Whales are magnificent creatures I have always dreamt of seeing in the flesh. However, tucking into a slab of whale steak at a restaurant in Tokyo was not what I had in mind. Nevertheless, this was a close encounter with one of the world's largest mammals that I felt I could not duck out of: If I was going to better understand all the fuss about whale consumption and Japan's "research whaling," I thought I'd better do some of my own "research eating."

As my friends and I were led to our own private room at Kujiraya, near Shibuya Station, we noted that older ladies dressed up in kimono were among the clientele at this busy restaurant. This was obviously not going to be your garden-variety business lunch, a point further evidenced by the midday menu choices: whale sashimi, whale steak and deep-fried whale nuggets. While all three were beautifully presented, Masakazu Kobayashi, our sushi-chef escort, recommended the sashimi, which he said would bring out the high quality of the meat. My friend and I, however, were less ambitious and opted for the steak and deep-fried dishes.

I found the sashimi, which resembled a slice of raw tuna in texture and color, a bit frozen and challenging. The whale steak, slightly seared and marinated in a sweet soy sauce, was a tad chewy and reminded me of beef. The fried nuggets, however, were a real delicacy: They had a crisp taste and ended up melting in my mouth. However, as with any set lunch in Japan, I was pleased to have my rice and miso soup on the side. Kobayashi, 29, found the sashimi extremely delicious. Surprisingly, it was also his first experience of eating whale.