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Restaurants
- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at Droit at Droit (Droit)
Droit, Kyoto
This is the kind of cooking I always enjoy. Very high quality, seasonal ingredients. Excellent technique and sharp skill, but not in your face about it, just enough to bring out the taste.
A meal where every dish in the course carried its own weight, no fillers here. A few examples:
Beef tongue, foie gras, truffle “Mille-feuille”,... More
Droit, Kyoto
This is the kind of cooking I always enjoy. Very high quality, seasonal ingredients. Excellent technique and sharp skill, but not in your face about it, just enough to bring out the taste.
A meal where every dish in the course carried its own weight, no fillers here. A few examples:
Beef tongue, foie gras, truffle “Mille-feuille”, with Pain d’épices.
Roasted citrus and cauliflower soup.
Some excellent veal, a relative rarity in Japan. 
Soft cheese coated in green tea, rather than herbs.
Always a pleasure being back… Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at Kagurazaka at Restaurant L’ÉTERRE
A very strong debut in Kagurazaka from @yoshiaki_archeste and team at L’Eterre.
Perched on the second story in a neighborhood full of great food, the space is long and stylish. An elegant leather wrapped kitchen counter puts you face to face with the staff. They’re delivering smart and delicious food that reminds me of eating in... More
A very strong debut in Kagurazaka from @yoshiaki_archeste and team at L’Eterre.
Perched on the second story in a neighborhood full of great food, the space is long and stylish. An elegant leather wrapped kitchen counter puts you face to face with the staff. They’re delivering smart and delicious food that reminds me of eating in Paris. Japanese ingredients, including fish from @sasue812, feature heavily, though the flavors aren’t in any way fusion. Salt and richness levels are what I’d expect in Europe more so than Tokyo.
Special mention for the wine pairing, which I seldom take. It was almost entirely producers I’ve not seen before, including some that haven’t had a presence in the Japanese market until now. The bottle list is also extensive and well edited.
Visiting a brand new restaurant is often disappointing, and requires a bit of understanding while they work out the kinks. L’Eterre hit the ground running: I liked everything on the menu, not a single weak spot. Standouts included the Amadai fritto, the Sawara, the Chervil root, and the pigeon.
I’ve already booked my return visit. Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at エスキス at ESqUISSE (エスキス)
More than a meal, a deep resonance.
@lionel_beccat and the entire @esquisse_tokyo team continue to conduct a beautiful and thought provoking art exhibit in the shape of a restaurant.
Every meal at Esquisse is a revelation for me, and I hope for you as well.
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at pizza marumo at Pizza Marumo
Great new addition to the Tokyo pizza scene, at @pizzamarumo_ebisu.
Chef @yuki_motokura came from @savoytomatotocheese, and the lineage shows. But where Savoy has a short menu, here he is experimenting with a broad range of pizzas, traditional and otherwise.
Pictured first: “Japanese Umami”
Shiitake cream sauce
Mozzarella... More
Great new addition to the Tokyo pizza scene, at @pizzamarumo_ebisu.
Chef @yuki_motokura came from @savoytomatotocheese, and the lineage shows. But where Savoy has a short menu, here he is experimenting with a broad range of pizzas, traditional and otherwise.
Pictured first: “Japanese Umami”
Shiitake cream sauce
Mozzarella & Pecorino
Wood oven baked Saba (mackerel)
Sesame seeds
Katsuobushi
Kombu
Green onions
Soy sauce
Second, the more traditional but equally delicious “Little Pepper Bomb:
Tomato sauce
Mozzarella
Basil
Mascarpone
Whole fresh pepper corns
Prosciutto
I’d like to go back with a group and try the extensive small plates menu, and explore more of the pizzas. But already highly recommend. Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at 久丹 at Kutan
Kutan
Tokyo
An early March menu featuring fugu in many forms, including sashimi, grilled shirako (huge!), and karaage.
Always a great meal from @k.rox_kutan.
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at Nose Savoir-Faire at フレンチ・Nose Savoir-Faire
A new hideaway French restaurant in my neighborhood, @frenchnosetokyo. This course was in late August.
Seats are all at a single counter wrapping around a compact kitchen. Chef is combining classic tastes and techniques with modern touches. Very nice ingredients are presented whole before several of the courses, such as lobster and abalone.
I... More
A new hideaway French restaurant in my neighborhood, @frenchnosetokyo. This course was in late August.
Seats are all at a single counter wrapping around a compact kitchen. Chef is combining classic tastes and techniques with modern touches. Very nice ingredients are presented whole before several of the courses, such as lobster and abalone.
I started the post with dessert — what a treat to get a baked Alaska these days. The duck press was another great throwback, but since duck was out of season, he used it to make soup from the lobster we’d enjoyed earlier in the course.
Very warm service, a clearly experienced and talented chef, and a fun combination of tastes. Looking forward to going back.
@frenchnosetokyo is in Azabujuban, not far from Roppongi Hills. Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at Bb9 at bb9
bb9
Kobe
Great ingredients, cooked simply over wood fire, with no unnecessary adornment. Not a single thing could have been removed, nor would adding anything more have enhanced the dishes further.
For me, the confidence required to send out a dish like this, much less an entire menu, is a sign of greatness.
And here’s something I rarely recommend... More
bb9
Kobe
Great ingredients, cooked simply over wood fire, with no unnecessary adornment. Not a single thing could have been removed, nor would adding anything more have enhanced the dishes further.
For me, the confidence required to send out a dish like this, much less an entire menu, is a sign of greatness.
And here’s something I rarely recommend — get the pairing. Wines are tasty, well matched, with a few nice surprises. Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at 炭火焼肉なかはら at Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara (炭火焼肉 なかはら)
Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara
炭火焼肉なかはら
Far too long since my last visit. Nakahara-san is a fantastic host in addition to a grill master. The beef is superlative. What else do you need?
Also, really enjoyed the shift away from fusion elements and towards the classic style.
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at すし ふくづか/Sushi Fukuzuka at Sushi Fukuduka
The most common question I get about Tokyo from visitors is “where do I go for Sushi?”.
Everyone knows the same 3-5 famous spots, and no, you’re not getting in, sorry.
But the reality is, there are many amazing sushi spots in Tokyo, using the same quality fish, from the same brokers. With the world famous shops being so popular, others... More
The most common question I get about Tokyo from visitors is “where do I go for Sushi?”.
Everyone knows the same 3-5 famous spots, and no, you’re not getting in, sorry.
But the reality is, there are many amazing sushi spots in Tokyo, using the same quality fish, from the same brokers. With the world famous shops being so popular, others work very hard to differentiate and make a name for themselves.
Sushi Fukuzuka is in Kagurazaka, a charming “mini-Kyoto” in the heart of Tokyo. Chef is buying absolutely top notch ingredients, including top level tuna from Yamayuki.
Most shops use one shari (sushi rice) for all their pieces. Some use two types (red and white vinegar, respectively). Here they use three types. They’re also meticulous about temperature, and the menu shows you the temperature of the rice and the neta (fish/topping) for each piece.
In addition, he’s got a nice wine list, a relative rarity at sushi shops.
Here’s the best part - you can book online via OpenTable. I don’t know any other place in Tokyo with this combination of quality, attention to detail, and book-ability. I don’t know how long it will be possible to get a booking, but if you’re visiting (or live here), give it a shot. Less
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- Justin Hurst added a new meal Dinner at とり茶太郎 at Tori Chataro (とり茶太郎)
Tori Chataro, Shibuya
とり茶太郎
Great atmosphere, many different breeds of chicken, unique cuts, and lots of saké. What else could you want?