Smokeless Smorgasbord

October 7, 2011

Smokeless Smorgasbord

Some Tokyo dining spots where the only thing that’s smoked is the salmon

By

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

Bama Lohas Café

[pictured above]

  • Hemp cuisine, Ginza
  • Tapas, dim sum from ¥500; entrées from ¥1,300

Hemp, hemp, everywhere and not a leaf to smoke. It’s in the food, hanging from the ceiling, and in the spirit of the place, as the durable fiber is famous for improving health and longevity—at least in China’s Bama Yao County.
REVIEW

Hortensia

  • French, Azabu-Juban
  • Lunch ¥4,775; dinner ¥8,400-12,600

A French fine dining experience with an interesting lunch menu—four items of your choice to mix and match at your pleasure. Skilled chef Tetsuji Koga allows any combination of his delicately prepared dishes, served by bilingual waitstaff in an elegantly designed interior.
REVIEW

Le Sample

  • French/Japanese, Ebisu
  • Dinner from ¥6,300 (excl. drinks)

Inspired by jazz pianist Joe Sample, this restaurant presents a harmonious fusion between food and music. The interior is minimalist and subtle, the dishes a harmony of French and Japanese ingredients served with the utmost attention to detail.
REVIEW

Az Finom

  • Hungarian, Harajuku
  • Lunch ¥1,200-2,500; dinner ¥5,000 (incl. wine)

Hearty staples of a Hungarian home kitchen, such as gulyás (goulash) and pörkölt (stew), come artfully arranged on fine Zsolnay porcelain and finished with modern culinary flourishes at this little-known Jingumae restaurant.
REVIEW

Yutoku Soba

  • Soba, Meguro
  • Mains from ¥740

When a restaurant is famous for its design, the food can often be an afterthought. At Yutoku Soba, where handmade noodles are made fresh twice a day, no such excuses are necessary. Nonetheless, the architecture and décor provide a stunning setting.
REVIEW

Manna

  • Raw food, Yoyogi
  • Lunch from ¥1,300

Vegan dishes consisting of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are blended, juiced, dehydrated and artfully arranged—but never heated to over 48°C. Wash them down with a detoxifying vegetable smoothie, and find out it’s possible to fill up without meat—or heat.
REVIEW