About food in Japan

From mothers all over the world - newsDELI

NewsDELI is a casual restaurant providing variety of international foods in deli-style.
On October 2007, it launched a seriese of deli food called "Present from mothers all over the world" and it is introducing home cooking meals from various countries.

For example, what I had this time are...; Mousaka from Greece, Cuscus salad from Tunisia etc

It offers more than ten of deli selection in the showcase as well as drinks such as international brand beer.

Restaurant name: NewsDELI Yurakucho 
Address: 3-6-11 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Website: http://www.news-deli.com/

Chinese - Denenkyo 田燕居

Denenkyo is a Chinese restaurant located in a residential district of Tokyo, Yoga.
The restaurant's meal concept is mom's cooking from Beijin.
Chinese food is already very well-known in Japan, but the restaurant is aiming to introduce real local home food of China.

In the menu list, we can find many familier menu and ingredients for Chinese and Japanese; gyoza(Chinese dumpling), oyaki (salty round shape cake), kakuni(diced pork stew), mapo-tofu...
What we had are surely slightly different from what we usually know as Chinese food. Cooking way is simple but I believe that selected ingredients, authentic spices and the professional chef from the hometown country make the difference.
Definetely I prefer these dishes to ones available in typical Chinese restaurants.

The port stew(kakuni, 角煮） is its speciality and is served with sauteed vegetables and thin baked rice papers.

Soup and mapo-tofu are provided by thick earthen pot.

Mapo-tofu is the best match with rice!

The restaurant is decorated charmingly with antiques. They are another delight there.
Lunch special course 8 dishes and dessert at 3500yen.

For more photos at the restaurant, please click here.

Restaurant name: Denenkyo (田燕居）
Address:　Pinepalace 1F 4-17-8 Yoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Nearest station: Yoga on Tokyu Denentoshi line
Website: http://www.kiwa-group.co.jp/restaurant/a100034.html

Italian - Boschetta

Boschetta is an Italian restaurant in quiete upscale residential area of Shirokane.

Here it is art on plates. It is beautiful but at the same time very tasty as food!
What to be great for us was the lunch course is very reasonable cosindering the quality of food. We had a course of YEN5000.
It includes two starters, two pasta, fish, meat, dessert and coffee.

The restaurant serves all menu beautifully presented on glass plates imported from Greece.
Always food make good matches with artistic plates. They look like an artwork.

Another surprise was the wine list. Wine bottle labels are drawn by hands and painted with color pencils. Even though I looked tousands of wine list at restaurants, I can never find one like that! It is also fantastic work.

Cost around 7000yen for a cozy afternoon. It has value for money.

Restaurant name: Boschetta
Address: 5-13-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Website: http://www.boschetta.com/

For full photos at the restaurant, please visit here.

French - La Matiere

Kagurazaka area is known for the good blend of old Japan and French atmosphere. Japanese traditional restaurants and French ones are scattered on sides of narrow winding streets in the small town. It is said, because of a major French school and some French organizations in the area, we can find several restaurants which provide authentic French cuisine there.

La Matiere is one of them. The small French restaurant has attractted a lot of groumets since its openning in 2006. Tables for weekends are often fully booked a month prior, even though the restaurant does not have an official website.

As shown on the first photo above, I found the tower like, stereoscopic presentation is chef's style. Even fish is served in this style, like this....    

The cuisine is of course fantastic experience!

Seasonal vegetables are all carefully finished and the restaurant's speciality, pork grill is unforgettable for the spicy flavour. The wine list would never disappoint guests.

Definitely I will be back here to try other dishes.

The restaurant is suitable even for special occasions such as birthday, anniversary etc etc.

Restaurant name: La Matiere

Address: 6-29 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Mexican - Fonda De La Madrugada

Fonda De La Madrugada is located between Harajuku and Omotesando, near to Turkish Embassy. From the humble entrace on the ground floor, we can not imagine how big the restaurant is. After politely welcomed at the reception desk on the first basement floor, we go through narrow corridor with a small fountain and are directed to further downstairs. The two-floor hight hall looks like a terrace or courtyard of traditional Latin house. Two rooms adjucent to the big hall can be used for a private party.

The food is authentic by Mexican chef; starter, meat, fish, tacos, variety choice of Mexican flavour!! House made Tortillas is served with some menu and kept warm in a round basket box.

Live Mexican music is available on evening. They go around tables and play music, responding to diners' request.

   Dessert is not exception of the Mexican food. We ordered Leche frita con Tequila, custard burned with tequila.  As shown on the photo left, the dessert plate was burned on the table and finished as an entertainment in front of guests.

Restaurant name: Fonda de la Madrugada
Address: Vila Bianca B1, 2-33-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001
6minutes walk from Harajuku JR station or 10minutes from Omotesando subway station
Friday, Saturday open till 05h a.m. and other days till 2h a.m.
Website: http://www.fonda-m.com

Portuguese - Vilamoura

The Portugese restaurant Vilamoura is located in Ginza, just behind Sukiyabashi crossing.

Go down to the basement floor, fence painted in sky blue, corkscrews scattered and  Cataplana(local stew) pots hanged on walls, they will make you feel as if you were in  the European country.

The food and the selection of Port wine, Madeira wine would never disappoint diners there, rather they would be the reason to come to the restaurant time by time.

Japanese people can find some resemblance between Portugese dishes and own local food. One reason is similality of their ingredients such as seafood and rice, the other is historical link between these two countries date back to hundreds years ago.

Grilled sardine is one of them. Really simple dish but, to be surprising, it matchs with Portugese red wine.

My favourite menu is Grilled rissott with vegetables and cheese. 
We can not miss it particularly in winter.

 

Restaurant name: Vilamoura
Address:  Davinci Ginza Annex  B1Floor
6-2-3 Ginza, Tokyo
Website: http://www.vila-moura.com