Yamagata San-Dan-Delo was featured in Food & Wine’s Tokyo City Guide 2011. Yamagata’s abundant natural resources produce seafood from both the Japan Sea and rivers, wagyu and pork, rice, and produce. Chef Masayuki Okuda’s Italian restaurant in Yamagata, Al-che-cciano became a destination restaurant with diners traveling from around the country to dine there. Al-che-cciano is…
Month: April 2011
Setouchi Ryori Suminoe 瀬戸内料理すみのえ
Setouchi Ryori Suminoe was featured in Food & Wine’s Tokyo City Guide in the May 2011 issue. The fourth generation chef, Yasufumi Ootani, from a Hiroshima ryokan (traditional guest house), Suminoe Ryokan, has opened a restaurant in Tokyo. Seafood is flown in daily from the Setonaikai area (inland Sea of Japan). Sazae (turban shell) grilled…
Ginza Ibuki 銀座一二岐
Ginza Ibuki is one of the restaurants in the current issue of Food & Wine’s Tokyo City Guide 2011. Chef Sadahisa Yoshizawa trained for eight years in Kyoto before breaking out on his own. The seafood of Kochi prefecture is featured in this intimate restaurant. The signature dish is seared katsuo (bonito) garnished with thinly…
Food & Wine’s Tokyo City Guide 2011
My favorite writing assignment each year is the Tokyo Go List for Food & Wine magazine (the current May issue). This year focuses on three restaurants in the notable Ginza shopping district that features cuisine from three different prefectures in Japan. The chefs at each of these places are all getting a lot of press…
Iwate Antenna Shop in Higashi-Ginza 岩手銀プラアンテナショップ
Iwate prefecture’s antenna shop is located across the street from the Kabukiza theater. This was a great place to get your bento lunch if attending a kabuki show. The theater is closed at the moment as a new theater is being built, scheduled to reopen in the pring of 2013. However, the bentos have not…
Fukushima Antenna Shop Near Tokyo Station 福島アンテナショップ
Located just outside of Tokyo station on the Yaesu side is the Fukushima antenna shop. Here you will find local sake (jizake), tomato jam, and very unique pickled peaches. Fukushima Antenna Shop Chuo-ku, Yaesu 2-6-21 03-3275-0856
Chef Seiji Yamamoto of Nihonryori Ryugin 日本料理龍吟の山本征治
Avant-gardist Seiji Yamamoto of Nihonryori Ryugin once silk-screened bar codes onto plates with squid ink. His latest shocker: He’s embracing Japanese classics, as in his rice steamed with shamo (chicken). Ryugin Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-17-24, Side Roppongi Bldg, 1st Floor 03-3423-8006 http://www.nihonryori-ryugin.com/ (English) Food & Wine 2010 Tokyo Go List Here’s a piece I wrote on chef Yamamoto for The Japan Times.
Miyagi Antenna Shop in Ikebukuro 宮城アンテナショップ
One way to show your support for Tohoku is to visit the antenna shops that showcase local products. Antenna shops are an excellent way to find food products and other goods from a specific region, mostly from a specific prefecture. Miyagi prefecture, one of the hardest hits from the earthquake and tsunami is known for…
Hanami Bento for Sakura Viewing 花見弁当
If you are planning on viewing cherry blossoms don’t go without a spring bento box and a drink. Working at Takashimaya it was an education to see the seasonal food prepared in bento boxes. The above box is from Minokichi, a historic Kyoto kaiseki restaurant. The current chef is the tenth generation. The restaurant dates…
Hokkaido Food Fair at Keio in Shinjuku
An insider’s tip when visiting department stores is not to limit yourself to the basement’s depachika. Inquire at the concierge if there is a special food event on the event floor, usually the top floor. Today through April 12th at Keio in Shinjuku the food of Hokkaido is featured on the 7th floor. Hokkaido is…
Tokyo Do’s and Don’t’s
Do visit a depachika, the epicurean food floors in the basement of major department stores. My favorites are Takashimaya (both in Nihonbashi and Shinjuku), Isetan in Shinjuku, Mitsukoshi in Ginza, Tokyu Toyokoten in Shibuya, and Tobu in Ikebukuro. An incredible variety of food is exquisitely presented. In particular, be sure to check out the wagashi…
Food Sake Tokyo 