RICHMOND: Teppan Kitchen

Aberdeen Centre has become a regular haunt for lunches out with H. The bright food court has tons of seating, there are always high chairs, and I don’t have to rush to vacate our table for other customers.

Teppan Kitchen is one of the more popular stands. It combines a few Asian concepts. The website says it’s a “Japan cooking concept,” which alludes to the teppanyaki style. They’ve built the kitchen behind a glass wall so you can see everything.

All of the entrees are served on a sizzling cast-iron plate. The rice gets nice and crunchy on the hot plate, similar to Korean bibimbap rice.

Each sizzling hot plate comes with a paper ring around it to prevent injuries! Smart. (I took it off for the photo.)

I got the day’s special of citrus-grilled pork cheek with egg on rice ($8.25). I love the unique snappy texture of pork cheek. The citrus sauce was very nice against the meat, fried egg and crispy rice.

The menu ranges from 14-spice chicken ($6.75) to AAA pepper NY striploin ($9.75). Featured drinks are the same as in a Hong-Kong style diner (milk tea, lemon tea, Ovaltine etc.) and are only $1 if ordered with an entree.

You can help yourself to Teppan Kitchen’s “specialty sauces.” I tried some spicy sauce, but I didn’t think it added much.

This is definitely a nice change from standard food-court offerings.

Teppan Kitchen’s website said it’s opening locations “soon” in downtown Vancouver, Burnaby, Edmonton and Toronto.

Teppan Kitchen, Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, B.C., (604) 295-6656.

Baby notes
Room for strollers: Yes
High chairs: Yes, plastic green ones with wheels.
Ambiance: Very casual, lots of seating, lots of light by windows.
Access: Take elevator on other side of mall; food court is on third floor.
Change table: There’s an individual family bathroom right next to the food court, but all the regular bathrooms have change tables in a stall too.