Teppanyaki: Norwegian Cruise Line's take on the art of Japanese grilling (with menu)

"Her name is Ana — Anaconda!" said the chef, using his spatula to wiggle the snake-shaped mound of egg he was grilling in front of me, my travel companion and a group of several strangers. If you're a fan of Japanese cuisine, corny jokes and communal dining, and you have an upcoming cruise with Norwegian, Teppanyaki is a don't-miss dinner experience.

Aptly but uncreatively named after teppanyaki, the Japanese style of cooking on a flat-top iron griddle called a teppan, Teppanyaki — with a capital T — is a fantastic place to enjoy a meal if you're looking for variety outside of the main dining room and buffet.

Here, I'll run through all the details about Teppanyaki, one of Norwegian Cruise Line's most entertaining alternative restaurants.

What is Teppanyaki on Norwegian Cruise Line?

Teppanyaki, NCL's Japanese alternative eatery, is an added-fee restaurant that's open only for dinner. At its core, it offers a tasty menu of dishes cooked right in front of you by an experienced chef who's also a showman.

When you arrive, you'll be seated at a counter surrounding a flat-top grill where your chef prepares your meal. If you're not traveling as part of a large group, you will be joined by other cruisers who aren't in your party.

While your chef readies your order, he'll also put on a bit of a performance. The slew of cheesy jokes and tricks — perhaps a beating heart made out of rice or a flying eggshell that he'll catch in his chef's hat — will help to pass the time as you wait for your food.

This is a terrific dinner option if you're traveling with a few friends or children who will enjoy the banter and the show. Reservations are recommended and almost always necessary. Book early, or you could miss out.

Related: 5 reasons you should splurge on a cruise ship specialty restaurant

NCL Teppanyaki menu

To start, everyone is automatically given edamame, miso soup and seaweed salad with ginger dressing.

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Beyond those items, the Norwegian Cruise Line Teppanyaki menu is divided into two sections: mains and desserts. Diners choose one from each as part of the cover charge.

Mains come in two varieties: Classic (vegetables or one type of protein) or Combination (two types of protein). The former includes chicken with udon noodles, veggies with udon noodles, seafood (jumbo shrimp, sea scallops and calamari), beef striploin and seasonal vegetables with tofu.

The latter encompasses selections like chicken breast and jumbo shrimp, New York strip loin and jumbo shrimp, New York strip loin and chicken breast, and sea scallops and jumbo shrimp.

All mains are served with garlic fried rice, grilled vegetables and onion and mustard dipping sauces.

For dessert, you'll have a choice of green tea cake with cashew nut brittle or fruit sashimi.

The ship's standard drink menu is available, but the Teppanyaki menu does have two special cocktails. The Shaku Shaku is sake, Chartreuse, cucumber, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. For something a bit sweeter, try the Wasabi Cocktail, a blend of sake, lychee liqueur, fresh lemon and orange juices and grenadine.

NCL Teppanyaki cost

The NCL teppanyaki price is $59 per adult. Children eat free if they order off the ship's regular kids menu. A 20% gratuity will also be added to your bill.

If you have a dining package, you can select one main and one dessert for free, in addition to the appetizers that are served to everyone.

Most drinks cost extra unless you have a beverage package. The restaurant's signature cocktails are $11 each.

Which NCL ships have Teppanyaki?

You can find Teppanyaki or a variation of it on the following Norwegian Cruise Line ships. (Note that on Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, it's called Hasuki; the menu is nearly identical to the one at Teppanyaki.)

• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Dawn
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jade
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Prima
• Norwegian Spirit
• Norwegian Star
• Norwegian Sun
• Norwegian Viva
• Pride of America

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