Japan Food Series: Teppan Spaghetti at Cocono Susukino – A Hot Plate Pasta Stop with Modest Results
Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa
Table of Contents
Teppan Spaghetti Restaurant Overview
Japan, 〒064-0804 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 4 Jonishi, ⻄4丁目1 番地 COCONO SUSUKINO 3F
Teppan Spaghetti is a small pasta-focused restaurant located inside the Cocono Susukino food court in central Sapporo. Unlike full-service restaurants elsewhere in the building, this spot operates firmly in food court mode: compact menu, quick service, and an emphasis on hot, freshly prepared dishes rather than presentation or atmosphere.
What immediately sets Teppan Spaghetti apart is its use of small cast iron plates to serve the pasta. The dishes arrive sizzling hot, giving the food a tactile, almost theatrical element despite the casual setting. Portions are intentionally on the smaller side, which makes sense in a food court where people may want to sample multiple items or grab a light meal rather than commit to something heavy.
This stop came after visiting other restaurants in Cocono Susukino, including Rojiura Curry Samurai, which is also located in the same food court. If you’re interested in soup curry, that review is worth checking out separately, as it highlights one of the stronger food options in this complex. Teppan Spaghetti, by comparison, offered a very different experience – less about bold regional identity and more about quick, hot comfort food.
Would return? No.
Cocono Susukino Food Court – Context
Cocono Susukino is a modern commercial complex in one of Sapporo’s busiest districts. The food court reflects that energy: busy, diverse, and clearly designed to accommodate a wide range of tastes. You’ll find everything from Japanese staples to more international options, all under one roof.
The appeal of this food court is convenience. It’s clean, well-organized, and easy to navigate, making it a practical stop if you’re exploring Susukino and want multiple food choices in one place. The downside of food court dining, of course, is that execution can vary widely from stall to stall. Some places clearly stand out, while others feel more utilitarian.
Teppan Spaghetti falls into the latter category. It doesn’t try to be flashy or inventive. Instead, it offers a handful of pasta dishes served hot and fast, relying on the novelty of the cast iron plate to elevate an otherwise straightforward concept.
Serving Style & Portion Size
Before getting into the individual dishes, it’s worth calling out the serving style, because it’s a big part of the experience here. Each pasta dish is served in a small cast iron skillet, still sizzling when it arrives. Visually and audibly, it’s appealing—there’s something satisfying about seeing pasta arrive hot enough to continue cooking slightly at the table.
The portions, however, are small. These are not hearty, filling pasta bowls. They feel intentionally sized for food court dining, where you might be eating between activities or pairing your meal with something else. If you’re very hungry, this alone likely won’t be enough.
That small portion size makes flavour and execution even more important, because there isn’t much room for error when each bite counts.
Spicy Carbonara Spaghetti
The Spicy Carbonara Spaghetti was underwhelming. On paper, it sounds appealing – carbonara with a spicy twist, served hot on cast iron. In practice, it didn’t come together well.
The biggest issue was that the sauce didn’t really stick to the noodles. Instead of coating the pasta evenly, the sauce felt loose and disconnected, pooling rather than clinging. That’s a problem for any pasta dish, but especially for something like carbonara, which relies on proper emulsification for its texture.
Flavour-wise, the spice didn’t elevate the dish much. It was present, but not in a way that added depth or interest. Combined with the sauce issues, the overall result felt messy rather than indulgent.
Given the small portion size, this dish felt particularly disappointing. There wasn’t enough substance or flavour payoff to justify ordering it again. Even within the context of a food court, it fell short.
Order again? No.
Seafood Pesto Spaghetti
The Seafood Pesto Spaghetti fared slightly better, but still didn’t leave a strong impression.
The seafood itself was fine – nothing tasted off, and textures were acceptable – but the dish lacked a clear identity. The biggest issue here was that the pesto flavour was barely noticeable. Pesto should be aromatic, herbaceous, and instantly recognizable, but in this case it was muted to the point of being forgettable.
Without a strong pesto presence, the dish felt generic. It tasted like pasta with seafood rather than seafood pesto pasta. The cast iron plate kept everything hot, but heat alone doesn’t compensate for lack of flavour.
Again, the small portion size amplified the issue. When a dish is both small and unremarkable, it’s hard to justify choosing it over stronger options nearby.
Order again? No.
Comparison Within Cocono Susukino
Eating at Teppan Spaghetti naturally invites comparison with other stalls in the same food court. Having already tried Rojiura Curry Samurai in this exact location, the difference was noticeable. Rojiura delivered bold flavour, strong identity, and a clear sense of purpose. Teppan Spaghetti, by contrast, felt more like a filler option—something you eat because it’s there, not because you’re excited about it.
That doesn’t mean Teppan Spaghetti is terrible. It’s functional. The food arrives hot, the portions are consistent, and service is quick. But in a food court with genuinely good options, “functional” isn’t always enough.
Value Consideration
From a value perspective, the small portion size makes this a tougher sell. If the flavours were strong and memorable, the portion size would feel intentional and appropriate. As it stands, the combination of modest portions and muted flavours makes the dishes feel overpriced relative to satisfaction.
This is especially relevant in Sapporo, where even casual meals often deliver strong flavour and thoughtful execution.
Final Thoughts
Teppan Spaghetti at Cocono Susukino ended up being one of the weaker food experiences I had in this particular complex. The concept – hot pasta served on cast iron plates – is appealing, and the small portion size makes sense for a food court setting. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t support the idea.
Both the Spicy Carbonara Spaghetti and Seafood Pesto Spaghetti were serviceable but forgettable. Sauce issues, muted flavours, and lack of cohesion made them easy to skip in the future.
As part of my Japan Food Series, this stop was still useful. It helped highlight how wide the quality range can be within a single food court. Cocono Susukino has some genuinely strong food options, and this restaurant simply isn’t one of the standouts.
If you’re visiting this food court, I’d recommend prioritizing places like Rojiura Curry Samurai and treating Teppan Spaghetti as a last-resort or curiosity stop rather than a must-try.