MACCARINA

Mar11 by Bianca

A recent ski trip to Niseko in Hokkaido allowed me to stumble upon a few lovely restaurants that I simply have to share with you in my next few posts. The abundance of excellent food around tiny Niseko has always amazed me, so let me start by sharing a post about Maccarina.

Maccarina is a French-Japanese restaurant with one michelin star. Its located in a tiny town called Makkari, about 30 minutes drive from Hirafu village where all the main hotels are.

Housed in a small wooden building, Maccarina’s interior is a little outdated yet somehow still manages to ooze some coziness.

There are two choices of set menus. We chose the more extensive one which cost around 11.000 yen per person and here is what we had.

The first course was a mixture of tiny appetizers beautifully arranged on one plate. Grilled abalone, breadcrumbed beef tongue, roasted duck cooked in red wine, foie gras apple tart and a mixture of vegetables of the season.

I’m not sure I liked the concept of having all the appetizers mixed together in one plate but each of them tasted delicious and the presentation was amazing.

Next came an interesting dish. Poached lily bulbs in a most delicately light cream sauce. I loved this dish.

A mini traditional French onion soup followed. I love onion soup and I found this one to be particularly delectable. It was light and had the perfect amount of cheese in it.

A pleasant seafood risotto came after. It was light and absolutely delicious.

You had a choice of roasted beef steak or roasted venison for your main course. I chose the beef.

It was accompanied by the most delicious roasted potatoes. I was disappointed by the fact that I was so full I could not bring myself to finish them.

I always have a soft spot for all things sweet, especially caramel so I loved the hot pumpkin tart dessert with caramel ice cream. The mixture of hot and cold can never go wrong in my opinion.

The food at Maccarina was delicious in a more classic French kind of style, but were I a michelin star judge, I don’t think I would have given them a star simply due to the fact that they didn’t really have a sommelier and the service really wasn’t up to michelin star standards. But then again, I am not a judge and what’s most important in my book is excellent food and Maccarina certainly has this. So I believe it is well worth the 30 minute drive.

Prize : $$$

MACCARINA

172-3 Midorioka, Makkari, Abuta District, Hokkaido Prefecture 048-1615, Japan
+81 136-48-2100

Due Italian

Dec29 by Afra

The name of this restaurant in Shimbashi might not suggest a Ramen place. Just in case some of you aren’t familiar with the term, ramen is a hot savory Japanese noodle soup dish that is considered an easy lunch or dinner in Japan. There are many different types of ramen, but the ramen you will find in Due Italian is a very unique fusion of Japanese and Italian style of cooking.

Their restaurant is relatively small like many places in Japan yet very comfortable with outdoor seating for nice weather days.

Photo Nov 12, 13 49 02

They have two signature ramen dishes and my friend and I decided to order one of each. The first one is the tomato ramen which is served cold and sweet with lots of tomatoes and some strawberries on top of it. The dish tasted deliciously fresh and I was quite surprised at how well the tomato juice and strawberries complemented each other.

Photo Nov 12, 13 24 59 (1)

The second signature dish is the hot ramen which is served with melted fromage cheese. This dish is very simple but the soup is exquisite. You mix the cheese and the noodles so they blend together and melts in your mouth. We just stopped talking until there wasn’t a drop left in our bowls. It was that good.

I would recommend this restaurant for a quick lunch place or if you are looking to try a unique type of ramen noodles. Prices are on the cheap side around 1000-1500 yen. So this is one of those cheap and cheerful eateries that I would definitely recommend.

Price : $

Due Italian

Tokyo, Minato, Higashi-shinbashi, 2-9-6, SAN Bldg 1F

Phone:(+81)3-3436-5337

KOGENTEY

Sep8 by Afra

Located in the middle of an upper class residential area, the street leading towards it dark except for the illuminated entrance, Kogentey is a welcomed oasis in the heart of Sakurashinmachi. Two restaurants and a cafe built as warm wooden structures sit in its lovely compound. You don’t find this kind of architecture a lot in Tokyo.

The first restaurant is the “Konamon” where they serve okonomiyaki (japanese style pizza).

The second is a dessert shop “Yukinoshita” (the hut on the right in the picture below) where they serve a variety of desserts.

The third, is the “Kogentey” which is a teppanyaki restaurant where I will have dinner today.

I loved the entrance with its gorgeous lighting. You really feel like you are entering a different world in this compound.

There are only 2 private rooms where the chef can cook live in front of you. The rests are just regular tables like the picture below.

Since it’s a teppanyaki restaurant, I feel like it is always better to have the chef cook live in front of you as part of the entertainment. Below is a picture of the room I booked.

I have a certain weakness for special menus. I chose the “Natsu Tora” for my meal which means Summer Tiger. It is part of their summer menu and the only difference from their signature menu is that they had lobster on the list. No hesitation, I chose this one.

The first to arrive from the set menu was the Gazpacho, a cold tomato based soup made from raw vegetables originally from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.

Second is the Hors d’oeuvre, Fish with summer vegetables.

Third, the chef showed us the ingredients of the Poisson, Lobster, Sea Urchin, and Scallop. All fresh.

She grilled the lobster and scallops first and used the sea urchin as a sauce she poured on top.
It was the ocean on a plate and tasted heavenly.

After the seafood, we moved on to the Viande, Oumi Beef from Shiga perfecture,

Fried garlic, asparagus, eggplant and wasabi were served as the sides.

Soumen, a kind of Japanese noodle from Akita prefecture served cold came last.

The dessert was a pannacotta with passion fruit sauce. A refreshing tropical summer dessert.

From all the dishes I loved the lobster the best. It truly was amazing.

Other than that, I would recommend this place for its unique atmosphere. An oasis in the middle of bustling Tokyo.

Price: $$$

Kogentey

4-14-1 Tsurumaki, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 154-0016

Phone +81 (0)3-3425-0393

Savoy

Jun15 by Afra

I decided to try this tiny pizza place called Savoy today as I was enjoying a leisurely afternoon stroll in Azabu-juban after many wet Tokyo days. A friend recommended this establishment and so I decided to give it a try.

The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of a rather bland flat building . No signs of a pizza place in sight.

As you enter though, you’ll find that the interior is quite cozy with bar counter seatings only.

The menu is also very minimalist. They had a steamed broccoli appetizer but the main course only consists of two choices of pizza, Margherita and Marinara. Each costing about 1500 yen.

I decided to give the all time favorite a try and ordered the Margherita. The pizza dough was very thin and soft and you actually had to roll it in between your fingers to prevent the toppings from falling off. It was delicious.

One pizza wasn’t enough for me today so I decided to give the Marinara a try. I found it interesting how the chef threw salt inside the wood fire oven.

Here is the Marinara pizza and I have to say it is the better choice of the two. I loved the garlicky taste. Exquisite.

My verdict ?. I have to say that in Tokyo you very often find beauty in the most unassuming places. If you love soft moist pizzas I suggest you give this place a try.

Price : $

SAVOY

3-10-1 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046

Phone : +81-(0)3-5770-7899

HORIKANE

Dec4 by Bianca

Nestled in a very unassuming side street in the Shirokanedai neighborhood, Horikane’s excellent cuisine is anything but modest. The Michelin guide stated that “Owner-chef Hidehiro Horiuchi’s kitchen is a place of focused concentration”. The interior of this tiny restaurant may be a little dated but the brilliance of Horikane’s dishes are anything but obsolete.

Chef Horiuchi combines Japanese with chinese style and here are the series of exquisitely crafted dishes I was privileged enough to try.

Vegetable Appetizers

I wish I could have asked what the dish on the right was but my limited Japanese skills couldn’t figure it out. The next dish was my absolute favorite. Not only was it extremely creative it was also highly delectable, a thick shark fin soup in a mango fruit. You were asked to eat it like you would a coconut. Scraping the mango flesh and eating it with the soup. Heavenly.

Sharkfin soup in a mango fruit

Next came three slices of the freshest fatty tuna (toro) with an array of condiments.

Tuna toro

Following the tuna, came a squid dish bathed in black squid ink.

Squid ink dish

Next came what I thought was a tofu dish but actually wasn’t. Once again, limited Japanese language skills hindered me from finding out what it was but at least I can show you how it looked like.

Tofu-like dish

And as the main course we were served Horikane’s famous hot pot with chunks of vegetables and delicious fish inside.

The hot pot

Then came a wonderful truffle scented rice porridge with poached eggs. Comfort food for my tummy.

Truffle scented rice porridge with poached eggs

And to end things on a sweet note. Some lovely strawberries in a sesame sauce.

I truly loved my meal. It would set you can around 25.000 to 30.000 yen but is absolutely worth it.

Price : $$$

HORIKANE

5-10-13 Shirokanedai

Minato-ku Tokyo

Phone : 03-3280-4629

AHILL

Nov28 by Bianca

This restaurant calls itself a “French Teppanyaki” restaurant so I was rather intrigued to find out what that meant. Ahill has a branch in nishi-azabu but I visited the one at the Velvia building in Ginza a few days ago for lunch with some friends. It was a small and cozy restaurant on the 8th floor with a very reasonable lunch set menu of 2000 or 3500 yen.

There are three choices of appetizers and we decided to each take something different to taste. Here is what we had :

First appetizer choice : Shrimp quenelles gratin style with mushroom and potatoes

Second appetizers choice : Yellowtail marinated with ginger, tomato and eggplant tapenade

And the third appetizer choice some roast beef with horseradish gravy

Then came a soothing warm pumpkin potage.

Warm pumpkin potage

If you order the 3500 yen set you will get an extra plate of today’s fish.

Salmon. The fish of the day.

There are also three choices of the main course which is rump steak, hamburger or sautéed pork.

The rump steak

The hamburger with pieces of foie gras inside

What comes next is a definite must try. Their fried curry rice. The 2000 yen menu doesn’t have this in it, but you can order extra for 500 yen. Definitely worth it!. It was one of the best curry rice I’ve tried.

The fried curry rice

The creme brule is also a definite must try. I loved how thin it was so you can really taste the burnt crust.

The creme brule

And there is also a choice of apple mousse dessert.

Apple mousse dessert

So this is what you call French-Teppanyaki. I loved my meal. It was delicious for its reasonable price. I especially loved the curry rice and creme brule. I think I might come back.

Price : $

AHILL.

Ginza2-4-6, Ginza Velcia-kan 8F

Phone : 3562-8080

TERRES DE TRUFFE

Oct25 by Bianca

Truffles have always held the top spot on my list of favorite foods, right up there next to honey. So when I found this restaurant that serves all things truffles up to its desserts, I was naturally overjoyed. I used to frequent this restaurant when it was still housed in Roppongi Hills. They closed for a year before recently (finally) opening their cosy doors to the public in a quiet back street of Aoyama. The interior is less formal in their new location, looking more like a cosy french bistro.

They have a set and ala carte menu with wine pairing options. The set menu costs about 15.000 yen. My husband and I tried the set menu and before I go and post pictures of our meal, here is a picture of my favorite food up close.

Isn’t she a beauty ?

And here is what we had on our menu…

Starting off simple with a slice of bread covered with cheese and slices of truffle accompanied by a small cup of hot chicken soup. This is always my favorite starter.

Followed by some sliced fish covered with truffles. This dish is deliciously fresh.

Another one of my favorite dish came after. A perfectly soft half poached egg in a light chicken broth with truffle slices.

Next is a signature dish of Terres de truffe. Baked potato in a cream sauce with generous shavings of white truffle on top.

And a wonderful seared scallop with zucchini and a slice of truffle came soon after.

Followed by the main dish. Wagyu beef with foie gras and black truffles.

This dish was accompanied by some lovely truffled rice.

For dessert, we decided to try two different options. A vanilla ice cream with truffled caramel sauce and truffled cheese pannacota. Both were delicious.

It was an absolutely wonderful feast and it being truffle season right now, it would be the perfect time to go.

Price : $$$

TERRES DE TRUFFE.

Reve Minami Aoyama Bldg 1F

2-27-6 Minami Aoyama

Minato-ku, Tokyo

Phone : 0357722139

Tokyo Food Diary

A journal of my journey through Tokyo's various eateries

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