About food in Japan

Restaurant Pachon (Michelin *), French, Daikanyama Tokyo

Restaurant Pachon is situated in Daikanyama (代官山) which is just one stop from Shibuya. The town Daikanyama may be not well known among international tourists, while it is known for independent fashion boutiques visited by young people who would like to catch up with the latest trends.

The Montpellier-born chef, Monsieur Andre Pachon, has run the upscale French restaurant Restaurant Pachon  as its owner chef at Daikanyama, Tokyo for almost 30 years since 1984. We could say that he is one of the pioneers who introduced authentic French cuisine in Japan. As Restaurant Pachon maintains Michelin star (*), his fine French cuisine is appreciated by local people even this modern day when so many Japanese cook have leant in France and a plenty of French restaurants from casual bistro to luxury exist in Tokyo.

Let us tell you the experience at such established French restaurant by French owner-chef.

After we were welcomed by the receptionists, beautiful antique-taste plates were waiting for us on a table. The interior decoration is quite classic as if we were invited to a traditional "manor-house" in Europe. If your visit is in Winter, a "real" fireplace will also welcome you. It is rare to be found in Japan. 

We ordered a lunch course with starter, soup, main dish and dessert and some wine...

 

Starter, carpaccio of mackerel

It's interesting to try fish Aji(鯵, mackerel) which is often used in Japanese cuisine but not so often in French. As same with green beans served as amuse-bouche, the plate remind us Spring season.  

Main dish, Cassoulet in Aude Pays Cathare (for 2 people)

It is a specialty of Restauran Pachon as well as traditional cuisine of Languedoc region in South France. It is cooked meat and beans in a traditional earth pot. All ingredients are well cooked in the traditional cooking tool and it has very soft texture. It is a good choice especially in Winter, as it keeps our body warm.

 

After such traditional and authentic French plate, we were also delighted by beautiful spring colors. 

Seasonal Dessert,

roll cake with yuzu (Japanese citron) cream and mango flavor ice cream

 

After the joy of citrus flavour, we also enjoyed a few pieces of petite fleure. 

 

In addition to historic French dish like Cassoulet, as the proof of his long experience in Japan, the chef is good at taking Japanese ingredients in his work at the Michelin-awarded French restaurant. What we tasted and visually what we saw all surely has the value for the restaurant guide's evaluation.

 

Restaurant name: Restaurant Pachon

Address: Hillside Terrace B, 29-18 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.pachon.co.jp

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What local foodies of Tokyo eat and where?

As we mentioned at the interview by Around Tokyo, not only for Japanese meal but also for French, Italian and other international cuisines, what are provided at luxury restaurants in Tokyo may be the second best after each their original countries'. In Tokyo not a few locals always seek something new and tasty experiences and that makes restaurants in Tokyo keep challenging and improving.
The situation results in the fact that Michelin restaurant guide has awarded the most number of stars to the Japan's capital. Now it is regarded as the best gourmet city in the world.

Well we guess that some of you are curious what and where foodies in Tokyo enjoy as their dining experience. This is a good example to introduce one of the answeres. Please let us show you an experience by About food in Japan site owner with her gourmet fellows. 

Italian restaurant Icaro is about 5 minutes walk from Nakameguro station through a good-old-days shopping street running parallel to Tokyu train line. Nakameguro is two stops from Shibuya by the Tokyu Toyoko line , being to be a popular residential town for locals. One reason of the town's popularity may be because tens of nice restaurants exist in the area. Many of such good restaurants in Nakameguro vary from casual Izakaya, like "Nakame no teppen" as our post on this April, to a Michelin star restaurant like Icaro, today's feature. Most of them have relatively small capacity and are operated by individual owner(s) rather than by a major chain. 

Well, about Icaro, the Italian restaurant has a Michein star and features local cuisines of North Italy. The restaurant is run by two brothers one working as the chef and his elder brother serves to diners as the manager. In addition to Michelin red guide, the restaurant is also highly evaluated by users of the Japanese most popular gourmet site "Tabe-log".   

 

Here, we show you a part of what we enjoyed at Icaro.

Artistic presentation of

Confit of saury ("samma" さんま),

the "icon" fish of autumn in Japan

with melting Italian cheese is topped on eggplants. 

 

Tartare of fresh horse meat

 

We shared 2 starters and 3 pasta plates by 3 people.

It was really a hard decision to select these 5 among their attractive seasonal choices on the menu. Actually we dropped main dish meat to have 3 kinds of pasta menu.

 

Taliatelle of girolle mushroom, house-made sausage,

thin slices of summer truffle on top

 

And their specialty pasta is...

Pappardelle with ragout of Yezo deer meat 

The pasta is finely soft and

the ragout is well salted to be matched with red wine.

 

 

The restaurant's owners have collected wine from Italy and other parts of the world even before the restaurant's opening and they store the wine at their own celler in the restaurant. The collection and reasonable prices considering the quality keeps attracting wine lovers for dining at Icaro.

We agree with a star awarded to Icaro, considering the quality of food and wine. As some local foodies found, actually not so many good Italian restaurants obtained a star from Michelin.

If you would, it is worth trying a good Italian restaurant like Icaro once in Tokyo. 

 

Restaurant name: ICARO
Address: 4th floor, COMS Nakameguro bld. 2-44-24 Kami-Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Official website: http://www.icaro-miyamoto.com

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Lineup for Michelin Guide Hokkaido 2012

Michelin Guide Hokkaido 2012 will be published on 20th April 2012, as special edition. The guide is availale only in Japanese version unfortunately though. Here we briefly introduce the Michelin Guide inspectors' evaluation for the nothern land of rich in nature and agricultural products.

 Total 475 restaurants, 133 hotels and 91 Ryokans are on the guide.

Among the almost 500 restaurans, 50 restaurants obtained Michelin 1 star(*), 12 did Michelin 2 stars(**) and 4 restaurants are awared as the highest rank Michelin 3 stars(***).

 It has 121 restaurants with "Bib Gourmand" mark which is considered as restaurants of high cost performance.

Other 288 restaurants even without star or Bib Gourmand are also recommended by the inspectors. The cusines category stretches across wider area from local specialities of Hokkaido region, ramen noodles and lamb hot pot (named after Mongolia emperor  Genghis Khan) to Spanish and pizza restaurants.

 

As introduced on our previous posts, Hokkaido region provides fresh high quality agricultural products in variety from the vast land with rich nature. 

It might be hard to choose only several restaurants to visit during your journey because of so many attractive choices beef, pork, chicken, lamb, seafood, salmon etc... 

 

Here we also place web links for the 4 newest Michelin 3-star restaurants. The first 3 are in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido region, while the last one is in Toya where G8 Summit was taken place in 2008.

Sushi Tanabe /鮨　田なべ     http://sushi-tanabe.com/  

The authentic Sushi restaurant, situated at Susukino night entertainment district, provides services by English speaking staff.      

 

Nukumi / 温味    http://r.gnavi.co.jp/h203501/lang/en/ 

The Japanese restaurant has only 16 seats fully-cared by the Sapporo-born master. The chef's recommendation course is in Kaiseki style with fresh seasonal ingredients of Hokkaido.

 

Moliere / モリエール http://www.sapporo-moliere.com/

French restaurant, looking over green scenery of Maruyama Park in Sapporo, makes its best effort to bring the best of local ingredients of Hokkaido at the best timing.

 

Michel Bras TOYA Japon     

http://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/cms/en/restaurant/list/michel-bras

Needless to say about Michel Bras in Laguiole, France maybe? The only one unit in Japan is in a luxury hotel, The Windsor Hotel TOYA and headed by the French chef Cedric Bourassin with a plenty of experiences at Michelin star awarded restaurants in France.

 

The months of May to September are the best season to visit the northernmost region of Japan.  It's a pity the guide is only in Japanese version

 

Related links to our previous posts:

Michelin Guide Hokkaido will be issued in Spring 2012!

Yuuyoo cafe Hokkaido organic - organic food from Hokkaido (北海道)

 

French - Au gout du jour Nouvelle Ere (Michelin *), Marunouchi Tokyo

Au gout du jour Nouvelle Ere, awarded one-star from Michelin guide, is situated on the 5th floor of Shin-Marunouchi building. Just in front of Tokyo station, the 5th floor of Shin-Marunouchi building must be itself an exciting place for food lovers, as we can find variety of interesting dining options from very casual Izakaya, oriental cuisine、wine bar to upscale one like Au gout du jour Novelle Ere where we visited. In spite of tens of restaurant choices on a floor, some of popular ones are fully occupied mainly with local business professionals working in the area on weekend-evening.   

Well Nouvelle Ere is one of five French restaurants by Au gout du jour group. The chef has worked at some Michelin star restaurants in France as well as popular French restaurants in Tokyo. He also has experience of working at a patisserie. With his such backgroud, the restaurant features not only sophisticated French cuisine but also its dessert plate which they consider as "the second main dish". 

Because they make the most use of seasonal ingredients changing time by time for their small capacity 24 seats, the restauran does not put detail of menu on the official homepage. Like Japanese luxury Kaiseki cuisine, only course price list is there...for example "dinner course Yen 8000 and Yen 13000".

Let us show you a part of what we had on a day of January 2012.

One of starter - tuna carpaccio

 

Another starter - flan of "Shogoin" turnip

We are always fanscinated by pieces of truffle.

 

Main dish - beef cheek confit

Surprisingly tender and large. It is cheek, isn't it?

 

Dessert - Fondant au chocolat

As the restaurant's purpose maybe,

it was really hard to choose only one from very attractive desssert list.

I believe Fondant au chocolat, which does not look like so,

is one of the best choices among them.

Crispy cake and warm melting chocolate cream...

It was good end plate of the fantastic dinner.

 

What we should note about the restaurant, 

Japanese taste such as yuzu (Japanese citrus), miso or soy sauce are often used as accent of sauce. Some of plates hint at Japanese cuisine. That is interesting point of the French cuisine restaurant in central Tokyo.

Not so wide choices on the wine list but the prices of bottle wine are quite reasonable. 

Overally as a Michelin star French restaurant, we can say that it is a value-for-money choice and a unique experience of Tokyo. 

 

Restaurant name: Au gout du jour Nouvelle Ere

Address: 5th floor, Shin-Marunouchi Building, 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.augoutdujour-group.com/no/

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Michelin Guide Tokyo 2012 published

On the 2nd December, Michelin guide Tokyo Yokohama Kamakura Shonan 2012  was published in Japanese and English. In the 5th year version guide, it includes total 292 restaurants, all with at least one-star *, situated in Tokyo and surrounding area.

Other facts about the guide's selection are:

Research area has been expanded in Kanagawa-prefecture to Shonan Pacific coast side cities, in addition to Yokohama and Kamakura.

Among the 292 Michelin star restaurants, 17 are for 3-star *** and 56 for 2-star**.

Over 40% of restaurants offer meal at budget less than Yen 5000.

Almost 70% of restaurants are for Japanese cuisine in various cateogries from Kaiseki, sushi, sukiyaki (beef hot pot), tenpura, yakitori, soba noodle etc.

54 of 1-star restaurants are "new face".   

 

Along with Michelin Kyoto Osaka Kobe Nara 2012 , in Japan total 32 restaurants are awarded as 3-star. The number of 3-star restaurants in Japan exceeds the ones (25) in France, the origin of the restaurant & hotel guide.

Again it is proved that Japan is one of the best gourmet country in the world

 

   

Michelin Guide Hokkaido will be issued in Spring 2012!

Celebrating the 5th year of Michelin Restaurant Guide in Japan, the established restaurant guide announced that Michelin Guide Hokkaido special edition will be issued on April 2012. With the land of 1160,00 hectar width, in rich nature and surrounded by ocean, Hokkaido has been recognized by Michelin Guide as "treasury" of food ingredients, including fresh and high quality meat as well as seafood, dairy products and vegetables.  

Announcement on the official site (in Japanese): 

 http://www.michelin.co.jp/Home/News-Promotions/News/20110930

 

The capital of Hokkaido, Sapporo was recently lanked on the 5th position for Best Food & Wine destination in Asia by Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice. The lank is the heighest among Japanese cities including Tokyo.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Food-cTop10-g2

 

Because of the plenty of choices in food, rich nature, ski resorts and different climate from Japan mainland, Hokkaido is one of the most popular destination among Japanese local as well.

 

Blog post about Hokkaido in the past:

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/10/yuuyoo-cafe-hokkaido-organic-organic-food-from-hokkaido-北海道.html

Although the featured restaurant had been close and is moved to a residential area of Tokyo, introduction about food from Hokkaido remains useful information, we believe.

 

<Our recommendation of hotels in Hokkaido>

ザ・ウィンザーホテル洞爺　リゾート＆スパ

 

登別温泉　登別万世閣

ＫＩＴＡ　ＨＯＴＥＬ（キタホテル）

札幌パークホテル

 

Our new service, Dining Experience Planner, launched!

Food Tourism Japan Consulting who organizes English blog "about food in Japan" (http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp) just launched new innovative service called "Dining Experience Planner".  

Dining Experience Planner is newly developed service for non-Japanese people who wish to enjoy having nice meal at nice restaurant(s) in Japan, even if they do not understand Japanese language and if they have no local friend who can give tips to him/her. 

 Especially in Tokyo, there are 98000 restaurants including 240 Michelin star-awarded, with various menu just for "Japanese cuisine" from Sushi or Kaiseki at upscale restaurants to Okonomiyaki, casual Japanese pancake etc etc. 

 Even with guide books and travel related websites, it is not easy to identify an ideal restaurant for your request and requirement.

 

Would it be great if you could get restaurant recommendation personally from a local person who is a professional on the field?

 

Dining Experience Planner will search restaurants as per your requests, on behalf of you book the most suitable one for your situation, and propose it with useful information.

In exchange for small amount of financial cost, Dining Experience Planner by Food Tourism Japan Consulting will help you in following ways.

To make your dining experience in Japan be fantastic and comfortable.

To release you from anxious that you might feel because of language barrier.

To save your time for restaurant searching and booking.

 

For more detail about Dining Experience Planner service, please visit Food Tourism Japan Consulting website.

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html 

 

We are looking forward to serving you for making your dream come true, fantastic dining experience in Japan

 

Food Tourism Japan Consulting

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com 

Chinese - Masa's Kitchen 47 (Michelin 2011 *)

The Chinese restaurant is located less than 10 minutes walk from JR Ebisu (恵比寿) station, Tokyo. In the quiet residential area and on the basement floor, from outside, the presence is so discreet that we missed and passed it over first. 

Unlike the first impression of the modesty presence, inside of the restaurant is sophisticated modern interior with vital open kitchen space in the middle of seats.  From a table close to the kitchen, we saw the chef Masahito Namazue and his staff working and cooking dishes without a break. 

Every food provided there were impressive and as same with the interior design, it is "modern Chinese". All the flavor are surely on the right track of Chinese cuisine but spices and sauce are not too strong as the chef is aming at his dishes having good mariage with wine.

The lunch course Yen 3500 per person is reasonable as a meal at a Michelin star restaurant. It includes several kinds of Chinese delicacies such as dim-sum, noodle, four selected starters and dessert.

Four selected starter plate and spring roll whose salami-filling is unusual and Western style arrangement. 

 

Juicy dim-sum is "must" item at any kind of Chinese restauran

 

 

You can select "how to cook" your dandan noodle (坦々麺)

with thick soup as Japanese style or 

no soup as Chinese origin style (as the photo below)

otherwise it could offer another way of cooking by season.  

 

Lastly it is rare to find sorbet on Chinese almond jelly, isn't it?

That is another joy to be enjoyed at the end of the meal.

 

 

Restaurant name: Masa's Kitchen 47

Website: http://www.masas-kitchen.com

Address: B1 1-21 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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Accommodation near to the restaurant:

ウェスティンホテル東京

シェラトン都ホテル東京

The S.Pellegrino World's 100 Best Restaurants 2011

The S.Pellegrino World's 100 Best restaurant 2011 has been announced recently. I picked up awarded restaurants in Japan as well as Japanese restaurants out of the origin country. 

Both listed restaurants in Japan, Les Creations de Narisawa and Kitcho Arashiyama (吉兆　嵐山), are also awaded two stars by Michelin red guide 2011. 

Please find these awarded restaurants as below.

No. 12 in the world as well as the best restaurant in Asia

Les Creations de Narisawa, Tokyo Japan 

http://www.narisawa-yoshihiro.com

Please visit my report in the past when I visited the restaurant two years ago. 

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2009/08/french---les-cr.html

No. 20, raised up from 29th in 2010

Nihonryori Ryugin　（日本料理　龍吟), Tokyo Japan

http://www.nihonryori-ryugin.com/ 

We can say it is awarded as the best Japanese restaurant in the world.

According to its official site, the chef Seiji Yamamoto's aim is to make his guests feel a sense of the season and discover potential of ingredients from the world in his Japanese cuisine. He startded his restaurant in Roppongi, Tokyo in 2003 after working and trained in the field of Japanese cuisine for long years. He has been often invited and presented at some international academic culinary meetings. 

No. 58 Tetsuya's, Sydney Australia

http://www.tetsuyas.com

The Japanese native chef Tetsuya Wakuda flow in Australia at his age around twenty and leant cooking technic and philosophy in Australia through his career. Now he is one of the most popular chef in the country and is recognized internationally as well.

No. 90 Kitcho Arashiyama (吉兆　嵐山), Kyoto Japan

http://www.kitcho.com/kyoto/shoplist/arashiyama/

The flagship base of the Japanese luxury restaurant chain has over a half century history. 

It serves authentic Japanese cuisine in a traditional style building where it had been used as residence in early 20 century. 

Related link: http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/10/michelin-guide-kyoto-osaka-kobe-2011.html  

No. 92 Wasabi by Morimoto, Mumbai, India

http://www.tajhotels.com/FoodandWine/The%20Taj%20Mahal%20Palace%20&%20Tower,MUMBAI/WASABI%20BY%20MORIMOTO/default.htm

It is located in the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai. According to the needs of local diners, it offers vegetarian menu as well as signature seafood and sushi menu.

Related Link:

The Top 50 Best Restaurants 1-50 | The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

The Top 50 Best Restaurants 1-50 | The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

 The World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants | The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

The World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants | The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

 

 

Waketokuyama (分とく山) - Japanese (Michelin 2011 **)

Waketokuyama (分とく山) by the chef Mr. Hiromitsu Nozaki is one of the most well-known upscale Japanese restaurants in Tokyo. 

There we were taken to the seats on the ground floor where the chef Mr. Nozaki welcomed us from open-kitchen counter.

It is another attraction to watch the chef and staff cooking and preparing food behind the counter. 

The menu is "Omakase"(おまかせ or chef's seasonal recommendation) only, as same in many of Japanese upscale restaurants. We do not have to select dishes from attractive selections. Just we are looking forwards to what we will see in front of us for next a few hours, after order Sake. It also provides some selections of wine. But for Japanese meal, we prefer to have Japanese alcohol which is the best match with fine Japanese food.

 

Here some examples from plates we had. The Japanese full course was counted to 9 dishes from starter to dessert.

 Assorted starter including duck with rice

 

Assorted Sashimi plat

includes Buri (ブリ, 鰤, yellowtail) in season and rich taste.

With seaweed Konjac (海藻こんにゃく) and Yuba (湯葉, bean curd creap) 

 

 

The restaurant's speciality, Iso awabi (磯あわび, abalon with seaweed)

The seafood grilled and covered with seaweed.

Unnn senced aroma from the sea...

 

 

Fried Fugu (河豚, blowfish)!

 

As you see, many of dishes are seasonal seafood. Here we can have something which cannot be found at casual restaurants ... Of course all are filled in our stomach.

 

It is a part of Japanese hospitality that, after the amazing dinner, the chef and staff get out from the restaurant and they warmly see off every guest in front of the restaurant on the street. We also left from Waketokuyama with happiness.  

 

Mr. Nozaki is also known as the chef for the national baseball team at the Athene Olympics in 2004.

The main restaurant of Waketokuyama is located in Hiroo and the modern building build in 2004 is designed by an architect Mr. Kengo Kuma. 

 

Restaurant name: Waketokuyama (分とく山)

Address: 5-1-5 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

*No official website

 

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