Melinda Joe

“‘I can eat standing up in the kitchen,’ I told @chezcalvert. I don’t usually push, but this was a special circumstance.

‘We’ll figure it out,’ he said.

I was led into the @sezannetokyo kitchen to discover a complete table setting perched on a narrow shelf by the window - standing room only, as promised. In the make-it-so manner of Captain Picard, Daniel snapped his fingers and conjured a glass of Krug, followed by a menu that lived up to the restaurant’s three Michelin stars.

I recently wrote about Sezanne’s signature charcoal-grilled fish for @nyttmag, but this kitchen counter experience is one I’d gladly repeat.

Link to full article in bio: “25 Essential Seafood Dishes in Tokyo”.

#sezannetokyo #danielcalvert #threestar #michelinstar #krug #standingdinner #captainpicard #nyttmag #melindajoeiseatinganddrinking”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Less

In Fukuoka, izakayas rule with a winning combo: top-notch ingredients, amazing vibes, and prices that don’t make you cry. Considering that much of the seafood found in Tokyo restaurants comes from Kyushu, dining in Fukuoka offers amazing value. 活造り (ikezukuri) - live-seafood sashimi - is a regional specialty, and I was thrilled to spot kawahagi on the menu at @itookashi0407. Plucked straight from the tank beside me (see the full progression in this carousel) - it truly doesn’t get fresher. After serving the kawahagi as sashimi with its rich, delectable liver, the chef fried up the bones and scraps as karaage. Perfection!

#fukuoka #izakaya #ikezukuri #kawahagi #japan #seafood #melindajoeiseatinganddrinking Less

🍣 New Opening ✨

At @sushiwakujapan, chef Michikazu Yoshida - trained in Japan, seasoned abroad - serves boldly flavored Edo-mae sushi in an atmosphere that feels more like a dinner party than a solemn sushi counter. The vibe is warm and lively, with creative touches: this was my first time to find mehikari (a personal favorite) at a sushi joint. Chef Michi likes to have a laugh, and his laugh - full-throated and ebullient - is infectious. Don’t be surprised if someone cracks open a bottle of Dom Perignon and suddenly offers you a glass. Less

High in the Himalayas, two brothers from a Chaozhou tea family set out to make world-class wine in one of the most remote corners of China. Working with villagers in the Himalayan plateau they spent years mapping valleys, studying terroir, and building something quietly extraordinary.

The result is Dan Sheng Di —layered, luminous wines that are still in just a handful of markets, and already stirring cult buzz.

This spring, they made their Japan debut at @sushimtokyo in Tokyo, where owner-sommelier @yoshinobu.kimura.54 created a beautiful pairing dinner to mark the occasion. Less

“It’s late afternoon at @patinaosaka when I step past the entrance’s striated stone wall—a subtle nod to the layers of earth and history beneath us—and pause before an enormous flower vase. This eye-catching centerpiece, I learn, was crafted from a salvaged ship motor part recovered from Japan’s northern coast. I head up to the 20th floor, where the elevator opens directly onto the Sonata Bar & Lounge. Warm earth tones, amber lights, and copper accents—echoing the patina-coated roof of Osaka Castle—set a welcoming mood. Rather than a traditional reception desk, check-in happens here. Later, I return to Sonata as twilight bathes the city and sink into a custom-made leather chair, nursing a sunset cocktail—a riff on the martini spiked with mirin, the sweet cousin of Japan’s national tipple. In the adjacent vinyl listening room, a 1,500-pound wall composed of vintage Japanese speakers creates an unexpected backdrop.”

My latest on @cntraveler, a First In review of the brand new Patina hotel, overlooking Osaka Castle.

Link in bio and:
https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/osaka/patina-osaka Less

Saying goodbye to Il Ristorante Luca Fantin feels impossible. For 15 years, this place gave Tokyo (and myself) not just exceptional meals but countless memories. @luca.fantin blazed a trail when foreign chefs in Tokyo’s fine dining scene were rare, and his influence is immeasurable. While the restaurant’s closing marks the end of an era, I’m excited to see what this culinary legend creates next. Thank you, Luca and team @bvlgarilucafantintokyo, for filling our lives with such remarkable experiences! Unforgettable ❤️

#GrazieChef #TokyoDining Less

Perched on a slope in the Himalayan foothills, @restaurantnaar is chef @prateeksadhu’s dream realized—a window into the mountain cuisine of his ancestral homeland.

It’s one of the most exciting new restaurants I’ve discovered recently. Here, I was introduced to monkey fruit and lamb brains, Himalayan morels and delicate trout. I loved the Sunderkala —hand-pulled noodles (a legacy of Tibetan trade) in a charred vegetable broth topped with minced lamb.

The whole experience was magic — watching the moon rise while savoring spoonfuls of luscious pineapple cake. A culinary journey I won’t soon forget.

Huge congrats to Prateek @aashinakaul and the team on their debut at @theworlds50best Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards!

#HimalayanCuisine #NaarRestaurant #MountainFlavors​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ #asias50best Less

Congratulations to all the restaurants honored on @theworlds50best Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list this year!

Particularly thrilled for @tamchudaree of family-run, 🌟🌟 @baantepabkk, winner of the Asia’s Best Female Chef award. From the garden at the heart of the restaurant growing indigenous herbs and vegetables, to the setting in her grandmother’s house - everything feels genuinely personal. Her menu showcases creativity and unsung local ingredients: highlights include horse mackerel with aromatic herb and kapi shrimp paste oil, dong dang squid ink rice noodles, and an innovative mushroom ice cream dessert. Chef Tam herself is as impressive as her food - refreshingly straightforward, witty, and naturally charismatic.

#Asia50Best #BaanTepa #ThaiCuisine​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ #worlds50best Less

The charming town of Yamanaka Onsen, near Kanazawa, offers more than hot spring resorts and lovely landscapes: it’s a treasure trove of traditional Japanese arts and crafts. I visited for the first-ever Yamanaka Onsen Arts & Culture Festival, which showcased contemporary art installations dotted around the city.

The highlight was an extraordinary dining experience that brought together local culinary talents and artisans. Hiroki Matoba’s (@tempura_matoba) tempura was simply exquisite, while Kotaro Kitamura of @yamanakaonsen_meigetsuro presented refined kaiseki dishes. Kazayuki Kuchide and Junichiro Mitani (of Enuma Station and Kocho) surprised with innovative fusion creations.

Each dish arrived on handcrafted tableware, introduced by the artisans themselves, and Yusuke Shimoki from @washubar_engawa_yamanakaonsen brought everything together with brilliant sake pairings.

Many thanks to organizers @hanamurasaki_official!

#YamanakaOnsen #JapaneseCraft #japantravels #ishikawasake Less

Chef @_willy_monroy —who first captivated Osaka with authentic Mexican flavors at casual hotspot @saboten.tachinomi —has upped his game with @milpa.rest, Osaka’s first Mexican fine-dining destination. Homemade tortillas with smoky wild boar, duck confit enmoladas smothered in earthy mole, crab-loaded pescadillas, and scallop tostadas brightened with sudachi all shine. The donabe-cooked arroz a la tumbada provides a rich, satisfying finale. Another win for Osaka’s culinary evolution.

I spoke with Willy for my article in @nikkeiasia about the rise of Latin American chefs in Asia:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Eat-Drink/Asia-s-food-scene-embraces-Latin-American-flavors

#OsakaEats #MexicanCuisine #MichelinWorthy #FineGastronomy #CulinaryJourney​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Less