Casual soba shop in Yushima by a famous soba master

Among noodle shops in Japan, if a soba chef masters its professional and creates own soba, different from others, he/she is recognized as a "soba master" and respected by people. Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodle is simple. For this reason, making soba is difficult and deep. It's like a concept of "zen." One of a famous soba master is Mr. Ishi Jin (石井仁), who has won Michelin stars. His main soba-kaiseki restaurant named "Nigyo (仁行)"is located in Nihonbashi (日本橋). But if you want to taste his soba in a casual manner, there is a hidden place in Yushima (湯島).

Entrance "Kosetsu"

Inside

Tempura soba set

Soba with hot soup and fresh green laver  

Soba boiled hot water

On the underground floor of hotel "Edoya (江戸屋)", a reasonable Japanese-style hotel particularly for overseas travelers, there is a soba shop named "Kosetsu (古拙)." The hotel itself is a bit old, but the interior of Kosetsu was well renovated. Stable and good atmosphere. Even one customer could be relaxed in this shop.

Menu is vary. We ordered a tempura soba set and a soba with hot soup and fresh green laver, one of their specialties. We waited a bit until soba was served,  but it was worth for waiting. Tempura was just fried, hot and crispy. The famous soba was very thin and delicate. Unless we eat quickly, it will be stuck. The sophisticated soba was definitely nice, though I  personally prefer a bit more dry soba dipping soup. 

The other hot soba was more wonderful. The balance of soup and soba was perfect. I got to be addictive. If you are not used to laver, the appearance might not be favorable, but the taste is really nice. If I revisit, I will order this again. The price is 10-20% higher than usual soba shops maybe because of the fame. The portion is also small. If you go often, it might be uneconomical, but tasting nice soba occasionally, it would be OK. My rating is 3.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Kosetsu (古拙) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/6742296/ 

Local Italian Diner in Yanaka

Just nest to Sushi Yaguruma (previous visit) in Yanaka (谷中), there is a small Italian diner named "PANELLA (パネイラ)." PANELLA is a casual diner where even one person can easily enter. Their specialty is grilled vegetables tasting with rock salt, olive oil and basil-tomato paste. By baking by oven, vegetables become more sweet and juicy. It seemed every customer ordered this grilled vegetables because of the nice taste and heath conscious.

PANNELLA 

Inside

Beer 

Handmade bread

Grilled vegetables

Spaghetti with tomato sauce

Grilled pork

The hand-made taste including bread was simple and gentle. Spaghetti with tomato sauce was simple but tasty. Main dish, grilled pork was a bit less appealing, but the simple tasting did not harm the taste of ingredient itself. Each dish costs around JPY1,000. When you want to have Italian dishes but don't want to cook at home, this casual diner might be one option. You can come with casual cloths. My rating is 2.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

PANELLA (パネイラ) http://www.panella-yanaka.net/     

Edomae Unagi in Kanda

In Kanda Sudacho (神田須田町), we have a famous unagi (eel) restaurant named "Kanda Kikukawa (神田きくかわ)." They opened this restaurant in 1947 and nowadays have four branches in/around Tokyo. If you approach to Kanda Kikukawa, you will easily notice nice smell of unagi which stimulates your appetite very much. As Kikukawa never accepts reservation, we have to visit as early as possible or wait for a while.

Kanda Kikukawa (people are waiting...)

Inside (second floor)

Tea and pickles 

Unagi !

Bigger unagi bowl

A bit old building of Kikukawa recalls the image of previous "Showa" era. Since the inside is not so large, we could not be fully relaxed. But it is OK! This is the place only for tasting delicious unagi! As you know, unagi is an expensive ingredients and recently recognized as semi-endangered. Unagi is available from JPY3,000 even at lunch time. If you want to eat more, you have to pay more.

Unagi was delicious same as their fame. The texture was superb. Soft, airy and melted in the mouth. Kikukawa said they use only domestic unagi. Sauce of unagi is salty-sweet and strong as edomae. But they did not harm the taste of unagi itself. Sweetness using honey was well balanced. Also, savory aroma of charcoal also contributed to the good taste. My rating is 4 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Kanda Kikukawa (神田きくかわ) http://www.kanda-kikukawa.co.jp/ 

Nostalgic French dishes in the Ueno Park

In the Ueno Park (上野公園), we have "Ueno Seiyoken (上野精養軒)", a restaurant and banquet complex whose business history started in 1872. Ueno Seiyoken is a pioneer of French dishes as well as Yoshoku in Japan. On a sunny weekend, I went to their main dining named "Grill Fulushima (グリルフクシマ)" for having a brunch. The entrance is a bit dark, inside was quite bright with sunshine and green of Park through the window.

A passage of Ueno Park

Ueno Seiyoken

Entrance of "Grill Fulushima"

Inside

Table setting

Terrine of scallop and smoke salmon

Consomme soup

Bread

Wagyu beef steak with red wine sauce

Grilled bass with seafood cream sauce 

Milk pudding with coconut jelly and tea

As a main dining, the price setting is high. A lunch set comprising a starter, a soup, a main dish and a dessert costs JPY7,000 per person. Even considering the location, it might be a bit expensive. Maybe thanks to that, there were relatively few customers and we could spend a private time.

Dishes were not so modern, but orthodox. In a good meaning, the taste and presentation were nostalgic. They would maintain their traditional style introducing trends bit by bit. This kind of orthodox restaurant might be valuable nowadays. Traditional consomme soup was very delicious. Other dishes were tasty averagely. Only beef steak, I was not so satisfied. They should select a bit better quality of beef for this price.

I like the nostalgic atmosphere in the historical Ueno Park, but seeing a restaurant, the cost-effectiveness is not so good. My rating is 3 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Ueno Seiyoken (上野精養軒) http://www.seiyoken.co.jp/index.html

Teppanyaki in Hibiya on Mother's Day

In a few minutes walk from the Imperial Hotel (帝国ホテル) in Hibiya (日比谷), there is a teppanyaki restaurant called "Waka-kaiseki Yamatokan (若会席　大和館)" in the basement of a building. Yamatokan consists of only private rooms which is suitable for business entertainment and private gathering. Actually, eating in a private room with good service was really relaxing and nice.

Entrance 

Private room

Amuse (sesame tofu with sea urchin)

Starter platter 

Clear soup with bamboo root 

A chef cooks in our private room

Grilled fish with butter and champagne sauce

Salad

Shimane wagyu beef

Grape sorbet 

Cooking (teppanyaki)!

Steamed rice, miso soup and pickles

Grilled beef

Dessert 

Tea 

In each private room, there is a teppanyak kitchen where a chef is cooking just for us. This experience is quite gorgeous. Before teppanyaki, amuse, starter and soup were served in a Japanese-kaiseki style. Every dish was delicate and gentle. Really, good starter for main teppannyaki!

Main dishes, namely fish and meat are cooked on teppan (iron plate). The cooking demonstration induced appetite. Grilled fish with rich butter and champagne sauce was delicious. As for beef, its quality depends on the price of course. Our beef seemed moderate. But their steak sauce using soy sauce became the taste much better. Eating with rice was very tasty. 

Dessert, particularly creme brulee was also delicious. The service was friendly. Price might be relatively reasonable as a teppanyaki restaurant using private room. My rating is 3.5 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Waka-kaiseki Yamatokan (若会席　大和館) http://www.wakakaiseki.co.jp/  

Homely cheese cakes of JOHANN

There is a cheese cake specialty shop called "JOHANN (ヨハン)" in Nakameguro (中目黒). Since their open in 1978, its simple and homely cheese cakes are widely loved by people. Recently we can buy their products at "Seijyo-Ishi (成城石井)", a bit posh super market chain.

"Natural" cheese cake

"Sour soft" cheese cake

One piece of their cakes is small. But as the taste is rich, this "bit-size"might be calculated. The taste is orthodox and a bit nostalgic as a whole. Even so, rich taste of cheese is noteworthy. Everyone would like the cakes. The price is reasonable. One piece is around JPY350. After dinner, this small cake is recommendable. My rating is 3 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

JOHANN (ヨハン) http://johann-cheesecake.com/ja/

Histrical soba restaurant in Toranomon

In orthodox restaurants of soba, Japanese buckwheat noodle, there are three major lineages such as "yabu (藪)", "sunaba (砂場)" and "sarashina (更科)." And among three, it is said "sunaba" is the oldest, whose origin is latter part of 16th century when Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the Osaka castle. When the Tokugawa Shogun moved its government to Edo (Tokyo), they also moved here. One of the branches in Tokyo is Toranomon Sunaba (虎ノ門砂場) which has been continually doing business since 1872.

Toranomon Sunaba 

2nd floor of Toranomon Sunaba

Vegetable tempura 

Soba with Japanese yam sauce 

Same as its long history, Toranomon Sunaba is a traditional Japanese-style building where we can taste soba as feeling like edokko. We have to sit together with other people during rush hour like lunch time, but as we don't stay long, it is not a problem. As you may know, as a smart manner at soba restaurants, it is advisable to leave the restaurant soon after having short break of eating.

The taste of Toranomon Sunaba is definitely good. It is the one everyone likes. Moreover, the texture is very nice. Japanese yam sauce was a good harmony with the sophisticated soba. Tempura was also crispy and tasty enough. But the price is a bit high because of their fame. Tempura was JPY1,200 and soba with yam sauce was JPY900. If you'd like to enjoy the historical atmosphere of Sunaba, it might be affordable and if not, it might be a less cost effective. My rating is 3.2 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!