Teraoka Gyoza in Central Festival

[Evil Penevil]

Teraoka Gyoza is an informal Japanese restaurant on the lower (Food Court) level of Central Festival shopping mall that specializes in gyoza (fried dumplings, aka pot stickers).  It also offers ramen (noodle) dishes and a few other Japanese standards.  It may not be the best place in town for Japanese food, but it is a reasonable option if you just want Japanese-style gyoza or ramen.

The Central Festival branch is one of several Teraoka Gyoza restaurants in Thailand.  They are a joint venture between Thai entrepreneurs and Yuichi Teraoka, a champion gyoza chef whose image festoons the restaurant.  He is noted not only for traditional gyoza but modernized "fusion" variations that use Western ingredients like mozzarella cheese.  He even came up with a dessert gyoza.

I  tried their current special, tonkatsu, for 159 baht, including your choice of soft drink or water. Konkatsu is a deep-fried cutlet of pork, but this was the gyoza version.

 

It was served with shredded cabbage, the customary accompaniment to tonkatsu.

Pork-filled dumplings, nicely deep-fried.

 

Teraoka Gyoza also has various combination meals, mostly under 300 baht, usually with miso soup and some type of salad.  

 

 

 

For me, Teraoka Gyoza is a convenient place to get my fix of gyoza and ramen, both of which I really enjoy.  However, if you're not a fan of Japanese-style dumplings and noodles, there's not much point in visiting.  It's very much a niche restaurant, so I won't go into too much detail.

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[wogggy]

Well what does the gyoza actually taste like? Is it any good,?

 

My fav Japanese is still yamato. Nigiri sushi plus anything I feel like (katsu, miso, gyoza) all cheaper than any mall outlet and tastier. 

 

Just my five c

[Evil Penevil]

5 hours ago, wogggy said:

Well what does the gyoza actually taste like? Is it any good,?

Tastes fine.  The skin and fillings are cooked properly. Most of the gyoza at Teraoka are cooked with the traditional fry-steam-fry method, but depending on the dish, some are boiled or steamed and in the case of the Tonkatsu special, deep-fried.

My fav Japanese is still yamato. Nigiri sushi plus anything I feel like (katsu, miso, gyoza) all cheaper than any mall outlet and tastier. 

I certainly like Yamato and have reviewed it several times.  (Link) For a full meal in a "classic" Japanese restaurant, it's the best option in central Pattaya.

But Teraoka is different type of Japanese restaurant.  It is specialized in gyoza and ramen.  It also opens at 11.00 a.m., so it is a good option for a quick lunch.  I don't see it as an either-or situation between Yamato and Teraoka Gyoza.

Evil

[wogggy]

I will check this place out because I'm quite a fan of both ramen and gyoza. Then go to yamato for nigiri when it opens .

 

Btw I'm a big fan of your reviews. Keep them coming (especially of Asian places)!

[user305]

1 hour ago, Evil Penevil said:

Teraoka is different type of Japanese restaurant.  It is specialized in gyoza and ramen.

They serve gyoza and ramen but do they actually specialize in them?  The gyoza was respectable but it wasn't especially unique or amazing.  They didn't have the sort of ramen I enjoy and have eaten countless times in any number of non-specialized restaurants.  The first time I ate here I was rather impressed but over time as the tiny menu changed and my favorites were no longer featured they had no method or manner for making them off-menu. Not today, not tomorrow, not until some future menu from elsewhere dictated such.  That's when I realized they were merely the stationary version of a gyoza food truck rather than a genuine specialty restaurant.

[QuotaMan]

I ate there a while ago, few years ago at least.

Decent meal from what I remember. 

Good to know they offer veggie options next time I'll try them again.

[Kreggerz]

Yeah, I ate there one time.

Tried gyoza and ramen.

Neither good enough to go back for. 

[mochatsubo]

Maybe I'm wrong but I feel all the restaurants on the basement floor in Central are not very good, including the fast food joints. I typically stick to floor 5 and 6.