Visit Information Date: Saturday, around 6 PM Reservation: Yes (19 days in advance, OMAKASE) Wait: None Number of Guests: 1 Seating: Counter Frequency: First visit Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes Payment: Credit Card (VISA) Food Menu ☆ Counter Exclusive Specialty Course: JPY 16,500 (tax included) ◎ Jellyfish Salad ☆ Sichuan Smoked Duck ☆ Blue Crab Marinated in Shaoxing Wine ☆ Young Sweetfish Spring Rolls ◎ Corn Soup ☆ Unpairu ☆ Ji-Cube Shrimp Mayo ☆ Chicken Braised in Soy Sauce ☆ Fried Fish with Condiment Sauce ☆ Mapo Eggplant ☆ Char Siu Noodles ◎ Almond Melon Drink Menu ◎ Sommelier Selection: JPY 12,100 (tax included) ◎ Dutertre, Crémant de Loire Rosé ◎ Château de Nalys, Saintes Pierres de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, 2016 ◎ 10-Year Shaoxing Wine + Milk Wine ◎ Clos Culombu, Ribbe Rose Rouge, 2021 ◎ Yunji ◎ Rolet, Savagnin Ouillé, 2022 ☆ E. Guigal, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 2017 ☆ Chateau Nine Peaks, Reserve, 2020 ☆ Kir Yianni, Agathoto Rose, 2024 ☆ Josmeyer, Fleur de Lotus, 2023 ◎ Primosic, Pinot Grigio, 2020 ☆ Melon Champagne Cocktail ○ Mineral Water: JPY 1,320 (tax included) Expenses, Discounts, Others - Reservation Fee: JPY 390 Good Points - Reasonably priced creative Sichuan cuisine course Bad Points - Far from the station Other Notes - The Tabelog Award Silver: 2026 - Chinese Cuisine TOKYO Top 100: 2023-2026 (2025 not announced) - Michelin Guide Tokyo Selected Restaurant: 2024-2026 Impressions I had been meaning to visit Ji-Cube for a while but hadn’t made it until now. On a whim, I thought I’d like some Chinese food and remembered this place for its relatively affordable course price, so I made an OMAKASE reservation. It’s a sister restaurant of the well-known Chef Komoda’s 4000 Chinese Restaurant, but it seems that Ji-Cube has surpassed it in Tabelog ratings. The location is in Nishiazabu. Nearby, there’s a restaurant called Meisaku. It takes over 10 minutes to walk from Roppongi Station. I wonder why there’s no subway line connecting Shibuya, Nishiazabu, and Roppongi, even though they’re almost in a straight line. Upon arriving at the restaurant, I noticed that the entrance is separated between counter seating and private table rooms. (But they are actually connected inside.) I sat at the far end of the L-shaped counter with 8 seats. There were three pairs of guests and one solo diner. The interior is chic, and the counter is high, so I couldn’t see the chef’s hands while cooking. The background music was jazz. There were 4 male staff members and 2 female staff members. The meal started with the Counter Exclusive Specialty Course all at once. I paired it with the Sommelier Selection. First, I had the Dutertre, Crémant de Loire Rosé. It had a strong fizz and a solid flavor. The course began with the Jellyfish Salad. The jellyfish had a strong texture and was mixed with sweet white shrimp. The scallion sauce was also nice. Next, I had the Château de Nalys, Saintes Pierres de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, 2016. It was rich and flavorful. This paired well with the Sichuan Smoked Duck. The meat, marinated in spices and Shaoxing wine, had an excellent aroma and flavor. I enjoyed the first slice as is, and for the second, I made a sandwich with bread. Next was a cocktail made with 10-Year Shaoxing Wine + Milk Wine. It had chili and dried tangerine peel, adding a spicy kick to the sweetness. The Blue Crab Marinated in Shaoxing Wine was marinated in white liquor and aromatic vegetables. When I peeled off the shell, it was incredibly tender and sweet. Next, I had the Clos Culombu, Ribbe Rose Rouge, 2021. It had a bitterness and mineral quality, making it refreshing. The dish was Young Sweetfish Spring Rolls. The spring rolls contained young corn, topped with a spicy scallion oil. The crispy coating was reminiscent of a sweet snack. The bitterness of the sweetfish and the flavor of the young corn were both prominent. The Shaoxing Wine, Yunji, was rich yet refreshing. I paired this with the Corn Soup. It wasn’t a typical potage but a clear soup. Underneath was chawanmushi (savory egg custard), and it was all about corn. It was piping hot. The Rolet, Savagnin Ouillé, 2022 had a mild aroma and refreshing mineral taste. Then came the Unpairu. It was topped with winter melon, and the sauce was made from fermented chili. The winter melon had a nice texture. When combined with the sauce, it was quite spicy, but in a good way. Next, I paired the E. Guigal, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 2017. It was creamy and rich, just to my liking. The Ji-Cube Shrimp Mayo, named after the restaurant, had a coating of glutinous rice and wonton skin, resembling kadaif in both appearance and texture. It was coated in a rich and sweet mayo sauce. Next was a wine from Shandong Province, Chateau Nine Peaks, Reserve, 2020. It was spicy with a hint of Shaoxing wine, making it interesting. The dish was Chicken Braised in Soy Sauce. It contained not only soy sauce but also white broth and oyster sauce. It had mushrooms and shark fin, but the chicken itself was incredibly flavorful. It was served with white rice, which paired excellently with the sauce. Next, I had the Kir Yianni, Agathoto Rose, 2024. This one was easy to drink. The Fried Fish with Condiment Sauce was flounder. The sauce was made with young ginger and scallions, topped with plenty of condiments, making it irresistible. It was crispy and fluffy. Next was the Josmeyer, Fleur de Lotus, 2023. It had a very floral aroma. When drinking, it had an aromatic quality that lingered. The Mapo Eggplant was made with 3-year aged doubanjiang, Sichuan pepper, and spices, resembling a keema curry. This also paired well with white rice. The Primosic, Pinot Grigio, 2020 was rich and intense. Finally, I had the Char Siu Noodles. The char siu was made from Sendai beef, beautifully marbled. The broth, made with oyster and seafood, had a nostalgic flavor reminiscent of bonito broth. The noodles were very fine and had a nice bite. For dessert, I had the Melon Champagne Cocktail. It was made by mixing melon liqueur with sparkling wine and adding amaretto. It had complexity but was easy to drink. The dessert was Almond Melon, which perfectly contrasted with the wine. The melon puree was enhanced by the amaretto, and the tapioca was chewy and delicious. After staying for just under 2.5 hours, I settled the bill. It came to JPY 29,920. I paid with a credit card. It was a great meal. The lunch course is updated in even months, and the dinner course in odd months. I’d love to come back in a different season.
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