Gleaming white tableware, understated decor and not a single dragon or red lantern in sight: Masa's Kitchen 47 boldly defies the stereotype for Chinese restaurants in Tokyo. Which is just as it should be. So does the food.

Owner-chef Masahito Namazue doesn't turn out the tired old-school recipes that have been adapted — dumbed down, you might say — and popularized throughout Japan. Nor does he strive for some ideal of authenticity, be it Cantonese, Mandarin or any other style of Chinese cooking.

Instead, he has developed his own interpretation of the cuisine. Just like the interior of his restaurant, the results are attractive, boldly contemporary but never flashy. More to the point, his food tastes fantastic.