Keyakizaka and some catching up

So I have been quite busy with work lately, so I haven't been really going out much. But I did get to Keyakizaka (teppan at the Grand Hyatt GH) in Roppongi Hills. It got one stat from Michelin. As is typical with Japanese meat places, the wagyu is always too marblized for my taste, and I passed. But now they have Australian tenderloin, which I prefer. Less fat, more lean and feels more like meat, instead of butter. It also costs less, which is always a plus.

The good thing is that they changed up the menu somewhat (like the introduction of the Aussie meat). I liked the escargot and the white asparagus dishes, both were grilled on the teppan. I prefer the snails at Stamps and Il Mulino, but these were good in their own right. The grilled uni was not a show stopper but competent.

The meal has improved there, before I disliked the place, but now it seems to have caught its stride. It is not great, but very competent.

Been going to Two Rooms a lot, since it is close to home. The place is pretty busy on the weekends (just FYI- my weekends start on Thursday). and the broker crowd (or what's left of them) are in abundance. You forget that there is a recession going on. You can go alone ahnd you will run into someone you know. I was there on Saturday by myself, and had 8 friends drinking with me within half an hour. Did I mention I met the Japanese Miss Universe finalists there last week too? That is another story.

No new toys this week, but I recently picked up the R/C Mecha Godzilla- the ultimate mecha Godzilla ever.

I am vowing to stop buying until I finish Spring cleaning. In Japan one cleans generally at the end of the year. In the US we do it in the Spring. I am trying to find someone who will buy used US books from me. I need more shelf space. I figured with the recession that used books would be more popular, ut I guess not. As is usual, too much stuff, too little space.

For those of you in Japan- Have you seen Chuck? It is a pretty good show. I think that it would attractan audience in Japan. It is a bit like a Japanese comic book. Normal kid gets a special ability and mayhen ensues. A girl totally out of his league is attracted to him. Lotsa guns and some stupid humor. It is what an American version of a comic book in Japan would be like.

Also started watching Krod Mandoon. Verdict is still out on that one. Also started reading Basic Instructions- an online comic- funny stuff, very funny stuff. This probably would not find a Japanese audience. It is pretty sarcastic and that does not go over well with Japanese senses of humor. ike Red Meat also like Red Meat, the food and the comic, so you get a sense of my teate in humor.

I guess Burn Notice is not finding any real support in Japan? Too bad, this is some pretty good television as well. I like it better than Chuck. It has been pretty good so far, and they started showing season one on Fox last year. Check it out on SkyPerfect.

Out last night Roti - 57 - Amrta

Was out last night and went to Roti in Roppongi Midtown. I don;t like the Roti in the Pyramide Bldg closer to Nishi Azabu, but the one in Midtown is pretty good. The food is about the same, but the ambiance is better in the one in Midtown. Get the gorgonzola with Manuka Honey, simple but awesome starter. Also the burger as a main is phenomenal. Get it with bacon, foie-gras, mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. It becomes huge but it is mighty tasty.

Went to 57 for drinks afterwards. What a dude fest! Not a pretty girl to be seen at all. Just dudes. I guess if you are into dudes that's good for you.... Went to the semi-private room in the back. Probably the best seats in the house. You get away from the riff-raff. The NY style cheesecake is very good there. It actually reminded me of the better cheesecakes in Manhattan.

The off to Amrta for drinks. Mentioned to Yokki that I saw his picture in the latest issue of Tokyo Calendar. Pretty late by then so headed home....

Off to another evening out tonight... going to a restaurant that apparently has a foot bath????

Tateru Yoshino

Was at Tateru Yoshino a couple of weeks ago. As always an excellent meal. Tateru Yoshino is a fine chef who holds stars in both his Tokyo restaurant and Stella Maris in France. He actually jets from country to country on a biweekly basis to cook at his places. I respect that. Most people, like Gordon Ramsey are never at his restaurants. I find that kind of off.

Gordon says its like Armani, where Armani doesn't stitch each article of clothing at his boutiques, but I say it is not the same. You can return a suit if it does not please you and is not up to snuff. You can't reverse peristalsis a meal and request a refund. You can compare suits and see if the one you bought is the same quality as something else. How do you do that with food? Can you go up to another customer and say- dude how's your linguini? is it soft and mushy like mine or does it actually taste good. Let me try some to compare.

Tateru Yoshino is there often enough that I am comfortable going. Also Wakanobayashi-san (the head sommelier) is there and if he is there I can be rest assured that the service will be top-notch and the food always under proper supervision.

If you go, get the goat carpacchio- excellent!

Every dish was very good and memorable, like a fine Michelin star restaurant should be. WE drank too much though. The Tokaji Ascenzcia was over the top. Excellent but unnecessary as we were all pretty toasted by that time. The Billecart Salmon non-vintage to start was and is always an excellent choice. The 1982 Ducru-Beaucailleu was excellent and cheap on the wine list.

The lamb there is the best in Tokyo.

New club opening

Well, went to another opejning last night. This makes about 5 in the past week.... Is Japan really in an economic pickle, because I can't see it....

Anyway went to the Century Court opening party last night. Thanks to a very cool girl I know. The club is quite big and has a lot of small restaurants in it. The place is in the basement of the Meiji Seimei bldg. The food was OK, but the party was fun. No big names, but I wouldn't know them even if they were there.

The guy told me I could be 50% off the initiation fee if I signed up now, so I did. So anyone who wnats to go to the Century Court, give me a shout!

101 and counting

Well, I haven't updated this thing for a while. Been busy. Having an active life prevents one from actually being able to put down in words what's going on often. It also prevents you from being as introspective as you want to be, but life goes on.

So here goes,

Went to Michel Troisgros. Not the one in France but in Shinjuku. It sis located within a Hyatt Regency. The hotel itslef in pretty old. When you walk in it feels like a time slip into bubble Japan, circa 1987. Everything is overstated and baudy. Sort of like if Paris Hilton were a lobby then this would be it.

The restuarant itself is much more subdued. The place has one or two Michelin stars, but I would personally rate it 1/2 star. The food is good, but not mind-blowing. For 2 or three stars the food actually has to give you an orgasm. For three someone else should also be providing you with means to an orgasm, but whatever.

The best dish was the slow cooked sea bass. But the rainbow trout at Tetsuya's was better. The Okinawan pork bland and the skin was sticky.

The dessert was something that would be just as welcome at a HoJos. Uninspired and the chocolat fondant was overcooked.

The wine list was extensive and read like a pohne directory. But nothing really inspired there either.

The service was good. The English spoken was hard to understand sometimes, but an A for effort and the staff genuinely seemed to care.

All is all, "meh". It is a good restaurant but nothing that one would need to hike all the way to Shinjuku for.

Go to Tateru Yoshino for better food. Quality of service would be about the same too.

L'embellir

Went to L'embellir the other night. I have been meaning to check it out, but was not able to until last week. It is very close to my home (Walking distance) and the restaurant took 1 star on MIchelin (not taht it means much to me), but as it was a new restaurant I was curious.

It is in a building that houses apartments, so the entrance feels a bit odd. The entry is not well designed at all. The staff upon greeting is a bit staid and stiff. After you are seated, the staff open up a bit more, but there is a lot of volatility between staff members. I ordered a la carte and also got the oyster special for the night. The amuse bouche was not that great, so I thought I would be disappointed, but to my surprise I was rather delighted with the food. Every dish was good, although at French palces I am not very experimental in my choices, I liked everythign that was served. The oysters were creamy and the sauce was a good complement. The appetizer of ravioli was well executed and the steak was good. I am not a big explainer of food. You have to taste it to appreciate the finer qualities like aroma, succulence and after taste. So I will just say good, yummy. Worth the money. Thes teak was rare and the sauce went well with the wine.

The Chateau Valandraud at 46000 was aslo fairly priced I think.

I will go again.

Dazzle

Went back to Dazzle in Ginza recently. I am not a fan of the place, but it was a work function.

Dazzle is one of those Citabria/Casita cloes when it comes to food. International with a hint of Asian.

It is a weird restaurant. You enter through the kitchen and then take another elevator to the main dining room. I happen to think this si less sanitary than a kitchen where the entire world does not walk through it, but hey, that's me.

The wine cellar is a 2 story enclosure that juts out diagonally into the restaurant. No wine angels though...

The service is attentive and lively, but I think a little too personable. There are too many Japanese restaurants that think that good service = I am your best friend service. I think that good service should be professional and a bit aloof. Too many restaurants blur the difference betweeen staff and customer and think it is a good thing.

The food is good but unremarkable. I don't remember what I ate. That is always a bad sign.

The price is a bit bull market, but nothing out of the ordinary for a higher end restaurant in Tokyo.

Take a date who is easily impressed.

Il Mulino Revisited

They changed the beef carpaccio!
Ugh. What a disaster! I liked the old carpaccio they did- veggies wrapped in raw beef. It was good.

This new carpaccio is OK, but it is the same old carpaccio you could get anywhere.... slices of beef over veggies.

Sat at my usual spot, the corner of the cigar room. The escargot was off the bar menu, but they still made it for me, as it is available on their grand menu.

The steak sandwich, which is always good, is still the best in Tokyo. But the restaurant as a whole, especially the dining room I do not like. Too dark and the service is always questionable. The food as a whole has improved, but sad, sad, sad, for the carpaccio!

NY B&G

Went to the New York Bar and Grill for the first time in a while. The food hasn't really changed since last time. The menu is the same, the gazpacho was OK, but I like the gazpacho better at Cicada, when they have it. The salads are huge as always and proficiently prepared. I was disappointed with the steak, as I ordered mine black and blue but it came out very rare instead.

The waitstaff was OK. They did not listen though, and I had to specify my steak order several times.

I don't think the meal is worth the money, as everything is quite expensive there.

Michelin Guide in Tokyo

Michelin announced recently that they will be doing a restaurant and hotel guide for Tokyo this year. This is their first foray into Asia. Tokyo is obvioulsy a good place to start.

However, foodies in the hood are already commenting that the French know nothing about Japanese cuisine. So Michelin has set up a team of locals and French to evaluate the restaurants and hotels.

I write extensively for the Zagat's guide so I consider myself to be a foodie too. However, I do not have the concerns that the more vociferous brethren have. I feel that if a restaurant warrants 3 stars, then it should be able to cater to an itnernational clientele. It is not just for the locals.

But I wonder about the relevance of Michelin or Zagat's for that matter in this day and age of the internet, blogs and immediate access to information. You can read reviews of restaurants and what people ate pretty much as soon as dessert arrives. While most are not food critic, neither are the MIchelin people true experts in the field. Whatever qualifications they have, it is not the same as your individual tastes.

I hate it when I go to a 3 star Michelin chef's restaurant and find that the service is OK at best, the food mediocre and the ambience - eh.

I, of course, am referring to Gordon Ramsey and Joel Robouchon.

Dinner with De Niro

Went to the new Nobu again last night. Had dinner with Robert De Niro (sory for name dropping but I do it so infrequently). Talked about the restaurant situation in Tokyo, good food and the world food scene in general. Mr. De Niro is quite the foodie and wuite knowledgeable. Had the cod, which is De Niro's favorite....

Had a bottle of the 2000 Cristal to top off the evening. Actually Champagne is something I was going to write about soon, as a gentleman one must always know how to choose a champagne.. Cristal (not spelled Crystal) is an excellent champagne made by Louis Roederer. It is their answer to Dom Perignon. but more on that later.

Beacon Brunch

Beacon started brunch last weekend (28th). It's pretty good, reminiscent of the old days when it was Lunchan.

The portions are huge. It is a carbohydrate attack. I seem to gain weight every time I go. Get the French toast once. It is very good, but everything on the plate is carbohydrate. It is the anti-Atkins.

You will also see a lot of people in the indsutry there for brunch. Beacon is a popular broker place, so expect to see those people. That is the only drawback.

No new toys this past week, so nothing to write about there.

Fugu

Had fugu again over the weekend, but it was the first time this year (2007)! I don't know what the fascination is with fugu.
The meat is tender and has a little umami, but after you put some ponzu on it, all you can aste is the ponzu.
Fugu karaage is generally good, but again, I am tasting the salty skin not the meat.

The point is that the fugu is not the only thing I am tasting when I eat it. It seems that there is always a secondary flavor that overpowers the taste of the meat. Unlike other dishes, such as simple sashimi, that you can try just the meat, fugu sashimi seems to come with negi and momijioroshi as standard flavorings.

However, all is good with me and fugu and I will continue to eat the delicacy.

Beacon new menu

Went to the Beacon last week (Friday). Matsubara-san from Cicada ihas moved over to Beacon. I have known him for a long time, ever since he was at Mike Amrta. It is always nice to know that someone you know will be serving you. It always makes a restaurant more comfortable.

Ran into a bunch of work people there, including guys from Nomura and Merril Lynch. I was with a friend. I always hate it when I run into people and they want to talk shopp on my private time. If I am on business that's one thing, but my private time is just that, private. People who insist on talking to me about work when I am out lose points.

Beacon has a new menu. The lamb stew is very good and the carpaccio is interesting. They still have the Cajun BBQ shrimp! They have a few new fish dishes as well, but I didn't get to try them.

Also they are starting Sunday Brunch of the 28th! Excellent! as Good Honest Grub has gone out of business.

Kamahachi

So went to Kamahachi for the first time in a couple of years last night. It's a small Japanese place along Rt. 246 in Omotesando. I happen to like the Oyster nabe there, but did not get that last night.

My friend and I ordered a la carte. Oh, well.

The sashimi was fresh and presented well. Most of the fish on the menu is seasonal so the quality was exceptional. The cooked dishes were also very good. I liked the butter sauteed mushrooms and the saikyo yaki very much. I also liked the ocha-zuke at the end as well. The age-dashi tofu was par. Nothing exceptional. I also remember the wasabi mayonnaise chicken to be very good.

The food was very good, and I compare it favorably against such standards as Yanmo or Nobu. The great thing is the price. For two people it was only 11,000 and change. A bargain.

Will go back there soon. Next time I have to get the oyster nabe though.

Afterwards went to Stair for a drink and a cigar.

Morimoto

Chef Morimoto is popular in the US as an Iron Chef and priprietor of a few restuarants bearing his name, especially in Philadelphia and New York.

The Morimoto in Tokyo, in a nook of Roppongi is his foray into Japan. It is a restuarant in collaboration with the XEX group. The restaurant has a sushi area and a teppanyaki area in the basement. There is also a small lounge/bar on the first floor and a more comprehensive lounge on the second floor. I have been to the place a few times now for drinks and for eating.

The bar is small, but nice. A few counter seats and a couple of lounge chairs. Drinks are made proficiently by the barstaff. Its acuatlly a nice place to start an evening off even. However, I think it is meant to be a place to have after dinner drinks.

The lounge on the second floor is a space that really only old people would appreciate. The big leather sofas and seating area is nice, but it is not by any means a happening spot. The same really goes for the first floor bar too, but the first floor bar has a better ambience. Cigars at both were in good shape.

The teppanyaki in the basement is OK. I have my favorites for teppan, and unfortunately Morimoto's will not hold a place among them. This being said, it is not a bad teppanyaki restaurant, It is just that the other palces I go to are in aleague by themselves. Morimoto's teppan is not authentic teppan, in the "traditional" style that US customers might be used to, but has more options. Some o the choices are definitely more European in origin. All the choices I have had were good or acceptable. The duvk dish was quite good.

My main problem is with the steaks (which is in fact a big problem). The filet was too marblized. This is a major problem when grilling a steak. The meat tastes like butter. The best steaks should not need marbling. The best steaks have a fine grain that make the meat tender without fat in it. The filet then has a beautiful flavor that is not adulterated by fat. Marblized steaks are good in small quantities or for beef sashimi. Do the chefs actually eat the whole steak? One bite might tate great but after three chunks I was ready to upchuck. There is such as thing as too rich. It was like eating lard. Yuck! If you go to the teppan, don't get a big steak.

The sushi area, I enjoyed much better. The food was pleasant and the service was very good. The traditional sushi was expertly prepared. The more creative dishes are hit or miss. The oysters with foie gras was a miss. The oysters are way too small, and the scent of anise overbearing. The Morimoto sashimi, while it took 20 minutes to prepare was quite good. It had a lot of interesting flavors and all the ingredients were tasty. The maguro caprese was uninspired. Just tuna mozzarella and some pickled vegetable (forget what that was). The sake list is not great either. The rolls were all very good, as they were prepared clearly by people who knew what they were doing.

All in all, decent restaurant. Nice ambience, not too expensive. I am a sushi bid over the teppan.

Tinun

Stopped by Tinun last night for the first time in a while. Great Thai food at very reasonable prices. It is right by Omotesando crossing, next to Anderson's bakery.

I am not a food snob. I like all sorts of food, ramen, McD's, soba. I am not one who thinks that food has to be expensive to be good. Japanese poeple may call certain food B-class gourmet. I think this is an insult to the food, and the people who prepare it. All food deserves to stand on its own, not to be categorized or ranked in such a way.

Anyway, Tinun is great Thai (the first Thai food I actually like in Tokyo) and the prices are really good. My favorite dish is the Chicken Rice Gao Man Gai (not really Thai, but great!) The Thai stew is also very good and the appetizers are great. Standouts are the Raw Spring Roll and the Shrimp cakes. The Shrimp Cakes are crispy outside and nice and plump inside.

The chicken rice is excellent. The rice is steamed in the juices of the chicken, so the rice itself is quite flavorful. The chili sauce is a good combination of tart and spicy. The chicken meat is tender as well. I have had chicken rice at various places in Tokyo, but Tinun's is the best so far.

The decor is not sophisticated, but nice. Nothing screams ultra-modern, but neutral. Nothing good nothing bad. Functional might be the best way to describe it.

The open kitchen is a nice touch.

The service is standard. No mistakes, not too friendly, not rude. Something you would expect at a refular restaurant.

All in All: great little Thai place with good prices. Go for the chicken rice!

Porterhouse Steaks

Another review of a restaurant I have been to a few times in the past. Recently I was there for lunch, but mostly I go for broker dinners.

Porterhouse is a gaijin fave located in Nishi-Azabu where Ken's Chanto dining used to be. As the name suggests it is a steakhouse. The portions are huge (for Japanese standards) and the menu choices are fairly standard steakhouse fair.

The restaurant is on two floors with the main dining area in the basement. There is a separate bar area as well in the restaurant that seats maybe six people. The decor is subdued with some monochromatic features. The place needs a slight overhaul though, as the walls on the first floor are getting a little dirty.

The service is attentive and friendly. Service in Tokyo is usually professional, so you generally don't hear me complaining about it. Sometimes though the service is too much or just crap. Porterhouse scores well in that regard.

There is a lot of voaltility in the food though. The steaks I have found to be wuite good on some nights nad too greasy on other nights. I like my steaks without too much "shimofuri". Japanese people think that the more the meat is marblized the better. This is flat out wrong. It is the grain of the meat that is important. The marblization helps the grain become more fine, but the drawback is that the meat becomes quite fatty. There is a point where the marblization becomes too much.

At Porterhouse, be sure you can pick the cut you want, or you might get stuck with fat meat. Last time they did not know what black and blue was either. I had to educate them.

The clam chowder is awesome. The appetizers in general are quite good. The steak is hit or miss. The wine list is overpriced (but as it is a broker favorite, it is a prerequisite).

The lunch burger is awesome. Get the mushroom sauce.

All in all: definitely go for lunch. Dinner, go if taken out and be wary of the steaks. Choose carefully. Also no cigars at the bar. Who wouldn't want a fat Cohiba after a good meal? Get a humidor guys!

Atelier de Robouchon

Finally went to the Robouchon at Roppongi Hills. I was apprehensive since I did not hear many good things about it. I was pleasantly surprised. Not thrilled, but pleased. Sort of like seeing Cliffhanger after all the bad hype... "Not as bad as everyone said it was." For what it is, its pretty good.

You have a choice of a set of courses or a la carte. I am a big eater, so a la carte all the way. We had several dishes so I will only highlight the ones that need comment (everything else ws OK). The Iberico ham was good (but really has nothing to do with the restaurant, it is just raw ham). But eating it with butter was an interesting if not heart-disease inducing twist. I kinda liked it, but not something I would repeatedly do.

The uni dish was excellent. It is a signature dish of Joel's and I liked its cousin at the old Taillevent.

The foie gras burger was yummy. Small but good. No meat, but still tasty, and has enough texture to make you want more.

The steak tartar was excellent, lack of bread with it made it a bit repetitive after a while.

The not good: the steak was too greasy. The egg dish too small. The wine list was surprisingly small.

The cost ws about 25,000 a head. Not a small bill at all...

All in all: The restaurant is in the Hills so it is always busy. The food is OK, some of the items are good, the others are best left out. The wine list needs work. It is pricey and OK. Not a great combination, but its got enough legs behind it that I would go again, but would choose from the menu more carefully.

Water Grill

The Water Grill near Nishi-Azabu crossing is a great little hideaway that served some pretty good oysters. Great for a date and not too expensive (think about 12,000 a head including wine).

The oysters are from all over, domestic and international. I tend to like the overseas oysters as they are generally more creamy and don't taste like brine. The oysters come with about 5 different sauces, ranging from the traditional cocktail sauce and ponzu to more imaginative ones like chinese pickles.

You can also get fried oysters, or oyster shooters in a variety of combinations. All are pretty good.

The carpaccio of beef with bluberries actually works, but I thought the beef was a little tough.

The winner there though is the gumbo. It is very good, and probably the best in Tokyo. I actually like the gumbo here better than the Bourbon Street one, which is also quite good.

The wine list is a predominantly white (go figure) and some deals are on there, but the list overall is small.

The service is good, professional and not too chummy (I hate too chummy). The decor is modern, with a few tables on either side of a large counter, where you can watch the chefs prepare your meal. The counter gets quite crowded, and couples get a little too cozy for my taste (immediate reaction to the oysters?) so I prefer the tables.

All in all, go for good oysters and the gumbo. Everything else on the menu is good, but not the reason to go.

Beacon Chop House revisited

Since opening night, I have been to Beacon at least a dozen times. Although I was not completely sold on Beacon on opening night, I am much more of a believer now. I chalk up opening night to inexperience of the staff (to be expected).

As before, the New Orleans Jumbo Shrimp is excellent! It has gotten better than before, and is my favorite appetizer there. The crab Louie (finally got to try it) is second. The lobster spring roll is also a spotlight on the appetizer list. All are good, but the shrimp is spiciest (I like spicy) and quite filling as well. Also David worked in some fine restaurants in the French Quarter so its not like he dosn't know his stuff.

All the steaks are decent sized steaks. The filet is 7oz., the sirloin 10 and the ribeye 12. The filet is my favorite cut, so I tend to get that, but the ribeye also has an off-meu sister, the Cajun ribeye (same cut) with a spicy finish. I like the Cajun ribeye when I can actually put the whole thing down. Usually I stick to the filet. I recommend, however, if you haven't tried the Cajun ribeye gor for that. Just be prepared to eat a lot.

I have yet to try the other meats on the menu.....

The desserts: cheesecake or banana cream pie. No question.

The wine list is quite good if sometimes out of date. Last time I was there they were out of one of the magnums again. There are some bargains on there if you can find them. Always a winner is the 2000 Silver Oak, if in doubt of something to drink.

All in all, the price is reasonable and the food is always great. Great place to go during the week when you want a fun night but aren't going to go out all night....

Cicada

Part of the three C's in Tokyo (Cicada, Citrbria [see earlier review] and Casita), it is one of the staples of the restaurant scene for gaijin and brokers. It is located between Nishi-Azabu and Hiroo on Gaien Nishi Dori. It also happens to be another restaurant run by the guys who run Beacon in Aoyama.

The restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and has an eclectic wine list with a special section for sherry.

The decor is simple, very much a wood theme going on with a small fireplace that work sin the winter and a see-through wine cellar. There are small tables as well as one alrge table for large parties or for more familial seating for separate parties. There is a private room and a bar area as well. The lighting is not overly bright so you can actually see your food (unlike Il Mulino) and the seating between tables is far enough not to annoy me (this is always a concern for me).

The service is always very good here. I know the staff (this obviously helps a lot!) they are prompt, polite and don't butt in (unlike Casita).

The food though is the big winner. The menu is basically divided into tapas type food and mains. Best hummus in Tokyo, no question. My Turkish friends also endorse it, so I can't be completely wrong. The tagine is good, but I am not a fan of tagine in general, so I tend not to get it. The beef carpaccio is excellent (second only to Napule right now) but the shrimp (pilpil) is the best tapas type thing to get.

The mains are unfortunately a little more plain but good nonetheless. I say this because a lot of the dishes are tagines, which I don't like, so I am always getting the alternatives. The ribeye is always a good choice. The scallops with the lemon risotto is solid as well (I like this dish better). The grilled snapper is good, but the potatos were a little greasy this time. The rare tuna with grilled radicchio was very good, but I am not a huge radicchio fan so I did not finish the dish.

Always a satisfying meal and good time. But they better start doing the baklavas....

Legato

Legato, a sister restaurant to Tableaux (sans Eddie) in Shibuya. On the 15th floor of a building next to the tail end of Mark City, a spot that is not necessarily "Shibuya-poi" The decor shares color similarity to Tableaux, but Legato is definitely more casual. The staff is attentive (and still remember me, even though I only go about once every other month) and helpful.

Legato has distinction in that it is awarded wine list recognition from Wine Spectator. This is surprising to me as I know of many more restaurants with better wine lists. I actually find the Legato list to be quite small. There are some interesting wines on it, but as a whole quite oridnary. I find it hard to choose from.

The food last time I went was disappointing. Not bad in any way, but not memorable. Tablueax is the better of the 2 restaurants, without a doubt. The carbonara was OK, but small. The white truffles on top were an interesting touch though. The pork was disappointing. Tender, as one would expect from Japanese presentations of pork (I can't stand pork chops int he US, its like eating a brick), but small and not on the bone. Citabria and Lauburu have much better pork chops, as does Tableaux....

The bar is the winner though. An oval shaped bar so partons can sit on either side, and with a view of Shibuya from 15 floors up. Nice place to bring a date for a drink. Should impress.

Not too popular at the moment as it was no wait to get a table without a ressie.

Final analysis: go to the bar, not necessarily the restaurant. If you want to eat then go to Tableaux, which has a similar menu but the food and wine list are better.

Citabria

Went to Citabria last night (turned into quite a bender, but that is another story). I have been going to Citabria since it first opened 6 years ago. The service is always good, the food is at worst above average, and at best awesome. It was the first time I went to the restaurant since the new menu, so it was difficult to decide what to eat. I ultimately had the grilled tuna (rare) as an appetizer and the steak for the main. The tuna was quite good. It came in an outstanding sauce. The steak was prepared like a salad, and while good, was a small portion (probably led to the druken stuopr at the bar afterwards). The menu has defnitely taken a slight French turn, but the pork chop, a perennial favorite is still on the menu. I highly recommend the pork chop! One of the finest in Tokyo. We paired the meal with the MArston Family Cab 2002 and the Cakebread Cab 2001. Both were pretty good. They have the Clos DU Val SLD 2001 on the list too!

Citabria is located in a cranny in Aoyama and is a favorite of gaijin for broker dinners and for dudes who want to impress their dates. The atmospehere is quite cosmopolitan and not too dark (like Il Mulino-BRRR!). They have a chef's table in the basement which is quite nice as well. The interior definitely has a wood motif with sleek tables, dark wood flooring and walls. Go there for a date to impress or a company function.

Also the new hostess working the door is quite cute! If you go, let me know if you think so too! If you see her you'll know which one I am talking about.

Luxor

Ah, another restuarant that I have been frequenting a lot. but finally decided to write about. Luxor is in Shiroganedai. It is an Italian restaurant, more Southern than Northern.

Went there again last night, but unfortuantely Mario (the owner/chef) didn't get back from his vacation in Italy yet. The food definitely takes a hit when heis out of the kitchen. When Mario is there he makes something special, not on the menu, and is usually outstanding, but alas, t'was not meant to be last night.

The wines were good, Calera Chard and Tignanello 2001. Both excellent. Third bottle was also good- Ligivo, I think. I did not order it, but it was very good.

The caprese is always a safe bet, at most restaurants, so long as the mozzarella is made at the restaurant. I like my mozzarella in bigger cuts, but I guess at Luxor, it would have been a visual imbalance.

The ravioli with king crab was OK, nothing memorble though.

The steak was small. I was sad :(. The bill was big at 23,000 a head. I was sad :(

Go to Luxor when you know Mario is around. It makes the experience infinitely better.

The food when Mario is there is some of the best Italian in Tokyo and when he is away, it is good, but not great.

Sydney Trip -Tetsuya

Got back from Syds on Tuesday. Went to a friend's wedding at the Opera House (which was nice) and did some sightseeing. In particular the zoo (Torunga) and the aquarium.

The zoo is actually pretty small, but very well designed. You take a short ferry ride to the zoo and then you take a cablecar to the top, then you wlak down the side of the hill and check out the animals. Unlike most zoos, where the animals appear to be aon a strict Valium diet, the animals at the Torunga zoo were all pretty lively. I liked the fact that the rhino was alking around, the lions were active and the echidna were all doing things. Even the giant turtle was eating and doing general turtle things (I think).

Of interest were the wombats (never seen a real one before) and the platypuses (platypii?), IF you go to Syds, check the zoo out on a nice day.

The aquarium was more mundane; a little small by Japan standards (check out the aquarium in Okinawa, holy crap!) but it did have a giant croc, which was very cool.

But on to the main event, which was a dinner at Tetsuya's. It is considered one of the top 5 restuarants in Asia, if not the world. And it did not diappoint. The food was excellent, but the service was only adequate. The dinner is long (in my case 4.5 hours) so if you go, go with GOOD friends. The dinner is prix fixe and is totally determined by Tetsuya. One thing that is always on the menu is his signature dish (awesome) of ocean trout. Very good, and probably not a dish that can be copied at many places. The meat is essentially raw, but is steamed at the same time. You have to eat it to understand.

The rest of the dishes were good, but not as memorable. The price is not bad (given Tokyo prices as a standard).

I'd say 5/5 for food, 3/5 for service.

Feria

The new Feria which has been open for a while, has just had a Grand Opening Party. Sucked! Royally sucked.

Shoot me now bad. The place itself is OK, with several floors and interesting decor, but too many foreigners already! Ick.

Will only go again in large groups with a lot of chicks in tow.

Beacon Chop House

This week started off with a party at Beacon- David Chiddo's new restaurant, in an old locale (it's where Lunchan used to be). David has many other venues in the city, but this is somewhat coming full circle as he started at Lunchan and made a name for himself.

Monday was opening night and the first day of the party. They officially open next Tuesday.

As one would expect, there was a lot of opening night chaos. Drinks at the bar took forever, so much so that MArk had to stop by and give me a freebie (always welcomed but shouldn't have to be done). The bar itself was one you would expect at a modern steakhouse, refined but with a decent buzz.

Seating in the main dining hall was typical of Japanese restaurants, cramped enough that you could smell the perfume of the girls at the next table (drinking the Bond St. Eden, might I add, and definitely not appreciating it). The entire set up reminds me of a smaller Oak Door, which is both good (as I like the space) and bad (not too creative). I was hoping for a more classic steakhouse vibe (like Smith & Wollensky's in the City) but to no avail. There is a separate private dining room, which is always aa nice touch, as my parties tend to get loud and boisterous.

The food. The food was hit or miss. Due to the chaos, and number of people, to my dismay, they ran out of the Crab Louie and filet mignon, both were my first choices. I got the jumbo shrimp (good, reminds me of the pil-pil at David's other shop Cicada) and the sirloin. The sirloin was not as marblized as Japanese wagyu, which I don't mind, but I like my steak rare, and it was medium rare at best. The steak was a little tougher than I wanted. The fried onion on the side was completely meaningless and untasty. The creamed spinach was excellent and the potatos (they were out of mashed!) were OK. The herb flavor was nice, but nothing outstanding.

Hama no Ie

Right near the Nishi-Azabu crossing is a small old-looking house. It is the home of Hama-no_ie a oden and yakitori place. It has been around for abuot 30 years. It is an izakaya type restaurant, big on conviviality and food. Not very expensive either.

While the yakitori is better at Toricho in Roppongi, the flavourful sticks of chicken are quite good here at Hama NO ie as well. The sabi-yaki was too well done for me, but for most foreigners probably just right. The tori wasa was great, but the wasabi (artificial) was too potent.

The oden is better, in my opinion. The odashi soup is pretty light flavored, but works well. Note: Any place there the daikon is good, you cannot go wrong oden-wise. THs place definitely passed the test.

The total cost per person: under 10,000. NOt cheap, but good price for the area. Compared to Gonpachi, own the street, a definite do.

No foreign menu. Cash only

Trader Vic's French Dip

As always Trader Vic's does not disappoint. They ahve a new sandwich at the bar side only. It is a very expensive French DIp sandwich. I haven't had one in a long time so it was time I paid Vics another visit.

Got there a little late and the crowd was boisterous and annoying. Japanese ojisan don't understnad table manners or simple courtesy.

The table behind me was doing some heavy petting. Not too appetizing, but nothing was going to dampen my spirits. I was after all, going to have the first French Dip sandwich I have had in years.

The sandwich plate comes with fried (good!) and cole slaw (great!). I am usually not a fan of cole slaw, but this one was good. Tasted fresh, but could have been from a can... The sandwich itself was had a decent portion of roast beef and a slice of provolone. There was enough dipping sauce so that I would not have to go without throughout ingesting the whole sandwich. The problem was the dipping sauce. It was actually too high end. You could tell the broth was quite good, but lacks some taste. I think it should have been a little tastier. Add some more salt or something, to bring out mre flavor. The beef broth was the right consistency, but needed more beefy taste. It is not a complete disaster, as I wound up sucking dwn the sandwich in record pace, but I wanted some more depth of taste to the sauce.

It would have been perfect if not for the key sauce being a little weak.

I will however, go again, and eat the sandwich.

BTW it costs a fortune! Over 3,000 yen!

Tokyo Restaurants

Before I start reviewing the restaurants in Tokyo, I figured I should provide you, he reader with some ground rules that I follow and some of the peeves that I have about restaurants in Japan that I may hound upon in my writings.

1. I have a problem with restaurants where the seating is too cramped. I hate it when I have to share elbow space with the old guy who is trying to seduce some co-ed at the table next to mine. When you can hear how Senator Tanaka goes about seducing a college co-ed over a lobster dish, you are too damn close. Tokyo real estate is expensive, but you need leg room. I don't want seating that reminds me of the backseat of a Ferrari.

2. I hate inflexible staff. A banana split with pistachio ice cream instead of strawberry? I'm sorry sir, but that is not possible. Why? Why? Why? Did you ask the manager if this would be feasible? It is the policy of this ice cream parlor that the banana split is vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. NO substitutions. I can understand that if I wanted some Kobe beef instead of fries, I might get DK'ed, but come on people. To all those waiters who gave me grief about something, screw off I will write about you here. You shall suffer at the end of my pen. I will stab you through the heart with a pencil.

3. I hate corn on pizza Or tuna. Or squid ink.

4. I hate staff that does not speak the language. I find it a problem when the staff does not speak Japanese. So your staff are "cool" gaijin. Fuck off. You can't take my order. Bring me a simian, same thing. This is a special "fuck you" to the staff at Gordon Ramsey at the Conrad. Learn the language if you expect to take orders.

5. I hate restaurant critics or food critics who cannot describe food. All the Japanese critics seem to have the same vocabulary and no creativity. I can basically write the same crap these guys do.

6. I hate Alain Ducasse. When will I be able to go to a restaruant of his and actually enjoy the meal? Places I have been so far: Ducasee in NYC, Spoon, Beige, Benoit. All stunk to high Heaven.

7. I hate smokers at restaurants. Especially at sushi bars. Because I really really want to taste your menthol cancer stick aroma witht the raw tuna I am about to have. These two go great together. I will light up a cigar next time. Or even better a Gharum clove cigarette. You fucks. If I see you blow smoke on my food, I wil ltake the cigarette and put it out in your eye. I like a good cigar, but always away from the food.

8. I hate people who bump into you and don't even apologize. Granted this is not a restaurant thing but it bothers me no less. I am a big guy. I will hurt you, permanently.

9. I hate menus that are not in Japanese. I don't speak your old world languages. Who does anymore? Old shits that don't get with the program. If I see the fuck who decided to write their Italian menu only i Italian. I will shove it up his ass..... sideways. I will ask the waiter for a translation for everything on the menu. Even if I know what it means.

10. If I hate a place, I will get more and more vitriolic as the review progresses. I am an irritable fuck.

Fine Wines

Recently had the 1970 Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Cheval Blanc and Cos D'Estournel. On top of that had on a different occasion the 1975 Latour and the 1991 Mouton.

I was surprised at how good the 91 was. It is not rated very high, but it went down very well. An elegant wine, not at all harsh or severe as indicated in Parker's. I guess it is a bottle thing and the wine held up very well. The 1975 Latour also held up well, even though the vintage was not received well. It was milder than the Latours I like, and the finish was not bold enough. It did not follow through very well. However, a good wine for that year.

Of the 70's, I liked the Cos the best. Great wine, good nose, and the finish was just right. The otheres I was not as impressed with.

Why is it that Darth Vader never got an upgrade in the 17 odd years after he was crafted? Same suit and seems same powers until Luke was at least an adolescent. HIs flying skills left something to be desired in Ep IV as well....

Spago's in Japan to close

Alas, Spago's in Tokyo is closing tomrorow. I went with friends on Monday for a last brou-haha. I now know why Spago's a go-go. The food was par at best, and that is being very favorable. They re-did the dining room, since last I was there (not in the recent past), but that was about the only good thing. My appetizer of tuna tartar was comparable to what one would get at Roy's, so the verdict was OK, but nothing excellent. The risotto was way too hot, and inedible for the first five minutes. For a main I ordered the steak. Perfectly good steak, but at 6400 JPY, not outstanding or interesting enough to warrant much more comment (or the price). The service was piss-poor and they managed to screw up the bill 3 times. I was waiting for the bill to clear with the credit card company until well past midnight, actually closer to 1AM.

My friends and I were waiting for an hour, and they did not even bother to get us a glass of water or something. Free booze would have been nice. But the service there don't give a crap. They are getting fired tomrorow anyway. The service was bad, the food was mediocre and the wait was terrible. Down with WDI!

Lauburu

Finally got a reservation at Lauburu. This is a Basque style bistro that specializes in pork. Great pig! The service is friendly and not overbearing. The food is good and tasty and the portions are not small by any means. One can get reservations for two but larger parties are difficult. Last time I was there it was six people. It took about a month to get the spot. This time I only had to wait 3 days, but it was only a three person party and it was well worth the wait.

Go to this eatery if you get the chance.

Sadler dinner

Went to the Salder Super Tuscan dinner last night. Excellent food as always and drank too much wine. THe beef there is always excellent and the wines were good. The Luce, however is not satisfying. I was as always disappointed with that bottle.

Keep up the good work Carmine.

The fiasco that is Il Mulino

All I can say is what an awful place to eat. Dark interior, crappy food and service. They tell you it si the New York Experience, I tell you if you want the NY experience go to New York. At the end it will cost the same as eating at Il Mulino and the food will always be better in New York. Go to McDonalds or Burger King. The aspta at La Boheme is better.

0 Stars out of Five