Casual Italian diner in Suidobashi

The Tokyo Dome City (東京ドームシティ) in Suidobashi (水道橋) has many amusement facilities as well as restaurants. The other day, I entered a casual Italian diner named "ENOTRIA Diana (エノトリア　ディアーナ)." Though the atmosphere is casual, the taste was unexpectedly good. Price is reasonable. Each starter is just around JPY500. Pizza and pasta costs JPY1,000-1,500.

ENOTRIA Diana

Starters (Caponata, Vinegared mushroom and ham)

Pizza Bismark 

Fettechine with porcini and cream sauce 

Most recommendable dish here is Napoli-style pizza baked by stone oven with firewood. The pizza craft was chewy. Burnt aroma stimulates appetite. The taste was definitely good. I felt as if I could eat without end. Pasta was also cooked well. The texture was well al dente. Cream sauce was delicious. The quality of dishes was more than that of casual trattorias. My rating is 3.5 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

ENOTRIA Diana (エノトリア　ディアーナ) http://www.rea-lize.co.jp/cr/diana/

Modern French at Hotel Nikko in Odaiba

One of elegant hotels in Odaiba is Hotel Nikko Tokyo (ホテル日航東京) in Oodaiba (お台場) run by Japan Airline Group. Hotel Nikko faces the Tokyo Bay and we can see the beautidul Bay and Rainbow Bridge.  Nikko's French dining is "Terrace on the Bay (テラス　オン・ザ・ベイ)" located on the third floor. It was...unexpectedly good restaurant!

Lobby of Hotel Nikko Tokyo

Entrance of "Terrace on the Bay"

Main dining room

Through the window, we can see the Rainbow Bridge.

Amuse (stick pie and terrine) 

Homard with cream and truffle

Bread

Foie gras saute with strawberry

French white asparagus with hollandaise sauce

Bread

Porgy saute with risotto of seaweed 

Grilled wagyu beef with red wine sauce

Selection of cheese

Cheese

Another cheese dish using fromage blanc 

Bitter chocolate and coffee cake with walnut 

Coffee

The main dining is not so large. Wooden interior with gentle orange lighting makes relaxing atmosphere. The Rainbow Bridge is just in front of us through the window. If we sit besides the window, the atmosphere is more romantic. In fact, it seemed some couples enjoyed special dinner.

Dinner is available from JPY10,500 and a full-course menu including cheese is JPY15,750. Though the full-course is not cheap, it is value for money considering the contents and quality. Actually, every meal was really delicious. Modern and distinctive. In the light taste, something distinctive is hidden. The taste was very clear and impressive. In particular, theie sauce was wonderful.

One of the main dish was grilled wagyu beef, and it was superb. It was at the level of teppenyaki-specialized restaurants. Even only wagyu beef streak is recommendable. On the contrary to the dishes, dessert was a bit weak. Just average. And most staff is young. If you expect sophisticated service, it might be disappointing (though I liked their fresh service). My rating is 4.3 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Hotel Nikko Tokyo (ホテル日航東京)  http://www.hnt.co.jp/index.html

Terrace on the Bay (テラス　オン・ザ・ベイ)  http://www.hnt.co.jp/rest/terrace/index.html

Good old yoshoku restaurant for family in Okachimachi

Ueno Matsuzakaya (上野松坂屋) located in Okachimachi (御徒町) is a nearest department store to my house and I often go there when I want to buy good quality of foods. I seldom use their restaurants, but I found a very traditional yoshoku restaurant for family on a floor of watch, jewel, etc. The name is "Gin Salon (銀サロン)."This kind of restaurant was popular 30 years ago, and nowadays it is rather difficult to find.

Sample show-case in front of "Gin Salon"

Inside 

Small salad

Cream soup pf pumpkin

Japanese-style curry and rice

Pilaf topped with crab meat and bechamel sauce

Gin Salon has a big show-case which displays samples of their dishes created by wax. It is said this style is invented in Japan around the beginning of 20th century. Maybe when western style cuisine was not popular, this visual advertisement could be very effective. Since main customers of Ueno Matsuzakaya is middle-old generation, this good old style restaurant might be still alive.

In fact, I saw many elderly people enjoying meals even around 3pm. The taste is conventional. Comparing to ordinary yoshoku, it might be milder and gentle. As  they use good ingredients and less salt,  young and old could eat in relief. (for me, the taste was a little bit something is missing.) I would not revisit all the way, but it might be good to have small meal feeling nostalgia during shopping. The price of each dish is around JPY1,500 to 2,500. My rating is 2.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

 (銀サロン)　　http://www.j-frontfoods.co.jp/gin/

A favorite Chinese chain in Ueno

When I want to taste Chinese dishes at fair price near my house, one of my choice is "Kamonka (過門香)" just next to the JR Ueno Station (JR上野駅) and the Ueno Park (上野公園). See the previous visit. Kamonka is a chain restaurant which accommodates a lot of customers, but I like their stable and good quality of dishes and service. Interior is chic.   

Non-smoking area of Kamonka Ueno

Shark's fin soup

Dumplings containing hot soup

Sweet-sour pork

Fried rice

Hot tofu

Except some expensive dishes using abalone, etc., most dishes are around JPY1,000-2,000. Dishes may not be super delicious, but I can be always satisfied as their seasoning is just same as what I expect. So to speak, Japanese-style Chinese dishes. They may use less chili pepper, strong-smelly herbs and oil, considering Japanese preference. Their mild but tasty Chinese dishes are recommendable. My rating is 3.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Kamonka (過門香) http://www.kamonka-tokyo.jp/index.php    

Cute tart bought at LUMINE Yurakucho

It's been a while since last update cause I was a bit busy. As I'll try to keep updating to the extent possible, please sometimes visit this small blog on eating in Tokyo when you have time:) When I went shopping to Ginza (銀座), I found a cute tart shop named "La Maison ensolelle table (ラ・メゾン・アンソレイユターブル)" in "LUMINE Yurakucho (ルミネ有楽町)", a fashion mall. Every tart was made with much fresh fruits with cream and looked so attractive. The shop itself is so cute. According to their brochure, this is a chain shop specialized in tart and cookies.  

Tart with blueberry 

Tart with mixed berry and fresh cream

One piece of tart costs around JPY610 to 890, depending on what kind of fruits are used. If　mango risen in Miyazaki, the most expensive one is used, one piece is JPY890. The size of tart is relatively big. The most important taste is...average:) Of course, it is good, and light cream highlighted good aspects of fresh fruits. But difficult to find specific feature except their cute appearance. Even so, if you buy their tarts for girls or women, they would be definitely happy with the loveliness. My rating...is 2.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

La Maison ensolelle table (ラ・メゾン・アンソレイユターブル) http://www.la-maison.jp/

LUMINE Yurakucho (ルミネ有楽町)　http://www.lumine.ne.jp/yurakucho/

Casual soba shop in Yushima by a famous soba master

Among noodle shops in Japan, if a soba chef masters its professional and creates own soba, different from others, he/she is recognized as a "soba master" and respected by people. Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodle is simple. For this reason, making soba is difficult and deep. It's like a concept of "zen." One of a famous soba master is Mr. Ishi Jin (石井仁), who has won Michelin stars. His main soba-kaiseki restaurant named "Nigyo (仁行)"is located in Nihonbashi (日本橋). But if you want to taste his soba in a casual manner, there is a hidden place in Yushima (湯島).

Entrance "Kosetsu"

Inside

Tempura soba set

Soba with hot soup and fresh green laver  

Soba boiled hot water

On the underground floor of hotel "Edoya (江戸屋)", a reasonable Japanese-style hotel particularly for overseas travelers, there is a soba shop named "Kosetsu (古拙)." The hotel itself is a bit old, but the interior of Kosetsu was well renovated. Stable and good atmosphere. Even one customer could be relaxed in this shop.

Menu is vary. We ordered a tempura soba set and a soba with hot soup and fresh green laver, one of their specialties. We waited a bit until soba was served,  but it was worth for waiting. Tempura was just fried, hot and crispy. The famous soba was very thin and delicate. Unless we eat quickly, it will be stuck. The sophisticated soba was definitely nice, though I  personally prefer a bit more dry soba dipping soup. 

The other hot soba was more wonderful. The balance of soup and soba was perfect. I got to be addictive. If you are not used to laver, the appearance might not be favorable, but the taste is really nice. If I revisit, I will order this again. The price is 10-20% higher than usual soba shops maybe because of the fame. The portion is also small. If you go often, it might be uneconomical, but tasting nice soba occasionally, it would be OK. My rating is 3.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

Kosetsu (古拙) http://r.gnavi.co.jp/6742296/ 

Local Italian Diner in Yanaka

Just nest to Sushi Yaguruma (previous visit) in Yanaka (谷中), there is a small Italian diner named "PANELLA (パネイラ)." PANELLA is a casual diner where even one person can easily enter. Their specialty is grilled vegetables tasting with rock salt, olive oil and basil-tomato paste. By baking by oven, vegetables become more sweet and juicy. It seemed every customer ordered this grilled vegetables because of the nice taste and heath conscious.

PANNELLA 

Inside

Beer 

Handmade bread

Grilled vegetables

Spaghetti with tomato sauce

Grilled pork

The hand-made taste including bread was simple and gentle. Spaghetti with tomato sauce was simple but tasty. Main dish, grilled pork was a bit less appealing, but the simple tasting did not harm the taste of ingredient itself. Each dish costs around JPY1,000. When you want to have Italian dishes but don't want to cook at home, this casual diner might be one option. You can come with casual cloths. My rating is 2.7 out of 5. Gochiso-samadeshita!

PANELLA (パネイラ) http://www.panella-yanaka.net/