銀杏 Icho @ Hotel Nikko Nara

It's the long weekend in Japan, and thousands and thousands of Japanese tourists have decided to do a day trip in Nara, the capital city of Japan before Kyoto. Nara is quite a big place, and most tourists will start their Nara trip from the Nara city which is accessible by both JR and Hankyu trains from Osaka.



We took the Hankyu trains to Nara city which is much nearer to the famous deer park than the JR station (above). However, we decided to walk to the JR station to have lunch at Hotel Nikko. Wanted to eat at some of the Michelin stars restaurants here, but then it is 1 or 2 train stops away (plus lot's of walking)



We didn't make any reservation, and this Icho teppanyaki restaurant in Nara is full to the max. But with a stroke of luck, a big group of diners just left the restaurant and we were fortunate enough to get seats here.



Ordered a bottle of Yebisu beer to accompany our lunch.



The chef is here. Although he speaks very little English, but still we know he is giving all he has to prepare this delicious Teppanyaki lunch for us.



Started off our set lunch with this fresh salad bowl.



And this boiled vegetables and prawn appetizer.



We were surprised that the set also came with sweet sashimi platter.



And here comes the juicy delicious Kobe beef cubes



Lot's of acrobatic performance while cooking the beef



Plus crisp Japanese beansprouts being fried on the hot plate



A selection of the pan fried vegetables, including the fragrant crispy garlic pieces. The Kobe beef cubes were juicy and flavourful.



Japanese rice with unlimited refills



Pickled plum and cucumbers to company the rice



Ended our lunch set with a refreshing Yuzu sorbet ice-cream.



After which, we continued our journey into Nara and saw cute and hungry deers plus the amazing Todaiji Temple which is by far the most amazing temple we have seen in Japan.


銀杏 Icho
Hotel Nikko Nara
8-1 Sanjo-Hommachi,
Nara-Shi,
Nara
Japan