Sunday, January 31, 2010

EAT (03) 6459-2432

Fast food worth lingering over

The Japan TImes, Friday, Jan. 22, 2010

The bright yellow sign calls down over the busy, narrow sidewalk like a grandmama from the old country exhorting her brood to come to table. "EAT EAT," it shouts. Do as you're told: Go in and sit down. We did. And we ate. We ate very well indeed.
Apart from the neon up above, there's little to indicate this blink-and-you-miss -it hole-in-the-wall diner is anything special. But, as we've learned so many times in this city, you don't judge a restaurant by the width of its shop front or the length of its history.
Eat — for that is its punchy, no-nonsense name — only opened last summer, but it didn't take long for the word to reach the street: Tokyo's got a hot new "premium burger" joint. We found out it's got a lot more to offer besides.

There are three tiny wooden tables where you can perch by the window, but the seven leopard-skin-print bar stools at the counter are cozier and more comfortable. We shoehorned ourselves in by the narrow open kitchen and settled back. Certainly we were there for the burgers. But what was the hurry? Why not start with a couple of snacks?
First up, a plate of chips and dips to go with that initial bottle of Lowenbrau (there's also Yebisu on draft, or Corona for the truly homesick). Instead of standard-issue corn chips out of the package, we were given a plate of crisp tortilla chips cooked in-house with a couple of tasty dips — a piquant homemade salsa with fine-diced tomato, pimento and onion; and a smooth, creamy guacamole. We were impressed from the get-go.
We were also intrigued to find a menu of weekly specials that was far from the norm for a fast-food restaurant. It wasn't the weather for chilled carrot and ginger soup, but we certainly felt like trying the seafood gumbo. It didn't disappoint. Dark, rich and nicely spiced with both chili and black pepper, it includes clams, fine-cut squid, carrot, mushrooms, and even the crumbs of broken-up chips for extra texture.
We weren't going to risk spoiling our appetite for burgers by ordering the sirloin steak (from wagyu — Japanese black Angus cattle) or the beef stew. But we just had to try the confit of duck; first because it seems so unlikely to find this standard of French cuisine in a fast-food joint, and second because it's one of our all-time favorite dishes.
The flavorful leg meat was neither too dry nor too salty (two common faults), and had plenty of good crisp skin. It looked appetizing too, served with a tart cassis jam that was drizzled artistically in concentric circles over the plate. Clearly, this had to be the work not of some hired grill-hand but a proper trained cook.
And so it turned out: Eat's cheerful chef, Michi Takahashi, ran a highly regarded restaurant in Los Angeles until 2008. Now back in Tokyo, he may have started up in modest premises, but he's not scaling back on quality.
Read more here...
E*A*T
2-12-27 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-kutel: (03) 6459-24324
Open: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sunday 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.).
Nearest station: Gaienmae (Ginza Line)
Map here...

Best burgers in the borough

Tokyo's burger joints have never been better

The Japan TImes, Friday, Jan. 22, 2010

It looks as though Tokyo has finally woken up to the idea that there's much more to a burger than the cheap, bland offerings of the fast-food chains. Premium burgers, made by hand with quality ingredients and cooked with care, are all over town these days and the best of the recent bunch is the strangely named Blacows in Ebisu.

All the patties are prepared in-house from 100 percent wagyu(Japanese black Angus cows — hence the name, an abbreviation of "black cow"). The buns are from the celebrated Maison Keyser bakery. And there's a tasty range of fillings, from spicy jalapeno to Italian-style mozzarella and prosciutto.

Servings aren't huge (you only get a smattering of fries with them) and you also have to order your salad separately, so the final bill can start to add up. But the restaurant is spacious and bright; the staff and customers are young and well dressed; and there's a fair selection of wine and beer (including Hoegaarden White in bottles). Best of all, sheets of brown paper are provided so you don't get your hands too messy as you eat.

For location, though, few burger joints in the city can beat the parkside setting of Arms, right across from the Sangubashi gate of Yoyogi Park. The furnishings are recycled and the dress code is casual. You can even bring your dog in (though you have to follow the rules).

Better yet, the burgers are superior. Our top pick here is the Popeye Burger, served with delectable fresh-cooked spinach greens. We are not the only ones to rate Arms, it seems. Recently it launched a separate take-out/delivery counter in the nearby Yoyogi-Hachiman shopping street.

Arms is just one of a number of good burger joints set up by alumni of the excellent Fire House in Bunkyo Ward. If you find yourself in the Korakuen neighborhood, it is certainly worth making the detour to find this diner, with its classic American-style ambience and roadhouse fare. The massive Mad Burger is only for the certifiably greedy.

Another of Tokyo's "classic" burger joints is funky Goro's Diner in Gaienmae. It's just around the corner from Eat, but the extra competition doesn't seem to be hurting business.

One more favorite: tucked away in a narrow alley off Cat Street in Harajuku, The Great Burger lives up to its name in terms of flavor if not floor area. Top pick: the oozy Gorgonzola Burger, along with a bottle of their own Amber Ale.

Blacows, 2-11-9 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku; nearest station: Ebisu (JR and Hibiya lines); (03) 3477-2914; open daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; burgers from ¥1,300; lunch from ¥1,000 www.kuroge-wagyu.com/bc/ map

Arms, 5-64-7 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku; nearest stations: Yoyogi-Koen (Chiyoda Line), Yoyogi-Hachiman (Odakyu Line); (03) 3466-5970; take-out/delivery counter (03) 3466-5974; open 11 a.m.-11 p.m., closed Monday; burgers from ¥900 bit.ly/3cAxNH map

Fire House, 4-5-10 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku; nearest station: Hongo-Sanchome (Marunouchi and Oedo lines); (03) 3815-6044; open daily 11 a.m.-1 a.m. (Sat., Sun. and holidays 11 a.m.-11 p.m.); burgers from ¥950 www.firehouse.co.jp/ map

Goro's Diner, 3-41-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; nearest station: Gaienmae (Ginza Line); (03) 3403-9033; open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. (Sun. and holidays 12-6 p.m.); burgers from ¥650 www.gorosdiner.com map

The Great Burger , 6-12-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; nearest station: Meiji-Jingumae (Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Lines); (03) 3406-1215; open daily 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; burgers from ¥950 www.the-great-burger.com map

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Matsubara-an (0467) 61-3838

Making soba a fresh tradition

The Japan Times, Friday Jan.8, 2010

From the very first sip of aromatic otoso sake and steaming-hot ozoni soup, we always love the time-honored ritual and ceremony of New Year's in Japan. But even more than that, we like it when the hallowed traditions are brought up to date and placed in a contemporary context. That's the way they do it at Matsubara-an.

The main dining room is beautifully restored with impeccable shoji screens, period lampshades, retro furnishings and views out onto the garden. But the tatami mats are covered with carpets, and instead of zabuton cushions you sit at stylish modern tables and chairs.

Too often this kind of hybrid look can feel stilted and forced, but at Matsubara-an the mood is comfortably casual. A buzz of conversation drowns out the bossa nova emitting from the sound system. The waitresses are polite but friendly, putting you immediately at ease.

The menu reflects a similar blend of simplicity and sophistication; Japanese and Western, traditional and modern. The specialty of the house is te-uchi soba, buckwheat noodles that are prepared fresh each day, rolled out and cut by hand and served with considerable refinement. However, there's plenty more to explore at Matsubara-an besides noodles.

Just take a look at the mixed hors d'oeuvres plate...

Read more here...
Matsubara-an
4-10-3 Yuigahama, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa-ken
tel: (0467) 61-3838
Open: Daily 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Nearest stations: Yuigahama (Enoshima Dentetsu Line); Kamakura (JR Yokosuka Line)
Map here...

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Kamakura soba

Other soba houses to discover in Kamakura

The Japan Times, Friday Jan. 8, 2010

Kamakura has no shortage of good soba restaurants. Like Matsubara-an, many occupy freestanding traditional buildings. Here are three more worth tracking down on a visit to the ancient capital.

Issa-an

It's not hard to find Issa-an. Located close to the entrance to Kamakura's main shrine, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, this is a favorite lunch spot for visitors. And with good reason too: It's an attractive, old-style restaurant, recently refurbished but still boasting low tables, tatami floors and large windows giving views onto a narrow garden.
Besides the excellent noodles themselves, all freshly chopped, there is a small selection of side dishes, donburi rice bowls and desserts. In the peak tourist seasons (especially New Year's), it may be hard to get a look-in at meal times. But for a light afternoon snack, it's recommended.
If you don't want to leave Tokyo, Issa-an has a branch in the Marunouchi Building, in front of Tokyo JR Station.
Sobadokoro Goto
Because the noodles at Sobadokoro Goto aren't rolled and chopped by hand, hard-core soba aficionados tend to ignore it. All the better for the rest of us, as it boasts a classic traditional setting.
An ancient wooden gate and a narrow path lined with bamboo lead the way to a beautifully preserved old house set in a wooded compound well away from the street. You leave your shoes at the door and sit on tatami floors in the spacious dining room.
This architectural gem is hidden away a block north of the Kinokuniya store on the west side of Kamakura Station, off one of the backstreets leading up to Zeni-Arai Benten, the atmospheric "money-washing" shrine in the western hills.
Takenoya
Takenoya is a small family-run restaurant tucked away on the eastern fringe of the city. It's an area little visited by tourists, though there are some beautiful temples up in the hills. But this diminutive place is well on the map for committed soba enthusiasts.
There's just one table with chairs, plus a raised tatami area that gives a glimpse of a tidy little garden. If those places are taken, you sit on squat wooden stools around the large irori grill by the door.
The soba is righteous, hand-chopped by the master and served by his wife. There are usually three kinds to choose from: regular noodles; dark, coarse, country-style inaka-soba; and finer, lighter noodles with a seasonal flavoring, such as yuzu (citron) or powdered green tea. To sample each of these, ask for the sanshoku (three-colored) soba, which is served in three-level lacquered-wood trays.
Issa-an, 1-8-24 Yukinoshita, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa-ken; (0467) 22-3556; open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; soba from ¥985.
www.issaan.net
Sobadokoro Goto,1-1-3 Ogigayatsu, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa-ken; (0467) 24-4855; open 11 a.m.-7 p.m., closed Thurs., soba from ¥630
hw001.gate01.com/eric/goto.htm
Takenoya, 4-3-2 Omachi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa-ken; (0467) 25-3872; open 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mon.; soba from ¥1,000
gourmet.yahoo.co.jp/0001456823/P001858

Map here...

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Ryugin (03) 3423-8006

Refined flair in the dragon's lair

This is power decor for power dining, Ryugin-style

The Japan Times: Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

It's that season once again, when we pause, look back and savor some of the outstanding meals we have enjoyed over the past year. High on that list has to be going back to eat at Ryugin last month.

This brilliant, high-end Japanese restaurant on the outer fringe of Roppongi is no secret now. How could it be with three consecutive appearances in the mighty Michelin Guide? But when it first opened, back in December 2003, it quietly built up a loyal following and an almost cult reputation on the strength of the innovative approach of its young chef, Seiji Yamamoto.

Just 33 when he set up Ryugin, Yamamoto took inspiration from the new-wave culinary techniques being developed in Europe, especially Spain, adapting them to the Japanese tradition. However, although his cuisine was well worthy of its two-star status, there was one drawback — the setting just didn't look or feel as exciting as the food that was being served.

All that changed this year. In February, Ryugin underwent a major refurbishment, emerging transformed as if from a chrysalis. Out went the sleek but bland interior that could have been anywhere in the world; in its place is an ornate, elaborate dining room that's a one-of-a-kind.

Mario i Sentieri (03) 6418-7072

A personal touch from super Mario

I Sentieri may be smaller and less celebrity glitzy, but it still has the buzz

The Japan Times: Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

You're booking a table for a nice night out, so which is it to be: punctilious precision in a bubble of privileged privacy; or something a bit warmer and jazzier, with a personal touch, plenty of atmosphere and a hint of glamour? Each to their own, of course, but — all things being equal when it comes to the cooking — we know which we prefer. And we know where to find it. Make that a table for two at Mario i Sentieri.

It's been more than a year since Mario Frittoli closed down Luxor, his ritzy, high-end ristorante in Shirokanedai and moved to his current premises in the better-trod back streets of Nishi-Azabu. It was a retrenchment, certainly, in tune with the economic climate; but it has also brought him back closer to his core clientele — those that appreciate the quality of his creative cucina.

I Sentieri — the name means a trail or mountain footpath — may be smaller and less celebrity glitzy, but it still has the buzz expected from Mario (thanks to his books and TV shows, everyone knows him on a first-name-only basis).

A curving flight of stairs leads up from the street to imposing metal doors. Inside, the color scheme is moody matte black and glowing red, with a couple of large contemporary artworks against the far wall and subtle lighting to illuminate the tablecloths. The feel is operatic, much like the background music — sensuous, passionate, serious but with a sense of fun.

There's a small bar counter on one side of the room, where you can perch youself and nurse a drink while waiting for your table to free up or even settle in for a light snack. But the focus of the room is the long rectangular window to the brightly lit open kitchen, where Mario directs the proceedings, observing the dining room and saluting customers as they arrive...

Tempura Uoshin (03) 3796-4041

A masterclass at the counter

Simplicity and refinement highlight classic, traditional flavors at Tempura Uoshin

The Japan Times: Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

Among Tokyo's specialist restaurants, Tempura Uoshin in Nishi-Azabu may not rank in the highest echelons — after just two years in business that might be considered presumptuous. But it certainly has the gravitas and polish you'd expect from the offshoot of Totoya Uoshin, a ryoriya in Akasaka boasting more than 110 years of history, and a Michelin star to go with it.
Like the parent restaurant, Uoshin does not flaunt its presence. Tucked away on the second floor behind the hulking rear wall of Gonpachi (a Japanese gastrodome no-one has ever called modest), the decor is plain and the layout intimate — a single L-shaped scrubbed-wood counter just big enough to seat 10, with a small table at the back for four more. The feel is old-school traditional, with not a hair out of place — and absolutely no aroma of cooking oil.
Chef Shinji Miyazaki is a 27-year veteran of the tempura wok. After working two decades at Uoshin's branch in Roppongi (now long gone), he oversaw the launch of a sister restaurant in Nihonbashi before returning to his former territory to open this branch in Nishi-Azabu.
Dressed in crisp white, he works solo, helped by a single assistant out of sight in the prep kitchen and a kimono-clad waitress. His movements are meticulous, unhurried, almost effortless, making the process of batter-frying morsels of fish or vegetables seem so simple. That is deceptive: getting it absolutely right every time requires considerable expertise. His tempura is orthodox and precise. In contrast with the heavy traditional style of old Tokyo, his cooking is light, almost airy in its refinement. It also tastes exceptionally good.
Read more...

Tempura Uoshin

2F Iwata Building 1-12-10 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku
(03) 3796-4041
www.uoshin.ne.jp/nishiazabu/
Open: lunch 11 am-2:30 pm (last order); dinner 5:50-9:30 pm (last order)
Closed: Sundays and holidays
Nearest station:Roppongi (Hibiya and Oedo lines)
How to get there: From Roppongi Station (Exit 2), walk down Roppongi-dori toward Nishi-Azabu. Just before you reach the Nishi-Azabu Crossing, turn left (along the side of Gompachi). You will see the stairs leading up to Uoshin on the right after about 40 meters.
What works: Great value for quality tempura
What doesn't: The interior is very plain and sober.Number of seats: 10 at the counter and one table for 4
Smoking: Permitted but discouraged
Price per head: Lunch: tendonfrom ¥1,575, set menus from ¥3,150; dinner menu from ¥8,400, also a la carte; 10 percent service charge
Drinks: Beer from ¥630; sake from ¥840; shochu ¥840; wine from ¥945/glass, from ¥3,150/bottle
Credit cards: Major cards accepted
Language: Japanese and English menus; a little English spoken
Reservations: Recommended

map here...

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Norabo (03) 3395-7251

Perfectly simple seasonal cuisine

The Japan Times: Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Returning from any trip out of the country, it's always Japanese food that we crave. No need for anything fancy: hand-chopped soba at the neighborhood noodle shop will do us fine, or perhaps a few charcoal-grilled skewers of chicken at our local yakitori counter. This time, though, having been away for a few weeks, we decided on a quiet evening at Norabo.

This welcoming little restaurant in the residential back streets of Nishi-Ogikubo is just the place to relax and reacquaint the taste buds with the simple, subtle pleasures of Japanese cooking. It may be far from the bright lights of central Tokyo, but Norabo is drawing customers from well beyond the immediate catchment area. Like us, they converge to enjoy the mellow atmosphere and the distinctive cooking of owner-chef Makio Akemine.

These days vegetables are fashionable and so are the hip restaurants showcasing them. But when he opened Norabo back in 2002, Akemine had no eye on that burgeoning new trend. His only concern was — and still remains — to cook with the freshest ingredients possible.

His parents were farmers in Ibaraki Prefecture and, even after moving into Tokyo, they continued growing vegetables for their own use. Having never eaten supermarket produce while he was growing up, Akemine wasn't about to change after setting up his own restaurant.

The Musashino Plain, the flatlands stretching west from Shinjuku to the hills of Takao, used to be fertile agricultural land until Tokyo's suburban sprawl encroached. There are still working farms and smallholdings out in nearby Mitaka, and this is where Akemine goes every morning to pick up the produce that forms the centerpiece of his menu.

There's no rigid adherence to organic or vegetarian ideology at work here. Seafood is mostly sourced from the port of Odawara, on Sagami Bay southwest of Tokyo. As for chicken and meat, it plays such a subsidiary role in the cooking that Akemine is happy to use whatever tastes best — such as the free-range jidori chicken from Tokushima that he incorporates into a number of dishes.

Regulars at Norabo tend to pick and choose from the a la carte menu. We're happy just to sit back and order the basic set-course meal (at ¥3,675 for seven dishes, it's great value). The exact composition will vary according to what the farmers have harvested that day. But until autumn segues into the chill of winter, it is likely to be very similar to the excellent meal we enjoyed last week.

TOKYO FOOD FILE