About food in Japan

French - Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京)

Mr. Paul Bocuse is one of the legends in French cuisine. His restaurant in Lyon, France, has been awarded as 3 stars for decades by Michelin guide book. Hoping that his French cooking is expanded to the world, the master of French cuisine also produces French brasserie style restaurants which serve at reasonable prices in casual atmosphere.

Brasserie Paul Bocuse at Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京) is one of the units by the master French chef. As its named, the restaurant is located in Daimaru Department store, just off from JR Tokyo station. Why not to try the authentic French menu before or after your excursion to Kyoto, Kansai or Tohoku. It is less than 10 minutes to get out from crowds in the railway station and to go up to the 12th floor of the major department store adjucent to JR Tokyo Yaesu exit. 

  My case, it wa an event of wine tasting with special menu though. The weekday lunch course starts from Yen1200 and dinner course from Yen3500 to enjoy fine sesonal French cuisine. What's a resonable fare considering the quality of food and central location. It will be a good opportunity to pop in for lunch and to take a peaceful break during shopping at Daimaru Tokyo Department store. 

I recognized that taste of baguette (French bread) served there reminds me ones in France. I found the reason when I asked to a waiter. The bread is "made in France" and brought to Japan. Then the baguette is baked after arrived. Amaging logistic and technology...

 

For the French made bread, the restaurant offers butter by "Echire" which is known for the highest quality and is rare to find in Japan.

 

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These plates were for the event of wine tasting, rather than regular one on the list.

Starter - Cheese mouse

Fish - Cod Bouillabaisse soup and safran risotto

Main dish - grilled Magret duck and duck confit (both on a plate!)

with dessert

Defenitely I hope to come back here for nice wine and French cuisine at reasonable price.

 

Related post, about another Brasserie Paul Bocuse unit in Tokyo:

Brasserie by Grand Chef at National Art Center Tokyo

 

Restaurant name: Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo (大丸東京)

Address: 12th floor Grand Tokyo North Tower, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.paulbocuse.jp/eng/daimarutokyo/

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Kitchen goods store, Daidokoroya Zakkaten in Shibuya (台所雑貨店, 渋谷)

Today's topic is not "about food" exactly but about something important for food lovers.

I visited Shibuya (渋谷) more than 100 times in my life but I had not known this interesting store until recently...

Daidokoroya Zakkaten (台所雑貨店) represents "Kitchen Goods Store" if tranlated in English. It is located just a minute from Shibuya station which is known for the most busiest diagonal crossing in the world. The store is on the basement floor of a shopping complex called "Shibuya Tokyu Plaza" which can be visible from West Exit of Shibuya station over large bus terminal.

Finding Daidokoroya Zakkaten, I was amazed by the abundant collections of kitchen goods from plates stacked close to the floor, utencils hung on the wall both left and right, even baskets suspended from the ceiling, every space filled with intersting tools or kitchenware, without empty space. The scene reminds us "Kappabashi" (合羽橋) well-known kitchen goods street in Asakusa. But here it is Shibuya, just a minute from the station.

Of course it does not have large scale like Kappabashi but is still exciting to find someting interesting for your kitchen or souvenir without travelling to Asakusa.

 

 What I bought at Daidokoroya Zakkaten today

 

Top: chopstick rest in the shape of "Taiyaki"(sea bream fish shaped cake) 

Center: a tiny spoon with flower motif, which allows me to scoop very small portion of powder

Bottom: again chopstick in the shape of "edamame"(green soybean, often served as snack with beer) Not edible but able to be brought out from Japan as a souvenir and make a lough on table...

 

Another fun discovering....

"tenugui" (手ぬぐい, traditional washcloth

can be used in kitchen, bathroom or any other housekeeping work)

This tenugui is not just washcloth.

Each character printed in dark blue ink represents a kind of fish.

The list is likely to be found at Sushi restaurant. This case, it is printed on cloth.

 

Even for native Japanese, it is not east to master all the words and name...

So it is very kind to have the paper list attached and telling us how to pronouce these words. 

The cloth will give us an oppotunity to study

plenty of Kanji (漢字, Japanese characters) related to seafood.

 

Daidokoroya Zakkaten offers other intresting tenugui cloth. Some of them are different by season. 

 

Drop by the shop in Shibuya to find some small but good souvenir or useful tools to prepare authentic Japanese food in your home.

 

Shop name: Daidokoroya Zakkaten

Address: B1 floor, Shibuya Tokyu Plaza, 1-2-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku Tokyo

 

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