It looks as though Tokyo has finally woken up to the idea that there's much more to a burger than the cheap, bland offerings of the fast-food chains. Premium burgers, made by hand with quality ingredients and cooked with care, are all over town these days and the best of the recent bunch is the strangely named Blacows in Ebisu.
All the patties are prepared in-house from 100 percent wagyu (Japanese black Angus cows — hence the name, an abbreviation of "black cow"). The buns are from the celebrated Maison Keyser bakery. And there's a tasty range of fillings, from spicy jalapeno to Italian-style mozzarella and prosciutto.
Servings aren't huge (you only get a smattering of fries with them) and you also have to order your salad separately, so the final bill can start to add up. But the restaurant is spacious and bright; the staff and customers are young and well dressed; and there's a fair selection of wine and beer (including Hoegaarden White in bottles). Best of all, sheets of brown paper are provided so you don't get your hands too messy as you eat.