Part 2 of Restaurant Picks Fit For Foodies – Tokyo Edition
You can never get enough sushi in Japan and we made sure to indulge in Edomae, classic Tokyo-style sushi, that is artfully crafted one sublime piece at a time at Sushi Kanesaka and Sushi Jiro. Edomae-style preparation style is a must when visiting Tokyo, the sushi chefs prepare each piece in front of you with such finesse.
Sushi Kanesaka Restaurant
This one star Michelin restaurant gives priority to the freshness of ingredients and pays close attention to the way they are matured. With only 12 seats this restaurant is intimate and offers a cozy atmosphere. There are two locations; Sushi Kanesaka Palace Hotel Tokyo and Ginza Sushi Kanesake, we tried the Palace Hotel location.
We enjoyed the omakase tasting menu before catching our flight home, we needed one last sushi fix! And boy did it hit the spot! Every piece if melt-in-your-mouth and the freshness is indisputable. There is something about watching these skilled chefs slice the fish and construct the perfect piece of sushi, their passion for what they do does not go unnoticed.
Restaurant Information
Address: 6/F Palace-hotel-Tokyo, 1-1-1 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Hours: (Lunch) 11:30 am – 2:00 pm (Dinner) 5:00 pm – 22:00 pm 9:30 pm Last Order
Credit cards accepted: VISA & Others
Other menu languages offered: English
Access: Metro - Toei Mita Line Otemachi Station [C13] 2-minute walk from Exit / JR - Metro Tokyo Station [ Marunouchi north exit ] 8-minute walk from Exit
Dress: Business Casual
Price range: Lunch Starts at 6,500 JPY ($60 USD) Dinner Starts at 15,000 JPY ($135 USD) Omakase 22,000 JPY ($200 USD)
Phone number: +81 3 3211 5323
Official website: Sushi Kanesaka
Sushi Jiro Rappongi Restaurant
If you’ve seen the documentary on Netlfix, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about sushi master Jiro Ono you could understand why this is a must when visiting Tokyo. Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten is a three star Michelin restaurant where Jiro Ono makes the sushi for all customers. Unfortunately, despite the advanced reservation request through our hotel concierge we were unable to secure a spot with the sushi master but were lucky enough to get a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi, a two Michelin star restaurant operated by his son Takashi Jiro. It did not disappoint, after all he learnt from the best!
Don't expect a 2 hour sit down meal, we were done within 30 minutes! We felt a little rushed and that was a little disappointing because the experience and the sushi were unforgettable.
A few tips when dinning at an Edomae-style restaurant.
- Pick it up with your fingers – Because the sushi is not easy to hold it is best that you don’t pick it up by both ends. Gently lift it up so that it maintains its shape (with your thumb and middle finger).
- Pick it up with your chopsticks – Place your chopsticks along the sides of the sushi, make sure the chopsticks are parallel to the tray and lift the sushi by grasping it along its sides, if you grasp it through the middle it will likely fall apart.
- Avoid spilling the sushi topping by lifting the sushi gently by grasping its sides and eat the sushi in one bite.
- Soy sauce – Because it is nearly impossible to pick up the sushi and dip it directly in the soy sauce it is recommended to dip ginger in the soy and then brush it across the top of the sushi topping.
- Eat some ginger to cleanse your palate but don’t over do it.
- Tea is best with Edomae-style sushi.
No-no’s
- Do not dip sushi rice in soy sauce.
- If the piece is flavored with sauce it is best not to add soy sauce.
- Do not turn nigiri sushi upside down.
- Do not pull off the topping.
- The sushi is meant to be eaten in one bite so don’t beak it into pieces.
- Don’t let the sushi sit on the tray, it is meant to be eaten right away.
Restaurant Information
Restaurant Information
Address: KEYAKIZAKA 3F Click Here For Map
Hours: (Lunch) 11:30 - 14:00 (Dinner) 17:30 - 21:00 Closed: Wednesday fixed closing day
Other menu languages offered: English
Nearest station: Roppongi Station
Dress: Casual
Price range: Lunch: 15,000-19,999 JPY ($130-180 USD) Dinner: 30,000 JPY ($270 USD)
Phone number: 03-5413-6626
Official website: Sushi Jiro Roppongi
Narisawa Restaurant
This two Michelin starred restaurant by Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, who’s worked with iconic chefs like Paul Bocuse and Joël Robuchon, combines classical French techniques with the freshest Japanese ingredients. The dishes are inspired by the seasons and the ingredients that are produced in their specific environment. It just so happens that our visit took place during one of my favorite seasons: Spring. The theme of this culinary journey is based on the preservation of the natural environment and utilizing the ingredients of Japan’s natural lands. Guests are served an omakase-style course tailored to the day of their visit.
Soft Shelled Turtle
The thought of eating turtle has never really crossed my mind but the opportunity presented itself and I am not one to say no to trying new things. Mr. Chieff on the other hand decided to substitute this dish for something else; he just couldn't eat the turtle. The meat did not have a very distinct taste but the overall dish was full of flavor.
Bread Of The Forest 2010
This famous dish by Chef Narisawa is brought to the table at the very start of your dining experience and allowed to rise over the amuse-bouche and first course. After the dough rises, the waiter then scoops it out into a stone pot and allows it to bake at the table.
"Ash 2009" Scene Of The Seashore
I like to be impressed at the presentation of a dish during a meal like this and the "Ash 2009" Scene Of The Seashore delivered. You are presented with a beautiful piece of squid which is then sprinkled with ash that is created at the table by your waiter. The squid was tender and perfectly cooked, fabulous dish!
The last course was the "Sumi 2008" Omi Beef. The beef was covered in charcoal and presented whole on the small grill and removed for carving.
Dessert
The perfect ending to every meal is dessert and although I love almost all desserts I am not particularly fond of flower based ones and was slightly disappointed with the Sakura & Koji dish. The fresh brewed sake and soufflé on the other hand were divine.
Be sure to make reservations in advance as this restaurant books up very quickly and if you are visiting Tokyo it is an absolute must!
Narisawa was ranked #8 in the World’s 50 Best of 2016, #18 in the World’s 50 Best list of 2017 and #6 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 which makes it very popular among foodies!
Restaurant Information
Address: Minami Aoyama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062
Hours: (Lunch) 12:00-13:00 (last order) Close 15:00 (Dinner) 18:30-20:00 (Last order) Closed: Sunday, Monday
Other menu languages offered: English
Dress: Semi-Formal
Price range: 21,600-27,000 JPY ($200-245 USD) without pairing
Phone number: 03-5785-0799
Official website: Narisawa
Bello Visto Tower’s Bar at the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel
If you are looking for a place to have pre-dinner drinks with an incredible view of the Shinjuku skyline, look no further! Take a seat by the window and enjoy a drink in the dimly lit elegant but unpretentious bar while listening to a live piano performance. The service is great and they offer a variety of snacks as well as a full menu if you wish to dine there. We opted for the Parma prosciutto with grissini and parmesan cheese with my new favorite drink: sweet patato Shōchū.
Restaurant Information
Address: 26-1 Sakura-gaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku,Tokyo 150-8512 Japan
Hours: (Mon. to Fri.) 4:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. (Midnight L.O.) - (Sat. Sun. Holiday) 1:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. (12:00 midnight L.O.) - Open for Teatime - 6:00 p.m. (L.O.)
Other menu languages offered: English
Dress: Smart Casual
Phone number: +81-3-3476-3398 (Direct)
Official website: Cerulean Tower Tokyo
This concludes the list of Restaurant Picks Fit For Foodies - Tokyo. Which ones would you like to try on your next visit to Tokyo? I would love to get recommendations from fellow foodies on other great restaurants not mentioned in this post, share in the comments below!
Related:
Top 5 Favorite Restaurants Of 2017
Restaurant Picks Fit For Foodies – Tokyo (Part 1)
16 Awesome Things To Do On Your First Visit To Tokyo
Best Places To Travel In March
