Restaurant Guide

A recently opened creation from the owners of vegan mainstay Pure Cafe and the smaller 8ablish cafe-bakery in Gakugeidaigaku, Restaurant 8ablish creates complex Mediterranean-inspired dishes and, compared to the cafe and bakery, offers a full-fledged dining experience. The atmosphere is conducive to long wine-soaked ...

Perhaps it is the Japanese influence, but the food here does not suffer from the heavy sauces and overly rich flavors that can at times beleaguer French cuisine. Ai to Ibukuro offers a true culinary experience for the entire family, and will have baby ...

Tonino was set up by (and named for) a trained pizzaiolo of considerable skill from Ischia, in the Gulf of Naples. Although he has left now, his influence lingers in the quality of the pizzas.

The chefs at Tepparnya make good use of the teppan, the hot plate that dominates the kitchen counter, and so should you. We had a rump of tender beef steak served on a chopping board with Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper ...

Chankonabe is wedded to sumo in the same way as whiskey is to the Wild West and cowboys; they're both fuel for fightin'. Terao Tsunefumi, the man behind this eponymous restaurant, is a well-respected sumo wrestler who had a career in the ring spanning ...

Saru calls itself a "fresh bistro." That means comfortable, confident cuisine blending farmhouse French and trattoria Italian, based around quality ingredients all sourced from within Japan, especially from Nagano, the home prefecture of owner Nobuyuki Saruta.

It's not just that owner-chef Shinichi Araki has a hotline to the best and freshest in nearby Tsukiji market. He understands exactly what's at the peak of its season, and how to prepare it.

With 20 taps running in the bar, there's a beer to suit every taste. In addition to the six main beers, four other taps will be special editions, some exclusive to BrewDog bars. The establishment also features beers made by other breweries all over ...

I was there for the French toast: voluminous, coquettish, accompanied by a twirl of soft-serve ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.

The overarching influence is Italian cooking, border-hopping to France, but most dishes have a Japanese stamp on their passport -- specifically Kyoto.

Besides all the usual cuts of chicken, there are lots of good things wrapped in bacon, such as asparagus, mushrooms and even mochi rice cakes. You'll also find tofu, seafood, spuds and veggies all primed to go on the charcoal.

Kaiserhof does a number of German classics, such as eisbein (pickled ham hock), spatzle (pasta-like dumplings) and a whole lot of wurst (sausages). The latter are served on hot cast-iron pans with sauerkraut, flavored -- appropriately -- with caraway seeds. There's apfelstrudel (apple strudel) ...