January 12, 2015
by kayoubidesu
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If you have a reservation at noma Japan, don’t read this post (yet). Nowadays, there are far too few meals which remain unspoilt by the rise of social media and food blogs (like this one, I know). Fortunately, I managed to avoid all but one photo of the noma Japan meal before dining there yesterday. And so, for the first time in a very long time, I had no idea what I would be served when I arrived at the Mandarin Oriental.
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October 28, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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After an extended delay, Mitsuhiro Araki has finally opened his long awaited sushi-ya in London, ‘The Araki’. Araki previously held three Michelin stars at his sushi-ya in Tokyo but decided to close the restaurant and open in London as a challenge and to be closer to his daughter who is studying in England. Continue Reading →
October 15, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Many sushi-yas in Japan are hidden away in basements. Sushi SORA, however, is the exact opposite. Located on the 38th floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo, the restaurant has a fantastic view over Tokyo Tower. But a view is not enough in a city with over 5000 sushi-yas – so is the sushi any good? Continue Reading →
August 6, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Until Sushi Araki opens in London (expected this September / October), there is only one place in London where you can eat real edo-mae style sushi in London: Sushi Tetsu. Continue Reading →
July 30, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Many foreigners find kaiseki cuisine challenging. The purity of flavours can often seem ‘bland'; the price can also come as a shock. Continue Reading →
July 8, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Little needs to be added to Adam Liaw’s WSJ post on Torishiki. There is little doubt in my mind that Ikegawa-san serves the most refined yakitori in Tokyo – a huge amount of skill is required to turn something which may seem so humble into such an elevated art form.
June 29, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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A former apprentice at Sushi Saito had set up his own shop. The chef is a mere 27 years old, and trained for 5 years at Saito, as well as two years at Kanesaka and two years at Sushizen (Ginza branch of the 2* Sapporo sushi-ya). Given that I would be going to Saito the following day, this would be a real test to see how closely he could match his former master.
June 17, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Tantanmen (originally a Chinese dish) is a very popular variant of ramen. This bowl is one of my favourites: the noodles have perfect bounce, the broth rich with chili, sesame and a hint of garlic and topped with a perfectly cooked deep fried pork cutlet and beansprouts.
On a cold day in Tokyo, nothing gets better than this. Rarely have I seen a foreigner, let alone a food tourist here; no English spoken; bibs provided… who needs multi-starred-multi-course tasting menus. Delicious down to the very last drop.
June 17, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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In London, restaurants go in and out of fashion faster than you can blink. But some restaurants remain consistently at the top of their game. Without doubt, The Ledbury is one of them.
June 11, 2014
by kayoubidesu
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Thomas Keller’s French Laundry has a reputation for being one of the restaurants that put the USA on the culinary map. My first visit there did not disappoint.