17 June 2013
TOKYO EATING
Forget the kiwi style salmon sushi that makes a quick snack or meal on the run. You'll be hard pressed to find that in Tokyo. What you will find is an abundance of cooking styles, super-delicious food and more restaurants per square metre than you've ever dreamed about. Japanese city dwellers rarely cook, and many don't even have kitchens so there's an abundance of good food, already prepared and ready-to-eat. Here is a round up of foodie things to do and restaurants and cafes to eat at.
The grand department stores all have superb food halls, mostly on the basement level. The finest are the original historic Mitsukoshi store in Nihonbashi, and its sister store in Ginza. For an amazing food and fashion experience visit Isetan at Shinjuku. This vast store recently remodelled and re-opened as a Fashion Museum, with a food department that is breathtakingly beautiful. Don't miss eating lunch at Le Salon Jacques Borie on Isetan's fourth floor.
A trip to Kappanbashi is not to be missed. A whole district in the suburbs with endless shops stocking food related equipment and supplies, including those esoteric plates of plastic food (astonishingly expensive.) Take a tour with Yukari Sakamoto of Food Sake Tokyo foodsaketokyo.wordpress.com. An American/Japanese food-lover and sommelier, she also offers trips, with her Japanese sushi-chef husband, to the Tsukiji fish market with demonstrations of sashimi and sushi making.
Reach to the top of the culinary scene and eat at Narisawa, named as the Best Restaurant in Asia for 2013. With stunning presentation, respect for seasonal finest fare and a relaxed, modern setting, this is some of the most intricately stunning food to be found in the world. An outstanding international wine list and boutique sakes to accompany such dishes as Kobe wagyu beef, exquisite seafood and chestnut bread cooked on hot stones right at the table. A short walk from Aoyama station, and reservations taken on-line one month ahead, at www.narisawa-yoshihiro.com
The Tokyo sushi experience is not-to-be-missed. Spare no expense and sit yourself at a sushi counter, watching carefully as the sushi master flashes his knives on the freshest of seafood. Served as sashimi, nigiri sushi and grilled morsels, you will know you are in a special place. Try the small sushi cafes right in the Tsukiji market early each morning or for a grander experience eat at Sushi Takewaka T 03 3546 9113. This is a large restaurant a block or two from the market, across the road from Tsukiji station and it opens for lunch and dinner daily. Another almost secret sushi restaurant is Sushi Ichi, not far from Chanel on Ginza. Chef Masakazu Ishibashi heads three branches, in Shanghai, Singapore and in Tokyo at 3-4-4 Ginza, T 03 3567 0014.
Near Omotesando, in the exclusive shopping precinct there is a wonderful izakaya neighbourhood restaurant, Teiyandei at Nishi Azabu 2-20-1 (T 03 3407 8127.) Take your shoes off and enter a world where the chefs will shout out their welcome and serve you some of the finest silken tofu on earth, along with other fresh seasonal treats straight from the charcoal grill. And after you have eaten, walk a block away to Library Lounge These bar T 03 5466 3771 for an astonishing late night post-prandial cocktail.
Another ex-pat hang out near Omotesando, where you will have no trouble being understood, is the Two Rooms Grill/Bar on the fifth floor of the AO building at 3-11-7 Kita-Aoyama Minato-ku (Phone 03 3498 0002). A roof top view over Roppongi, an outdoor seating area and indoor sophisticated bar and grill serving modern food and cocktails is just the spot for relaxing and enjoying a steak, pasta and other contemporary dishes.
No-one should miss witnessing the famous crossing at Shibuya where a reputed 2 million people cross the road daily. After whiling an hour or two away people-gazing, take a 10 minute walk to Kaikaya, 23-7 Maruyama-cho (T 023 3770 0878), a seafood izakaya restaurant where fresh seafood platters are a specialty. A favourite of the ex-pat community this eclectic restaurant offers a huge menu of char-grilled fish, salads, sashimi and much more. Choose from seating in the tiny smokehouse or the larger room next door.
If yu are looking for gifts to take home, do not be tempted by anything other than the beautifully packaged and delicately made Yoku Moku biscuits. Find them in the food halls of the department stores, in the flagship store in Omotesando, and even in the duty free stores at Narita airport.
This was first published in SIMPLY YOU LIVING May 2013