Our drink order was taken as soon as we picked up our menus. My boys saw that there was a drink called a "Ninja," and had to try it. A Ninja is a blend of tropical juices and the boys loved theirs.

For the meal I ordered a combination of filet mignon and chicken teppanyaki. My sons each ordered the chicken and my six-year old daughter shared my meal. We were given a choice of green salad or miso soup, which, they explained, has tofu, green onions and seaweed. We ordered the salad.

My daughter was given crayons and a coloring sheet, which she loved almost as much as the show we were about to see.

The staff was attentive and friendly. Our salads were brought promptly and they came with a dressing that seemed similar to Thousand Island, only a bit spicier. Soon our chef, Brad, appeared and began to prepare food on the grill. He poured us each a mustard sauce to go with the meat and a ginger sauce to go with the vegetables.

All eyes were riveted on Brad as he began grilling onions, zucchini, and mushrooms.

He impressed the boys with a "volcano," which he created by stacking onion ring slices on top of each other, pouring oil inside and lighting it all on fire.

Brad then stir-fried the vegetables, along with some butter, soy sauce and other seasonings. Kids will eat even mushrooms and zucchini when they are this tasty.

When he finished with the bowl of butter, Brad picked it up off the grill with his spatula, and tossed it into his opposite hand, saying, "Watch the butter fly!" My daughter asked to see it again, expecting to see a real butterfly; she was only a bit disappointed that there wasn't one.

Next, he stir-fried the noodles, adding several sauces and seasonings as he was cooking them. He then grilled the meat.

Finally, he quickly grilled some bean sprouts, calling them "Japanese French fries." The kids were given special chopsticks that were rubber-banded together to make them easier to use.
Kyoto can be a bit expensive, but it is well worth the show, and we had plenty of food to take home with us. My combination meal was about $16, my oldest son's meal was $13, and kid's meals were about $8; however, a child can get a plate to share another's meal for only $3. So the next time you want to get your kids to eat their veggies without complaints, try taking them to Kyoto.