RyuGin Side Roppongi Bldg, 1st Floor 7-17-24 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 Dining date: 11/20/12 My first meal at RyuGin was one of the best meals in 2012. Towards the end of that meal, I was told that they store the menus of all of the diners they seat so that they can ensure a unique…
Tempura Kondo Sakaguchi Building 9F 5-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 11/7/12 Tempura is easy to find in America, and it’s something I really enjoyed eating as a kid (especially the shrimp). In Japan, tempura is taken to another level, with restaurants solely focused on the style. Diners sit around a bar while a…
La Boutique de Joel Robuchon Marunouchi Brick Square 1F 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005 Dining date: multiple Perhaps the one category of food that struck me the most in terms of differences between Japan and America was the countless options of quality pastries, chocolates and all types of sweets. I don’t really have a sweet…
Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon Yebisu Garden Place 2F 1-13-1 Mita, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0062 Dining date: 11/18/12 I wasn’t initially planning to dine here. I went to L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the beginning of my stay and was content on trying more of the Japanese food that I couldn’t get in America. At some point…
Kohaku 3-4 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0825 Dining date: 11/15/12 Kohaku is the younger sibling restaurant to three-star kaiseki restaurant Ishikawa. Chef Koji Koizumi worked under Ishikawa for years, becoming his right-hand man. When Ishikawa decided to move his restaurant, it was time for Koizumi to take over the old space to create something of his…
Kaika Kojun Building 4F 6-8-7 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 11/13/12 Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine centered around an iron griddle, where chefs prepare a number of courses right in front of the diner. It’s not exactly a style steeped in tradition (it began in the 20th century), often incorporating a number…
Ginza Toyoda La Vialle Ginza Bldg 2F 7-5-4 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Dining date: 11/10/12 I made it a point to try a few kaiseki meals while in Japan – Ginza Toyoda would be my third experience of the trip. The restaurant came to my attention via the Tokyo Michelin Guide (2 stars) and the fact…
Pierre Gagnaire ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo 1-12-33 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 Dining date: 11/11/12 My third main foray into Western cuisine in Japan was my first time to a Pierre Gagnaire restaurant. I’ve heard some mixed reviews about Gagnaire’s lone U.S. restaurant Twist in Las Vegas, but still felt like I had to try his…