjoyed in NOKA Roast & Grill on level 20, past the 3-60 Lounge which had a warm and inviting atmosphere. Since we were not booked in to the Club access to explore the unknown, our first morning got off to a great start with our host, Mika san who has a great sense of humour and excellent communication.

Breakfast was a fine repast with a buffet that was rather bountiful that allows you to be indulgent with some calorific offerings that were too good to resist, with some surprises that one would not normally expect such as dried wild blueberries and cranberries, pumpkin soup, a larger array of juices, Chinese Dim Sum that changed daily, orange Danish pastries to Japanese staples and more. The variety was impressive and more than decent yet some flavours were not as authentic as we expected. As the clientele is so wide-ranging and they have to cater to many cultural tastes, was it worth the inflated prices with the variety of international selection over quality but to focus on what they do best?

Dining out is always a must when traveling, but sometimes you just want to stay in and dine due to weariness, and the hotel signature one Michelin star French restaurant PIERRE is worth exploring.

ADEE Lounge & Bar with an extensive array of gins and other spirits and signature cocktails made with seasonal fruit is ideal for a pre or post dinner drink.

Rain or shine, there is so much to do in this bustling Umeda neighbourhood, we never have a dull moment especially getting the local insights from the informative, courteous and dedicated concierge team led by the most passionate Chief Concierge Keiko san are at your disposal.  The charming Momone san and Mika san were equally gracious, knowledgeable and fluent in English without any sign of lost in translation. It is an absolute asset to the hotel and a bonus for every guest that has the chance to enjoy their recommendations, as they were spot on! Believe us not, go test their knowledge and you will be surprised, in fact you will be impressed for what they can come out with especially when you are eager to explore those off the beaten tracks sights. Sugoi desu ne!

If you intend to arrive in style, prior booking of the airport meet-and-greet service and the latest model of the in-house Aston Martin pickup is not to shabby while being transported and escorted to the hotel in a more sophisticated and luxurious way. Why not?! We had three quite enjoyable nights at the InterContinental Osaka and the one constant was dedicated and attentive service in every venue we had the pleasure of enjoying, including the  wellness team on level 4, so the delivering of service seemed pretty much effortless everywhere we went. Housekeeping also delivered a prompt service with extra amenities requested as well as keeping the room tidy in an orderly manner.

For a landmark of elegance and comfort, you wouldn’t accept anything less from this luxury accommodation of the InterContinental chain with 5-star luxury must-have amenities and facilities that are a notch above the already-excellent Japanese standards. You may easily get accustomed to it for a lavish staycation to splash out for that well-earned status as a 5-star luxurious hotel to elevate the experience. The InterContinental brand by IHG is synonymous with excellent service and the InterContinental Osaka surely delivered and we would not hesitate to return especially when the potential upgrade to be done is in the pipeline for the next level of elevated and anticipated luxury experience.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5

Housekeeping: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 3.5/5

Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5
 

InterContinental Osaka 

3-60 Ofuka-cho, 

Kita-ku, Osaka-shi,

Osaka, Japan

Tel: +81 6 6374 5700

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.