[Tokyo] Shinjuku Gyoen 新宿御苑

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[Tokyo] Shinjuku Gyoen 新宿御苑

Shinjuku Gyoen 新宿御苑

Add: 東京都新宿区内藤町11番地
Tel: 03-3350-0151
Hours: 9am-4:30pm (closed on Monday)
Website: www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen
Price: ¥200/adult, ¥50/child

On a freezing but delightfully sunny day, we came to Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑) for a morning walk. This expansive imperial garden, originally built in 1906 for the royal family, is now open to the public. We were lucky to catch the last of the maple leaves and even a scattering of early cherry blossoms. Shinjuku Gyoen is the perfect place for a stroll or a picnic, and I can only imagine how crowded it would be during the prime season for maple leaves and cherry blossom watching.

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[Tokyo] Ryugin 龍吟

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[Tokyo] Ryugin 龍吟

Ryugin 龍吟

Add: Side Roppongi Bldg, 1st Floor, 7-17-24 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo 106-0032
.           東京都港区六本木7-17-24 サイド六本木ビル 1F
Tel: 03-3423-8006
Hours: 6pm-1am
Price: ¥23,100+10% service charge/set, drinks extra
Website: www.nihonryori-ryugin.com
Visited: Jan 2011

Ryugin is definitely on the hot list. This kaiseki restaurant has been awarded 3 Michelin stars, ranked 22 in S. Pellegrino’s World Top 50 Restaurants, garnered unanimously positive reviews on Chowhound and food blogs, and was recommended to me by two very serious food fanatics. I made a reservation almost 2 months prior to my visit, knowing how difficult it is to snatch a table at this highly regarded restaurant.

At Ryugin, Chef Seiji Yamamoto puts together a seasonal menu that changes daily. As far as I could tell, most tables were served the same set, though there was one table occupied by a frequent patron that had customized dishes.

Dish #1: 100% Turnip Hot Soup with “Turnip and Fish” Ball. The soup was as clear as crystal but very expressive. The turnip fish ball was delicate and fell apart easily at the spoon, and thin strends of yuzu peel added a refreshing touch to the soup.

Dish #2: Premium Monkfish Liver” from Hokkaido with Special Miso Sauce. This was absolutely mesmerizing. I loved the voluptuous richness from the monkfish liver, and the accompanying vegetables dressed in apple vinegar delivered a pleasant zest.

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[Tokyo] Toshi Yoroizuka

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[Tokyo] Toshi Yoroizuka

Toshi Yoroizuka

Add: 東京都港区赤坂9-7-2 東京ミッドタウン・イースト1ＦＢ－0104
.            Tokyo Midtown East 1F B-0104. 9-7-2 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5413-3650
Hours: [shop] 11am-9pm [salon] 11am-10pm
Price: ¥1,200~1,300
Website: grand-patissier.info/ToshiYoroizuka
Visited: Jan 2011

I love the idea of sitting at a bar facing an open kitchen, where pastry chefs conjure up beautiful desserts from scratch, right in front of my eyes. Naturally, Toshi Yoroizuka was on my must-visit list for Tokyo. The pastry chef has spent several years in Europe training in Switzerland, Germany, France and Belgium before returning to Japan, where his two boutique cafes now have pastry chefs assembling seasonal desserts to order. To avoid the wait, I skipped lunch and headed to Toshi Yoroizuka at noon. I was ready to be blown away.

There was no line during lunch time – I guess not many people eat desserts for an actual meal like I do – but it was a full house when I passed by again later in the afternoon. We were seated immediately and handed the menu, which only consisted of 8 items to choose from. If you obviously don’t speak Japanese, the waiter will bring you an English menu with detailed construction drawings of each dessert.

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[Tokyo] Konakara こなから

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[Tokyo] Konakara こなから

Konakara おでん処こなから

Add: 〒100-6505 東京都千代田区丸の内1-5-1 新丸の内ビルディング5F
Tel:03-5220-2281
Hours: [lunch] 11am-3pm [dinner] 5-11pm
Price: ¥200~450/oden
Website: www.konakara.com
Visited: Jan 2011

There’s a buzz at Konakara that makes you feel like you’ve come to the right place. Diners sit elbow to elbow along the cozy U-shaped counter, all facing the signature gourd-shaped copper kettle filled with oden. All that crowding does not exactly make an ideal place for a private tête à tête, but if you’re looking for a warm and delicious evening, this may be exactly what you’re after.

Starters (¥1,000/trio), simple but delicious.

Among all the items we ordered, my favorites were: 京がんも (deep fried tofu ball)、餅きんちゃく (tofu pouch filled with mochi), いわしつみれ (sardine fish ball), and 帆立入りさつま揚げ. Other standard fare like 大根 (daikon radish) and 産みたてたまご (boiled egg) are of course delicious as well, especially when devoured with the accompanying steamy hot broth made from shiitake mushrooms, kelp, katsuobushi, and mackerel.

Here are the deep fried tofu ball, tofu pouch filled with mochi, and sardine fish ball (¥350 each).

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[Tokyo] Quintessence

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[Tokyo] Quintessence

Quintessence レストラン カンテサンス

Add: 1F “Barbizon 25″ building, 5-4-7 Shirokanedai, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 108-0071
.           〒108-0071 東京都港区白金台5-4-7 バルビゾン25 1F
Tel: [reservation] 03-5791-3715 [information] 03-5791-3711
Hours: [lunch] 12-3pm [dinner] 6:30-11pm
Price*: [lunch] ¥7,875+10%/person [dinner] ¥16,800+10%/person
Website: www.quintessence.jp
Visited: Jan 2011

Did you know that Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris? With so many fine dining options in the city, choosing a few on a short visit becomes an almost impossible affair. Luckily, a foodie friend who spent her university years in Tokyo dropped me some names, and Quintessence, a three Michelin star restaurant serving modern French cuisine, was on top of her list.

Quintessence is tucked away on a beautiful little residential street in Shirokanedai, apparently an area for rich lady afternoon teas. As Quintessence is a popular place, it’s advised to call at least 2 months in advance for dinner reservations, but lunch spots are much easier to get.

The interior of the restaurant is sleek and simple. My only complaint is that there are no windows in this restaurant, allowing for no natural light even during lunch time. We were seated in the private room which was extremely fortunate, as they don’t seem to permit photography in the main dining room.

The chef, Shuzo Kishida, has worked as the sous chef at L’Astrance in Paris, and brought back with him all that he has acquired at the legendary three Michelin star establishment.The dishes change everyday based on seasonal produces, and never does the restaurant use yesterday’s materials for today’s meal.

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