Melinda Joe

Congratulations to the entire team at @cyclerestaurant by Mauro Colagreco! It’s been a big year for the restaurant: a 🌟 in the 2025 Tokyo @michelinguide, and General Manager Rie Yasui received this year’s Service Award. Well deserved!

We were lucky enough to pay a visit recently, when @maurocolagreco and the @restaurantmirazur family joined @miya176336 in the kitchen last month. This time, I loved the dish of wild mushrooms (香茸), fresh peanuts, and suckling pig, as well as the perfectly succulent megumi duck with fig and wild rice. All served with lovely natural wines - the Lijsternest Magda 2020 was such a delightful surprise.

Once again, in the best company 😊 @santiago.maztokyo @keisui. Less

#tb to a fantastic dinner at @sushi.shunji, where husband-and-wife team Shunji and @ayapan0528 Hashiba create an elegant yet welcoming atmosphere. Highlights included magnificent uni from Ehihime, abalone in a sauce enriched with its liver, sawara nigiri and umami-dense hamaguri clam. Each morsel was enhanced by Ayako-san’s thoughtful wine and sake pairings.

As always, the meal was made all the more memorable by the excellent company. Thanks to my dear friend @keisui! Less

Happy anniversary to the great @luca.fantin and everyone in the Bulgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin family!

Cheers to 15 wonderful years of marvelous meals at @bvlgarilucafantintokyo, and many more to come. The anniversary menu offered a taste of some of my most favorite dishes, reworked for 2024. Such a special experience 🙏 Big love! Less

“KYOTO – I’m supine on a padded mat as waves of sound wash over me. The vibrations of a gong reverberate through my chest, intertwining with the ethereal melodies of singing bowls, chimes and the gentle flutter of a rainstick. As the symphony of tones ebbs and flows, I feel the stress of a grueling week of work melting away.

It’s my first sound healing experience, one of the treatments available at the recently opened Six Senses hotel.”

@sixsenseskyoto is at the forefront of the wellness travel trend sweeping Japan. I wrote about my experience there for @thejapantimes.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2024/10/12/travel/six-senses-kyoto-four-seasons-osaka-wellness-spa-health/ Less

“Esprit C. Kei Ginza bills itself as a “gastronomic laboratory,” where the chef applies French fine dining techniques – and the precision Chef Kobayashi is renowned for – to a diverse menu. The offerings range from contemporary French to elevated Japanese classics, showcasing culinary exploration beyond traditional boundaries.

The wine collection at Esprit C. Kei Ginza is as impressive as its culinary offerings, boasting approximately 8,000 bottles, with 5,000 stored on-site and the remainder in a dedicated warehouse. French wines dominate the list, comprising 90% of the selection, with a particular emphasis on Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhône Valley. The restaurant takes special pride in its extensive Rhône offerings, featuring wines from both the northern and southern regions.”

Esprit C Kei Ginza by @maisonkei on @starwinelist:

https://starwinelist.com/wine-place/esprit-c-kei-ginza Less

“Esprit C. Kei Ginza bills itself as a “gastronomic laboratory,” where the chef applies French fine dining techniques – and the precision Chef Kobayashi is renowned for – to a diverse menu. The offerings range from contemporary French to elevated Japanese classics, showcasing culinary exploration beyond traditional boundaries.

The wine collection at Esprit C. Kei Ginza is as impressive as its culinary offerings, boasting approximately 8,000 bottles, with 5,000 stored on-site and the remainder in a dedicated warehouse. French wines dominate the list, comprising 90% of the selection, with a particular emphasis on Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhône Valley. The restaurant takes special pride in its extensive Rhône offerings, featuring wines from both the northern and southern regions.”

Esprit C Kei Ginza by @maisonkei on @starwinelist:

https://starwinelist.com/wine-place/esprit-c-kei-ginza Less

“At two-Michelin-starred Esquisse, chef Lionel Beccat @esquisse_inside weaves together French techniques with Japanese ingredients and sensibilities. His dishes are a study in subtle contrasts and harmonies, where textures and flavours interplay in unexpected ways. For example, kelp-marinated spiny lobster is paired with bitter greens from Kyūshū, fermented raspberry paste, and wild anise foam in an intense wild fennel dashi…

Boasting an impressive selection of about 400 labels, the wine list is centred on France but includes offerings from Italy, Spain, Germany, and even unexpected regions like the Czech Republic and South Africa. Its Champagne and Burgundy sections are a highlight, featuring top domaines and well-aged vintages. Biodynamic wines are well represented, reflecting a commitment to sustainable viticulture.”

🌟🌟 @esquisse_inc on @starwinelist:
https://starwinelist.com/wine-place/esquisse Less

Congratulations to the entire team at @cyclerestaurant by Mauro Colagreco! It’s been a big year for the restaurant: a 🌟 in the 2025 Tokyo @michelinguide, and General Manager Rie Yasui received this year’s Service Award. Well deserved!

We were lucky enough to pay a visit recently, when @maurocolagreco and the @restaurantmirazur family joined @miya176336 in the kitchen last month. This time, I loved the dish of wild mushrooms (香茸), fresh peanuts, and suckling pig, as well as the perfectly succulent megumi duck with fig and wild rice. All served with lovely natural wines - the Lijsternest Magda 2020 was such a delightful surprise.

Once again, in the best company 😊 @santiago.maztokyo @keisui. Less

#tb to a fantastic dinner at @sushi.shunji, where husband-and-wife team Shunji and @ayapan0528 Hashiba create an elegant yet welcoming atmosphere. Highlights included magnificent uni from Ehihime, abalone in a sauce enriched with its liver, sawara nigiri and umami-dense hamaguri clam. Each morsel was enhanced by Ayako-san’s thoughtful wine and sake pairings.

As always, the meal was made all the more memorable by the excellent company. Thanks to my dear friend @keisui! Less