Crazy dining

We had a funny dining experience last night. Taking a suggestion from the hotel we found ourselves at a place called Robataya which from the outside looked fairly innocuous. When we entered however we were greeted by a chorus of "Hai! Hai! Hai! Sumimasen!" from roughly 6 burly looking guys dressed in kimonos and wearing narrow headbands that looked like they had escaped from the seventies. A small room, the food was laid out in front of us and then cooked on a grill by two of the kimono dressed henchmen, food being passed to customers on a long paddle. There was even a fish tank in the centre, and yes, if you wanted, you could choose your live fish which would be swiftly yanked out, gutted, chopped and grilled faster than Gordon Ramsay could say kitchen nightmare. Needless to say the food was excellent, and the chorus continued all night. Every time a customer walked in or left, there would be a friendly volley of greetings, drowning out any immediate conversation. At one point the chefs changed and this was accompanied by a clapping fest that would rival anything out of a German beer hall. Great atmosphere and highly recommended although perhaps not a place for a delicate meeting.