TEPPANYAKI KINYOHTEI - Savour The Finest Teppanyaki

“The Golden Leaf Pavillion” of Teppanyaki Kinyohtei in the Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk is where you marvel a flaming and finest teppanyaki with premium quality meat and seafood while soaking in the magnificent city skyline view. mylifestylenews writes.

The Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk has a fantastic position by the waterfront with amazing views in many directions, the uninterrupted panoramic seaview as well as the charming city view and beyond. Perched atop 35^th floor in a sleek ambience, Teppanyaki Kinyohtei not only offers you truly magnificent views in all sorts but to savour a sumptuous Teppanyaki dining experience with premium quality of meats and freshest seafood cooked a-la-minute right in front of you.

Not surprisingly it has gained much recognition for being the highest teppanyaki restaurant in Fukuoka. The name of the restaurant Kinyohtei was crafted in gold alphabets and is a standout against the ceiling high charcoal-greyish wall with multiple gold and white fallen autumn leaves design that feature on the wall, creating a flow of harmony at the main entrance.

Upon entering the chic and minimalistic fit-out of the restaurant through a long hallway, by making a sharp turning to the right, a refrigerated space catches your attention right away with those carefully sourced premium meats installed. Saga Gyu, the brand of high-quality Japanese Wagyu from Saga Prefecture was on displayed and we couldn't take our eyes off it and YES, it was what we were having for the evening.

The main dining room has two large Teppanyaki tables - a complete station well-designed where a chef prepares and showcases his talented culinary skill in front of diners. As “the grill” at its center is a large, flat stainless steel griddle (teppan) that heats evenly, making it ideal for cooking a wide variety of ingredients quickly, a visual show with constant percussive sounds is to be expected and it is perfect for group dining, not to mentioned accompanied by the amazing vista, day and night. The multiple gold leaves continue the flow on the ventilation above the Teppanyaki table, highlighted by some dimmed mood lighting, with the city lights in the background through the large windows against the splendid and classy greyish marble wall. The simplicity of the colour scheme and tone also harmonized the furniture colour tone with a small yellow cushion as a touch point. There are also two private dining rooms that can seat small groups of people with even more views in different directions and perspectives that are ideal for special events, privacy and intimacy ensured.

Fuma san, the hospitable Food and Beverage shift leader who was our host for the evening was also a great communicator in English and had organised a private dining room for us to experience a 1 on 1 dining experience. The chefs’ cooking is the centre of attention, not to mention the delicious food that was to be plated for us to enjoy, this interactive and entertaining dining experience kept our eyes busy while the ever-ready Chef Yoshiyuki, our “private chef du jour” organized a special set  menu for us so that we could have the best of both worlds – meat and seafood – with the seasonal 7 course menu called YUTAKA 豊 - a prosperous/abundant harvest.  On perusing the appealing menu, we knew we were in for a treat, so expectations were high even before the sizzle on the teppan grill could be heard.

<Autumn Vegetable and Salmon Terrine with Cauliflower Sauce & Tobiko>
 The homemade salmon, potato and melon terrine was to die for, served alongside with cauliflower sauce and two different fish roe – a large salmon roe and small flying fish roe. The presentation was not only captivating on a dark stoneware with the superbly delicious terrine that was covered around the sides with bacon and it could not have been a more delightful melange of flavours that had subtlety and let each ingredient speak for itself. The cauliflower sauce was also a calming and soothing flavour to add to the mix and the vibrant colours of tobiko - cured fish roe give it a crunchy texture with mild and salty, slightly smokey flavour that created a point of difference, with the pearls of olive oil adding a fabulous touch.

<Burdock Potage>
This elevated thick rustic potage was essentially a mushroom, onion and potato soup, with the burdock root as the base stock for its earthy, nutty and slightly sweet flavour and a hint of bitterness. While burdock adds a distinctive aroma after it was cooked thoroughly that enhance its subtle sweetness, with a small amount of fresh cream added for a richer flavour which thickens and smooths the potage which was a standout for a surprise twist. The heart warming potage was served on a beautiful ceramic flat soup bowl that also added visual appeal.

<Grilled Yellowtail & White Radish with Thick Porcini Sauce>
The yellowtail was layered in texture and unctuous, with the daikon (white radish) giving a smoky sweetness texture and flavour that was not overpowering. This was simply delightful, with the taste lingering on the palate and harmony personified.

<Grilled Tilefish with Scales and Mussel Nage>
This Japanese Amadai “sweet seabream” was the second fresh catch from the sea that was served for the evening. The grilled tilefish was yin & yang – the flesh was soft and tender, with a mild flavour and the skin so crispy, with the fish scale made so delicious, thanks to the high heat of the teppan grill griddle. 

The mussels were poached on high heat in a tiny saucepan with mussel nage - a thickened herb and butter with wine bouillon and shinjuka (a Japanese green vegetable) also added some depth of flavour and a contrasting texture which was so enjoyable. This really piqued the tastebuds and what a stunning dish this was!

The wagyu’s marbled fat is finely dispersed with the muscle fibres, giving the meat its signature tenderness, juiciness and rich flavour.

<A4 Saga Black Beef Tenderloin & Kumamoto Brown Beef Sirloin>
With premium Japanese A4 Saga black beef and Kumamoto brown beef sirloin, both from Kyushu island that are known for a more fatty and creamy texture as the beef were presented before it was cooked for the before and after effect. It was amazing to see the fat melting and the meat shrinking. The beef was served with grilled seasonal vegetables – eggplant from Kumamoto, sweet potato from Kagoshima and lotus root from Saga, all of which were rock stars in their own right!  – and then some key condiments that added that extra touch of piquancy – Kyushu soy sauce, ponzu sauce, Maldon sea salt and freshly grated wasabi, which were all a must dip with each morsel of beef (maybe one at a time to taste each one individually, not be to be mixed).  Slices of garlic were fried to golden brown also a bonus, coming from Aomori (a farming city famous for garlic and apples).
 

Both the sirloin and tenderloin were utterly delectable, while providing two different textures of meat known for its sweet, rich flavour and exceptional marbling. We were in heaven with such top-tier Wagyu that is meticulously raised in a mild climate and prepared accordingly to strict standards. You may also upgrade yourself with the A5 Saga black beef fillet with a nominal cost. The memories surely did not fade for some days, leaving us wanting more.

<Kinyohtei Signature Garlic Rice with Miso Soup & Pickles>
Steamed rice never tasted so good even by itself but then it was teppan-fried with shiso leaf for its unique minty flavour with a mix of basil and tarragon that stood out, but was not too pungent. The combination was simple yet offered the most genuine taste on all counts. The miso soup was one of the best we had ever tasted and redefined what we thought about miso soup. The flavour was delicate and artisanal and you wanted more, with the home-made pickles a nice side addition, but in reality, the rice and miso soup were the stars of the show!

<Sweet Potato Crème Brulee>
What a fitting end to our teppanyaki dinner, as this was not overly sweet and was like a fine mashed potato texture with the added bonus of grapes from Kyushu island and was so delicious. After all the rich meat and fish, this was almost like a palate cleanser and so enjoyable!

Service could not be faulted throughout the entire evening , with chef Yoshiyuki paying homage to those specifically sourced seasonal produce from various Prefectures and providing an exceptional experience as our private chef. Fuma san equally delivered from a front of house management perspective, giving us great insight and product knowledge, which was a necessity to understand provenance and what some menu items that guests were not familiar with, including us. The ingredients of each dish were second to none and nothing could be faulted. For a most satisfying dinner on all counts, we tried and tested, Teppanyaki Kinyohtei can surely deliver an elevated teppanyaki dining experience that you won’t easily forget.

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

TEPPANYAKI KINYOHTEI Hilton Fukuoka Seahawk 

2-2-3 Jigyohama, Chuo Ward,

Fukuoka-shi,

Fukuoka, Japan

Tel: +81 9 2844 8111

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.