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…
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…
Sushi Yoshitake Suzuryu Building 3F 8-7-19 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 11/12/12 One of my food goals in Japan has been to find the best sushi I could possibly get my hands on. Sukiyabashi Jiro was initially what I had my sights on to satisfy this quest, but that didn’t work out; in hindsight,…
Ginza Okuda Carioca Building B1 5-4-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 11/3/12 Japanese kaiseki meals are akin to Western high-end dining in that there are typically a large number of small courses. Plating is thoughtful and intricate, and the food is highly seasonal. Like a sushi bar, counter-dining is prevalent, allowing the diner a…
Beige Alain Ducasse Chanel Ginza Building 10F 3-5-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 10/28/12 In between bowls of soba and ramen and countless plates of curry rice, tonkatsu, yakitori, sushi and sashimi, I’ve scattered a few French meals into my itinerary. This was the second (after L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon). Beige Alain Ducasse is a…
Sushi Kanesaka Misuzu Building 8-10-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Dining date: 10/21/12 There are so many sushi restaurants in Tokyo, it’s a daunting task trying to choose which ones to go to. However, the fact the I would be dining solo for most of the meals, and speak very little Japanese, helped to filter down…