The Dead Cockroach: Teppan-Man @ 395A Bukit Batok West Ave 5

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Right across the road from Swiss Cottage Secondary School is Goodview Gardens, a HDB estate set on a hillside at Bukit Gombak.

By the side of the multi-storey carpark is a coffee shop named Eightways Eating House. I am there to check out Teppan-Man, a hawker stall located in this quiet neighborhood serving Japanese fare like Teppanyaki, Donburi and Udon.

I have come specifically for the Teppanyaki but unlike the usual modus operandi where the chef cooks right in front of you at a long counter and entertain you with some culinary performance, the food here is prepared inside the hawker stall minus all the fanfare. I guess there are limitations when you are operating in a coffee shop.

From the Teppanyaki menu, take your pick from chicken, pork, beef, seafood, dory, seabass, lamb and ribeye.

Your food will only be cook upon order so expect a short wait. You do not have to wait in line though as you will be given a buzzer after payment. Just find yourself a table and allow your buzzer to do its work. I waited for about 15 minutes before the device starts vibrating.

I collected my chicken drum Teppanyaki set ($6.50) and this is how it is presented - on a hotplate with solid fuel aflamed below to keep the food sizzling.

This is my first time having Teppanyaki.

One main reason for not trying is due to budget constraint. As I always have my meal alone, it is extravagant for me to eat fancy.

Furthermore, I have passed by the live stations in the food courts numerous times but all I see them cook are bean sprouts and more bean sprouts. Seriously, it is not my favourite vegetable and I am not willing to pay through my nose for this inexpensive greens.

A combination of other factors, such as the smell (of bean sprouts), the fire, the smoke, the oil splattering and the pricing simply does not appeal to me at all.

The deboned chicken drum was nicely seared and dressed in their signature black pepper sauce.

The rich and creamy texture suggests it is not your typical straight-out-of-the-bottle type. High possibility that it is an "improved formula".

It comes with a bit of heat from the chili padi bits in it. I recall while placing my order, I was asked if I would like it spicy and I nodded. Hence, do let them know your preference.

I always find the earthy smell of raw bean sprouts repulsive.

Even when they have been stir-fried to a semi-raw crunchy state (which is probably how most people relish it), the smell is still too much for me to bear.

I do eat bean sprouts but only when it has been thoroughly cooked by boiling, for instance.

Although the bean sprouts here are stir-fried, they are more on the tender side which I appreciate. Smothering them in the remaining black pepper sauce also help to make the smell less noticeable.

As part of the set, my meal includes a bowl of rice and radish soup.

For the price point and coffee shop setting, I honestly did not come with much expectations and would be just as happy to settle for normal Thai fragrant rice.

However, I am surprised to be served with Japanese short grain pearl rice aka sushi rice instead.

The soup is good to have as a palette cleanser. It is also a much needed one because no one came up to ask me "en dao, ai lim mai"?

I would say my first Teppanyaki experience is a pleasant one. For a fraction of the price, I am okay to forgo the 'full experience'. Despite not liking bean sprouts very much, I managed to finish everything.

While checking up this stall online, I have come across numerous comments about them being "not authentic".

While I cannot refute that, do you expect the full works for $6.50?

The hawker is just making a honest living with many mouths to feed. It seems really unreasonable to pass judgement without having even tried the food.

If you do not like it, just look away. There is really no need to go all out to break someone else's rice bowl with your remarks.

The world will be a better place if we can be kinder to one another.

The location may be slightly out of the way unless you drive or live in the vicinity.

It is about a 8 minutes walk (600m) from Bukit Gombak MRT Station. Just follow the MRT tracks heading towards Swiss Cottage Secondary School direction and you will see Goodview Gardens Blk 395A on your right hand side.

Otherwise, there is always Grabfood and Foodpanda!