Numata nori in Kappabashi sells top quality nori. The nori is harvested in the Ariake Sea in Kyushu. There are different styles depending on where it is harvested – the terroir of the sea, or single origin. One nori also includes aonori giving it a richer flavor. We stopped by recently and our favorite was…
Category: chef
Travel + Leisure Asia
Excited to have been tapped by Travel + Leisure Asia to pen a piece on eating in Japan. Great working with my editor, Veronica Inveen, to share with readers insider tips, having worked at both the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Takashimaya, and as the author of Food Sake Tokyo on dining out in Nippon. I hope you can…
Tsukiji Hitachiya
Japanese kitchenware contributes so many ways to cooking at home. One of my favorite shops for kitchen tools and gadgets is @tsukijihitachiya at #TsukijiMarket. I use many of their items at home including the pressed sushi and onigiri wooden molds, oroshigane grater for daikon and ginger, miso koshi to make it easier to add miso to…
Le Pristine
Dining well in Tokyo is easy. If anything it can be intimidating trying to plan the perfect itinerary for the best meals while in Japan. One tip is not to limit yourself to Japanese cuisine meals only. Japan offers amazing seasonal ingredients and I love tasting meals made by non-Japanese chefs working with what is…
Sougo
One of my favorite rice dishes in Tokyo is served at Sougo in Roppongi. It is burdock root that is julienned and fried as tempura and then stirred into rice with shio kombu, salted kelp. The shōjin ryōri restaurant serves a modern take on the Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine. Chef Daisuke Nomura opened his restaurant…
L’Evo
Gastronomy tourism is a big part of why tourists are coming to Japan. L’Evo is an example of a restaurant featuring hyper-local ingredients and worth a journey. Chef Eiji Taniguchi’s restaurant is in the mountains of Toyama in the village of Toga in the remote Nanto district. The menu features local seafood and game with…
est
Contemporary French cuisine made in Japan is always fascinating as I love to see how the chef incorporates local ingredients. The menu at est at the Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi includes a map of Japan referencing where produce, meat, milk, cheese, honey, and more come from. Even the tableware artisans are included on the…
Bricolage Bakery
Avocado 🥑 toast at #Roppongi#Bricolage. My favorite bread in Tokyo is the dinkel (sp?) with grains. There is also a branch in #Shibuya #Tokyu #depachika. If the weather is good the outdoor seating is lovely. With owner and chef Namae Shinobu, one of Japan’s great chefs!
Kyoto Kacto
Kacto in Kyoto is a newer restaurant in Kyoto that is located on the Kamogawa River. Kacto is part of the Tysons and Company group which has fabulous restaurants in Tokyo like Cicada, Ivy Place, and T.Y. Harbor. Chef David Chiddo oversees all of these kitchens. I had a short break from work so only…
Chef Michael Anthony
Always a thrill to have a conversation with chefs. This time it was with chef Michael Anthony who is in Tokyo with a special Gramercy Tavern menu at Union Square Tokyo in Roppongi Midtown. Union Square Tokyo is in the Roppongi Midtown building. It’s a popular restaurant and was busy at lunchtime with a mix…
Kaiseki Kashiwaya
Kashiwaya is a small kaiseki restaurant on the quiet back streets of Nihonbashi. Chef Yoshiyuki Kashiwabara was the chef for ambassadors at Japanese consulates overseas. He moved back to Japan and it’s exciting to see him open his own restaurant. Here are some photos from a recent dinner there. Kaiseki are seasonal small dishes. Chef…
Koko Head Cafe
Chef Lee Anne Wong has brought her Hawaii Koko Head Cafe to Tokyo. In Hawaii it is a popular brunch café. What’s unique about Koko Head Cafe Tokyo is that it’s also open for dinner. In Hawaii it’s a brunch restaurant so closes in the afternoon. So stop by later in the day for a…
Food Sake Tokyo
Three years ago today I had the pleasure of taking Alton Brown on a tour in Tokyo. We did a book exchange at the end, he gave me a copy of this newest cookbook and I gave him Food Sake Tokyo. It was such a pleasure to meet him and help him find knives at…
Sadaharu Aoki
Sadaharu Aoki is a Japanese pastry chef who first made his name in Paris before moving back to Tokyo. His retail shop with a café near Yurakucho station is a nice spot to rest your feet and rejuvenate with French pastries, some with Japanese flavors like yuzu, mattcha, and wasabi. The mattcha served at his…
Chef Bruno Menard at Imperial Hotel
Aiste Miseviciute of Luxeat is a friend who put chef Bruno Menard on my radar. My first time to try chef’s cuisine was at a wine dinner at the Imperial Hotel with Don Melchor wines. I was taken in with not only the cuisine, but chef’s fine touches on the dishes to pair them with the…
Culinary Journeys with Chef Namae Shinobu
I am very excited to share air time with Chef Namae Shinobu in this month’s Discover Japan special on CNN. His show is airing today at 5:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time. Be sure to tune in to travel with him as he goes to Kyoto and to Chiba as he explores the world of tea…
Book Review – 32 Yolks
Eric Ripert is the chef of one of the world’s greatest seafood restaurant, Le Bernadin, in New York City. While in culinary school a girlfriend and I dined here and I still remember the room, the exquisite service, and the outstanding seafood. 32 Yolks is chef Ripert’s autobiography that is written with Veronica Chambers. I…
SFO Peruvian Cooking Classes with Chef Nico Vera
We recently had the pleasure of hosting chef Nico in our Food Sake Tokyo cooking classes. After he returned to San Francisco, a Peruvian friend of ours, Janice Espa, took a cooking class with him. We are pleased to share this with you. The following post is by guest blogger Janice Espa of San Francisco….
Aoyama Cicada
At Cicada in Aoyama, near Omotesando, I always order the mezze plate. I love the variety of small bites, often with lots of vegetables. If you have allergies, or prefer for an all vegetable mezze, the kitchen is great to substitute something. I sometimes come by myself and sit at the bar. In New York…
Shibuya Kotaro 高太郎
** Note, reservations required. Kotaro is very popular and not many spots open up each month as regulars make their next reservations on their way out. Kotaro is named after the owner and chef who prepares all of the food in an open kitchen behind a large wooden counter. I was introduced to Kotaro by…
Nose-to-Tail at the New York Grill (May 16-23)
The Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Grill offers a special menu from May 16-23, 2016. The Nose-to-Tail wagyu event is a five-course event for meat lovers. Chef de Cuisine of the New York Grill and Bar Federico Heinzmann is from Argentina. Federico was saying that Argentines eat about 55 kg of beef a year,…
Park Hyatt Tokyo Kozue’s Tohoku Heroes
Kozue at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a lovely spot for Japanese cuisine. At lunch if the skies are clear you have a gorgeous view of Mount Fuji. At night the city twinkles below you. Two years ago Kozue did a special Tohoku menu to show their support for three prefectures that were hit hard…
Aoyama Cicada
At Cicada in Aoyama, near Omotesando, I always order the mezze plate. I love the variety of small bites, often with lots of vegetables. If you have allergies, or prefer for an all vegetable mezze, the kitchen is great to substitute something. I sometimes come by myself and sit at the bar. In New York…
Shibuya Adenia
Adenia in Shibuya is home to one of my favorite burgers in Tokyo. Chef Masafumi Irie was the sous chef at the Park Hyatt Tokyo at the same time that I was the sommelier. The bistro is a short walk from Shibuya station. It is on a quiet residential street. The daily lunch menu, reasonably…
Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo
Dominique Ansel Bakery Tokyo has finally opened. The local media has been leading up to this event for several months so it is no surprise that there are long lines. The first customers started lining up about 9:30 p.m. the night before, on a wet evening during rainy season. Staff brought out umbrellas for the…
Nobu Tokyo
I remember my first visit to Nobu, in New York City, a long time ago. The restaurant was buzzing. The miso cod was better than I imagined it could be, especially after reading about the dish for so long. The table next to me was a film crew from Tokyo making a commercial for Dunkin…
Chef Narisawa’s Kitchen Car – One of Japan
Starting January 7 and running through March 8 adjacent to the Diner’s Club Ice Rink in Roppongi, chef Yoshihiro Narisawa is serving cuisine from his first Kitchen Car. I much prefer the name the Japanese have given to food trucks, kitchen cars. If you are at all familiar with chef Narisawa’s gorgeous and spacious kitchen at…
2015 Tokyo Michelin Guide
The 2015 Tokyo Michelin Guide is out and is available online for free: http://gm.gnavi.co.jp/home/ This is a nice reminder to what a wonderful food city Tokyo is. Michelin Tokyo by the numbers: 551 restaurants 12 3-star restaurants (one was promoted) 53 2-star restaurants 161 1-star restaurants 325 restaurants providing good value, quality food for less…
Sukiyabashi Jiro and Masuhiro Yamamoto
Jiro Ono, master chef and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro recently celebrated his 89th birthday. Yesterday it was announced that the Japanese government is awarding him with a special honor for his contributions and hard work as a sushi craftsman. Today there was a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan and here are…
Takashimaya Patissieria Sweets Counter
If you have a sweet tooth be sure to visit Shinjuku Takashimaya’s Patissieria in the depachika. The concept is brilliant, over a hundred signature sweets from patisseries throughout Tokyo all displayed together. Carefully peruse the sweets and upon selecting one, or two if you like, take a seat at the counter and order a coffee…
Chef Federico Heinzmann at the Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Grill & Bar
The Park Hyatt Tokyo is celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer. Earlier this year the New York Grill and Bar welcomed a new chef, Argentinian Federico Heinzmann. His last name is a nod to his Swiss and German heritage. My interview with chef Federico is in Metropolis magazine. Chef Federico’s style and philosophy is already taking…
Why You Should be Eating Italian in Tokyo
A good chef friend was visiting from NYC. He’s lived in Tokyo for years and knows that Italian done by Japanese chefs is one of Tokyo’s greatest culinary treats. I was thrilled to hear we were going for Italian and that a food editor was picking our lunch spot. A tiny Hiroshima virgin oyster in…
Nihonbashi Yukari 日本橋ゆかり – August Bento Lunch
My favorite restaurant in Tokyo is Nihonbashi Yukari. Third-generation chef Kimio Nonaga is the 2002 Iron Chef champion. The food is amazing and I most of all I appreciate chef Nonaga’s passion for sharing Japanese cuisine. He graciously answers all of our questions about the ingredients, where it was sourced, and preparation. He also shares…
Kozue at the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Kozue at the Park Hyatt Tokyo under the helm of talented chef Kenichiro Ooe is a wonderful traditional Japanese restaurant with amazing views of Mount Fuji on a clear day. Lunch was a gorgeous affair filled with seasonal spring May seafood and vegetables. First course – Yomogi (mugwort) tofu garnished with shirasu, umeboshi neriume, gomadare (sesame…
What and Where to Eat in Tokyo
Updated May, 2016 I often am asked for restaurant suggestions in Tokyo. Wow. Where does one begin? The food is amazing, from the high end kaiseki restaurants and sushi counters to the neighborhood ramen shop or izakaya. Even on a budget it is very easy to eat well in Tokyo. Let me put here just…
Japanese Pastry Chefs Worth Checking Out
The December 2011 issue of Cuisine Kingdom (料理王国) lists some Japanese patissiers and chocolatiers worth getting to know. I am listing them here. On a side note, it also includes a friend of ours, Shinji Oyama, who is in charge of all of the public relations for the Tsuji Chori Gakko. Susumu Koyama 小山進 Patissier…
Autumn Lunch at Nihonbashi Yukari 日本橋ゆかり
Nihonbashi Yukari is just a few minutes’ walk from Tokyo Station’s Yaesu exit. This third generation restaurant is one of my favorites in Japan for many reasons. For the quality of food it is a great bargain. The Yukari bento lunch here is about 3,675 JPY. A kaiseki multi-course dinner starts at 10,500 JPY. At…
Ivan Ramen
Dreams can come true. In the cold winter months, perhaps the most satisfying dish to be had in Japan is ramen. With almost 9,000 ramen shops in Tokyo, it is not hard to find one, but rare is the one where the noodles are handmade from scratch and where the chef is a graduate of…
Two Rooms
Two Rooms near Omotesando has one of Tokyo’s best dream teams at the helm of the restaurant. In the kitchen, chef Matthew Crabbe’s impressive resume includes the New York Bar and Grill at the Park Hyatt and Kyoto’s Hyatt Regency. Eddie Baffoe was the popular bar manager at the Oak Door at the Grand Hyatt….
Les Saisons in the Imperial Hotel
Tokyoites are generally spoiled by the wealth of so many outstanding French restaurants available. Many Michelin-starred chefs from France have outlets in Tokyo; Joel Robuchon, Pierre Gagnaire, and Michel Troisgros, to name but a few. Included with this group is chef Thierry Voisin, who came to The Imperial Hotel to run the kitchen at Les…
Chef Seiji Yamamoto of Ryugin
This article first appeared in The Japan Times in January of 2008. Since then I would have to say that chef Seiji Yamamoto’s cuisine has returned to more traditional Japanese techniques. But the article is still worth reading to understand chef Yamamoto’s background. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg20080111a1.html (text follows) Nothing turns a woman on more than a room…
Chef Q&A with Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen
Ivan Orkin is the talented chef-owner of Ivan Ramen and the recently opened Ivan Ramen Plus. A Culinary Institute of America graduate who has worked with the best including Andre Soltner of Lutece and Bobby Flay. Ivan has been very busy with the opening of his second ramen shop as well as working on what…
Ginza Harutaka 銀座青空
Chef Harutaka developed his skills with 12 years at Sukiyabashi Jiro. This sushi restaurant is popular with top chefs in the city. Sit at the counter and watch the young, talented and soft-spoken chef as he handles the seasonal seafood with care and deft. Part of the delight in dining here is taking in the…
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.
Nihonbashi Yukari 日本橋ゆかり
One of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo is Nihonbashi Yukari. It is just a coincidence that it is called Yukari. It is not a coincidence that I worked at Takashimaya in Nihonbashi, just a few blocks from this oasis. Nihonbashi Yukari is a kaiseki restaurant serving seasonal cuisine. Chef Nonaga was the 2002 Iron Chef…
Gotta Go – Nihonbashi Yukari
I am often asked for restaurant suggestions in Tokyo. There is one restaurant that I recommend time and time again. Chef Kimio Nonaga of Nihonbashi Yukari was the 2002 Iron Chef winner, and the trophy is displayed when you first walk in. I love this restaurant for lunch or dinner. For a multi-course kaiseki dinner…
Food Sake Tokyo 