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Robatayaki refers to restaurants where seafood and vegetables are cooked over an open charcoal grill. In olden days, an open fireplac robata in the middle of a Japanese house was the centre of activity for cooking, eating, socializing, and simply keeping warm. Therefore, entering a robatayaki restaurant today is a nostalgic trip to Japan's past. They are often decorated in a rustic farmhouse style; the staff will often be found wearing traditional clothing.

 Kbikoku's robatayaki, in the Hotel Kunlun, is in every sense a typical, traditional one. To recreate the rustic atmosphere of a traditional farmhouse, Kbikoku arranges counter seats around an open hearth; fresh ingredients of food are on display. All you have to do is get the chef's attention and point out what you want from him. He will scoop up your choices on a huge wooden paddle, toss it onto a griddle right before your eyes and serve it back to you on the same paddle, hot off the coals.

There's no special menu in a robatayaki restaurant; instead, you can get just about everything that is eaten in Japan. The difference is that most of the food will be grilled. Popular items include asparagus wrapped in bacon (asparagus bacon), various mushrooms, pumpkins and most seafood. Kbikoku's pumpkin is a favourite of most ladies who dine here, so it is a must.

Though all the dishes are worth a try, the secret of rokatayaki's popularity is the ovens. Ovens used in rokatayaki are generally heated to a high temperature, about 800 C, so the skins of dishes are rapidly grilled. The chefs then continue grilling the insides or fillings at different temperatures depending on the quality of the dishes. This guarantees the fresh flavour and taste of ingredients.

Old robatayaki restaurants -- mostly open only in the evening -- are popular among office workers for both eating and drinking, so Kbikoku's robatayaki charges 138 yuan per person for lunch and 168 yuan per person for dinner, acceptable prices for office workers. The price includes a free flow of soft drinks, beer and Japanese sake. What's more, Kbikoku offers 38 types of sauces for your choice, such as Japanese-style ohba vinegar, Chinese-style spicy bean paste, western-style onion sauce, Asian-style satay sauce and Korean-style kimchee sauce.

It is said that Hokaido produces the most authentic rokatayaki. Kbikoku is a perfect to escape Beijing's summer heat and enjoy Hokaido's cuisine and cool atmosphere.