Nihonbashi Yukari is a third-generation kaiseki restaurant near Tokyo Station. Iron Chef Kimio Nonaga was a champion of the original popular cooking competition. The first photo is the Yukari Shōkadō Bentō lunch. It is packed with a variety of traditional Japanese dishes including tempura, sashimi, simmered pork belly, and many other small bites. The bentō…
Category: kaiseki
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…
Grand Hyatt Tokyo – Shunbou
Shunbou is the Japanese restaurant at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi. The Grand Hyatt has several Japanese restaurants including Roku Roku for sushi and Keyakizaka for teppanyaki. Shunbou features seasonal kaiseki dishes as well as comfort food like curry udon. It is kid-friendly and a great option in the Roppongi area. Entering the restaurant seasonal…
72 Seasons – guest post by Janice Espa
Tokyo is enthralling. If like me, you can’t get enough of this city, then you’re probably on the go from early in the morning. Tokyo dining, though delicious, can leave you dumbfounded. Dinner plans, which many times require a reservation, are easier to plan around than deciding what to have for lunch when caught in…
I’ll Have What Phil’s Having
It all started a little over a year ago. An email from a producer in New York City wanting to know if we would help with the filming of a new food show for PBS. The program would travel around the world with Phil Rosenthal. I was more than happy to help and was lucky…
Wadakura at the Palace Hotel Tokyo 和田倉
Seasonal Sashimi of Sea Bream, Medium Fatty Tuna, and Squid Kaiseki restaurant Wadakura in the Palace Hotel Tokyo is a quiet oasis overlooking the moat of the Imperial Palace. Seasonal dishes are brought out in small portions and presented on beautiful dishes. There are many good reasons for having kaiseki for lunch. First and foremost,…
The Artistry of Den 傳 2
Asamayama Natsu-Jun, or summer Junmaishu, was rich enough to stand up the fish course. Katsuo-zuké, skipjack tuna marinated in soy sauce, is a dish we eat at home, but this was so much more upscale. The katsuo was marinated for a much shorter time than we do at home. Also, I loved the egg yolk that…
The Artistry of Den 傳
Den in Jimbocho is a restaurant that everyone is talking about. I had to go and check it out for myself. I was told that chef Zaiyu Hasegawa is a great guy and a talented chef. (Note, if you are planning on eating there in the near future, don’t read through this blog post as…
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…
Food Sake Tokyo 