Kagawa Ippuku: Udon to rival Shikoku's very best
Sometimes you want simple. Sometimes you feel like hunkering down with no-frills, no-fuss food that fills and comforts. Sometimes you need a quick, restorative visit to Kagawa Ippuku in Kanda. As the name indicates, Ippuku has pedigree. The main restaurant in Shikoku's Kagawa Prefecture is ...
The Oak Door: A fiery rebirth for a Tokyo heavyweight
The Oak Door is back in action. For the past 15 years, the Grand Hyatt's flagship restaurant has been a Tokyo fixture, a monument to man-sized steaks, heavyweight wines and power dining. That was until a chimney fire in early 2017 necessitated a year-long ...
Know by Moto: Sake finds a chic haven below Shinjuku
So you've rendezvoused beneath the huge video screen at Studio Alta. You've explored Shinjuku, maybe caught a movie or trawled for treats in the gleaming depachika (basement food floor) of the Isetan department store. Now you're ready for sustenance. Somewhere cool, with good food ...
Otafuku: Temporary home preserves 100-year tradition
April in Japan isn't cruel so much as capricious. It brings unexpected chills and sudden rain as readily as it does blossom and sunshine. There's still plenty of need for warming, restorative fare — and nothing fits that description better than oden. Even at their ...
The Blind Donkey: Serving up nature in the inner city
Among the brash drinking holes and boisterous old-school izakaya taverns clustered in the narrow alleys that surround Kanda Station, The Blind Donkey is an unexpected, understated anomaly. It has no flashing lights announcing its presence, or any other identifying signs, for that matter. The clear ...
OnJapan Cafe&: Reimagining the fermenting tradition
Shibuya's Kamiyamacho district continues to bubble up with worthy new dining venues. One of the most intriguing new arrivals on its increasingly popular shopping street — the long, straight artery connecting Tokyu Department Store with Yoyogi-Koen — is OnJapan Cafe&. The mission statement at this ...
Bakushuan Nihonbashi: Oysters don't get much better than this
Bakushuan Nihonbashi is keen to make sure you know what to expect. "We're a craft beer and sake place," they tell you when you call to reserve. It's not so much a warning as an invitation: Come prepared to explore both beverages in considerable ...
Koe Lobby: New arrival has all-day sustenance and style
With its high ceiling, comfortable seating and impeccably cool soundtrack, Koe Lobby ticks all the right boxes. It only opened last month and already this buzzy cafe/bakery/restaurant/lounge space has become a magnet in Shibuya for both the hungry and the hip. What sets Koe apart ...
Hakkoku: Hiroyuki Sato is striving for the next level of sushi greatness
What makes outstanding sushi? Seafood, balance and technique, for starters.
Tokyo Saryo: The new stylings of sencha green tea
Japan's traditional daily drink, sencha green tea, is making a comeback. For too long it's been crowded out of modern consciousness by the buzz and self-promotion of coffee culture. But thanks to places like Tokyo Saryo, sencha may be starting to regain its relevance ...
Fratelli Paradiso's new venture in Tokyo: 'I want to enjoy my food, wine and mates'
When Fratelli Paradiso arrived in Tokyo last spring, it had a mission that was both straightforward and daunting: to introduce the kind of excellent, no-frills Italian dining that's made this buzzy Sydney-based restaurant so successful in its homeland.
Men Labo Hiro: Balanced ramen from a yakitori chef
Men Labo Hiro is far from your standard noodle counter. Squeaky clean both inside and out, with spacious tables by the door and enough room to squeeze in even a stroller or two, it feels more like a family restaurant than the type of ...
