Ayako, the Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant that puts on a show in Paris's 14th arrondissement

Looking for a great idea for a spectacular gourmet dining experience in Paris? Why not try a Teppanyaki? These Japanese restaurants in the capital are sure to put on a show, thanks to the dexterity of their chefs, who cook your favorite dishes on a hot plate in front of you, right down to the minute. And in the14th arrondissement of Paris, not far from the Montparnasse district, Ayako Teppanyaki invites you to enjoy this fiery experience.

What exactly is Teppanyaki?

Let's take a quick look at the basics. Teppanyaki is originally a Japanese cooking technique using a hot plate. In the West, the term refers more to a form of dinner show popularized by various restaurant chains, including Beni Hana, during which the chef takes center stage and skilfully cooks with the victuals with impressive dexterity, offering a show-cooking feast for the eyes before delighting the taste buds. These include meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. However, as the dishes are generally cooked in butter, the concept is not very suitable for vegans.

Show-cooking in the heart of the 14th arrondissement

This is the kind of experience that awaits us at Ayako in Paris. Run by a young, dynamic team, the restaurant vibrates to the rhythm of conversations between loyal regulars and new guests attracted by the concept. A friendly atmosphere reigns, and while the tone is one of relaxation, the service is meticulous.

When it comes to teppanyaki, you can choose your dishes à la carte or opt for a menu. Prices range from €30 to €50, and the restaurant offers exceptional products, including scallops, pan-fried foie gras, Argentine beef and even wagyu. If you're lucky enough to be seated around the chef, you'll be able to admire the disconcerting skill with which he cooks the various dishes. In no time at all, you'll be able to watch him create a beautiful presentation that will delight your eyes before your taste buds. A butter sauce made in a minute right on the baking sheet, lemon juice running down the tip of a knife, a line of parsley elegantly traced on the plate... the gestures are millimetric and the seasoning is so well mastered that we didn't have to add anything.

Carefully selected and concocted products

What makes this restaurant so special is the rigorous selection of ingredients: the address makes a point of putting quality products on the menu. For example, the foie gras comes from Rougié, the scallops from Normandy, while the Wagyu beef, already consideredan exceptional meat in its own right, is graded A5, the highest level of excellence. Before cooking, the meat is presented to you so that you can admire its marbling.

For those who have never tried it before and would like to taste it at least once in their lives, this restaurant could be a good opportunity: the wagyu here is priced at €65 and will be concocted in a meticulous way for relatively good value for money. If there are two or three of you, you can balance the budget by ordering a second, less expensive option, so you can share the dishes and the bill at the same time.

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Pan-fried foie gras is also a not-to-be-missed recommendation for those who love it: in addition to the quality of the product, masterful cooking promises a wonderful taste experience. At first bite, you'll feel an almost caramelized first layer, crunching slightly before giving way to a melting texture. For seafood lovers, scallops with their minute butter sauce promise the silky, gourmet flesh that makes them a gourmet's sin mignon.

Beware, however, of biting off more than you can chew: each teppanyaki plate is accompanied by vegetables and a bowl of rice, which we found to be superfluous, as the cuisine is so generous. Another recommendation when you find yourself at "the chef's table": the smell of cooking can permeate your hair and clothes. So remember to tie back your hair and choose your outfit carefully, or opt for a table further away. Between show and flow, it's up to you to decide.

A Teppanyaki restaurant, yes, but not only!

This address has more than one trick up its sleeve. In addition to teppanyaki, there are other Japanese or Japanese-inspired specialties that are well worth a try. These include one of the great successes of the menu, recommended, tested and over-validated: the Shake Yaki Rolls.

This variant of sushi is composed of grilled salmon, avocado, spicy mayonnaise and vinegared rice, sprinkled with tempura scraps for added crunch and bathed in eel sauce and truffle oil. The fragrance emanating from the plate awakens our appetite before we even get a glimpse of this colorful, gourmet presentation. Every detail of the experience is designed to stimulate the senses. If you prefer a slightly lighter recipe, we recommend you try the tataki version with salmon flambéed with a blowtorch.

In addition to the usual wines and softs, the restaurant also offers a saké menu and a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, including well-known creations with a Japanese twist, such as Mojito Litchi or Gin Yuzu.



If you've managed to get through the main courses and still have a little room for dessert, these may not be homemade, but they do come from carefully selected partners. You can round off your tasting experience with iced mochi, daïfuku, yuzu cheesecake, yuzu chocolate fondant or baba with Nikka days whisky, a Japanese spirit.

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.