Restaurant Review: Miyako Teppanyaki Birmingham

So last Thursday I went for my first conference with work! I had a fantastic time and learnt loads about Phones 4u and how important the recruitment process (which I'm a part of) is to the company. Because the conference was in Phones 4u's state-of-the-art purpose-built facility in Birmingham's Fort Dunlop, the company paid for transportation, accommodation, food and drink for us for the whole day, brilliant, huh?

Anyway, I wanted to write a review of the restaurant we headed to after the conference because it was just so unusual and fun that I just wanted to write a review and recommend it to everyone! 

After the conference, we had about an hour and half in which to get ready, but in spite of the fact that our hotel was LITERALLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER from the training facility, we managed somehow to get lost on the M6 for about and hour and a half. This meant that by the time we got to the hotel to get ready, everyone else was stood waiting for taxis outside ready to go. Quel desastre. 

Luckily as I wasn't driving I was able to do my makeup while we were in the car, so I literally ran up to my room, took the quickest 'hold-your-hair-and-face-out-of-the-water' shower I've ever taken, rolled on some deo, spritzed some perfume, changed my clothes and slipped into my platforms. This whole process took me just five minutes, which even I was impressed with. This is what I looked like:

*This picture was actually taken a few weeks ago, which does in fact make me an outfit repeater. However, when I went out with my colleagues I was wearing black tights and a cardigan too, and my hair was straight so it is all good.*

So, the restaurant itself was a Teppanyaki place, which is Japanese. As a huge fan of sushi, I've always been very excited about the idea of exploring Japanese food in more depth. However, having been to a very disappointing Teppanyaki three years back at Walt Disney World I wasn't too hopeful... The whole idea of Teppanyaki is that the chef comes and cooks the food on a hot plate right in front of you and since the plate is flat, there isn't much in the way of sauce because it would just be impractically running all over the place. As a saucy person, this is a bit of a turn off to me, because it usually means the food is kind of bland. 

*First up the beautiful Japanese waitress brought along a salad for each of us with the most delicious dressing on it which taste like a cross between ranch and Marie Rose*

*Our starter was made up with a battered shrimp with an orangey flavoured sauce, a California roll with what I think was chicken in it and a crispy won-ton with something beefy inside and a sweet sauce drizzled over the top*

*This is how the restaurant is set up with the tables in a kind of half-a-square shape so the chefs can put on a fab show for everyone sitting nearby*

*See the mingy-looking slimy grey things on the left hand side of the dish of raw food? They were soon to become my yumalicious fried king prawns. Nom gobble.*

*They set fire to the table right in front of you. And throw scrambled egg at you to catch in your mouth. It really is very interactive...*

*Look at the chef showing off juggling eggs and balancing them on top of each other. I liked this!*

*This is what the rice looked like as it was in the process of being made. It looked really easy in fact as the chef literally wanged some soy all over the rice, chucked in some scrambled egg and threw an onion pepper mix for good measure. And it tasted incredible.*

*My prawns in the process of cooking.*

*My plate before the chef piled on a side of beansprouts.*

For dessert we got a little scoop of coconut-flavoured ice-cream which was very small but nice to eat nonetheless. Also, the Big Boss bought us all a little cup of hot sake wine each which really tipped the balance of what is and isn't an appropriate amount of drunkness for some of the team. We all had a FANTASTIC time though and the whole Miyako Teppanyaki restaurant experience got us all right in the mood for a good boogie around some of the bars in Birmingham's Arcadian. 

In all I'm a huge fan of Miyako Teppanyaki. The waitresses were brilliant, the chefs put on a fantastic show and the food could not possibly have tasted any more amazing.

This was literally one of the best all-together days I've had in a long while. I learned loads, I got to eat delicious food, I drank a couple of cheeky beverages, I bonded with my colleagues and I had a taste of the high-life in which your company invests money in ensuring that you are as psyched about the company as they are. I really couldn't complain.

Have you ever been to a Teppanyaki restaurant? Do you know any good egg-fried rice recipes? How much do you think is too much for a nice meal out? Apparently Miyako Teppanyaki cost £20 per person for Phones 4u, but I guess it would be more expensive if you were going as a couple or with just a few friends.

Love and snuggles

GabriellaSofia

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