washoku

Viola

An exciting newcomer to the Tokyo food scene is Viola, serving traditional Japanese cuisine. The homestyle dishes are served kaiseki style, in courses. Dashi, the basic umami rich stock, is at the core of many of the dishes. The elegant simplicity of the dishes are a testament to the quality of the cooking. It’s no…

Washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine, was designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage ten years ago. To commemorate this there is a fabulous exhibit at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo in Ueno. The exhibit covers a wide variety of topics including seafood and sea vegetables, produce, regional cuisine, fermented foods, the history…

Nihonbashi Yukari

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…

Sudachi and Kabosu

This time of year there are two citrus, kankitsu 柑橘, that are in season. sudachi 酢橘 – fragrant smaller citrus that is quite tart. Lovely sliced thin over a bowl of soba or squeezed over grilled foods such as sanma Pacific saury or matsutaké mushrooms. *I use a Benriner mandoline for slicing the citrus. Push…

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…