Eme @ Musashi-Koyama

April 17, 2021 Dave Perry

***Zensai moriawase - carrot rapees, chicken ‘ham,’ home made pate de campagne***

***Zensai moriawase - tōfu, grapefruit and muscat salad***

***Grilled wagyū with daikon and aubergine simmered in fish broth***

***Basque garbure stew of beans, vegetables and prosciutto***

***Wagyū beef cheeks simmered in red wine***

***Shrimp filled chicken roll with vegetables***

As if Tonkatsu Taiyou were not reason enough, Franco-Basque bistro Eme makes the schlep over to Musashi-Koyama doubly worth it. Tucked away at the rear of an interior foliage shop, the approach to the restaurant proper transports the hungry diner from the quotidian streets of an increasingly bustling Tokyu Corporation town to an enchanting blend of Burgundian farmhouse and pre-war Parisian bistro.

Prior to establishing Eme, Owner-chef Muto Yasuyuki learned his trade globally, having manned kitchens from New Zealand to Taiwan and Paris, as well as studying the produce and cuisine of the Basque region. He deftly ticks the requisite French bistro boxes while bringing something new to the table with an unabashed lean into the rustic cuisine of the Basque country, incorporating an eclectic mix of domestic and internationally sourced ingredients.

A certified sommelier, Muto-san also keeps a surprisingly deep selection of wines at hand, ensuring that one bottle is never quite enough.

Eme

03 5751 7636

Mochi Buta Tonkatsu Taiyou @ Musashi-Koyama

April 14, 2021 Dave Perry

***Toku hirekatsu (special fillet cutlet)***

***Toku rōsukatsu (special loin cutlet)***

Our favourite tonkatsu-ya, Mochi Buta Tonkatsu Taiyou outperforms even Meguro’s esteemed Tonkatsu Taihou and is deservedly considered one of Tokyo’s top rated tonkatsu restaurants.

From the anticipation of waiting in line, to the interior with its neat counter, tonjiru soup and singularly focused menu of light yet crisply breaded premium, juicy-sweet sangenton pork cutlets and generous pourings of sake, Taiyou delivers an exceptional tonkatsu experience.

Queues, especially at lunchtime, are to be expected (45-60 minute waits are the norm) and to secure a place in the first seating it’s best to get in line at least half an hour or so before opening time. The dinner setting is equally popular, but as reservations can be made the need to arrive early or queue can, thankfully, be avoided.

Mochi Buta Tonkatsu Taiyou

03 3786 1464

Opium @ Utsubohonmachi

March 31, 2021 Dave Perry

***Scallop and kiwi carpaccio in sanshō pepper vinaigrette sauce***

***Green pea sformato in gorgonzola sauce***

***Spaghetti with fried aubergine in tomato sauce***

***Clams and rape blossoms in bottarga sauce with squid ink Tagliolini***

***Sautéed red sea bream in sauce Americaine***

***Roast Rib pork in lemon sauce with roast potatoes***

***Framboise and white chocolate terrine with pistachio parfait served with berries***

Established in 1984 by owner-chef Nishimoto Junzo as ‘a little Italy in the city for the enjoying of delicious times,’ Opium is a delightfully addictive restaurant near the east end of Osaka’s Utsubo Park.

Spread over two floors, the tastefully appointed interior evinces a mixture of old world charm and nostalgic, colonial-era South East Asia aesthetics, resulting in a cozy yet elegant setting in which to enjoy accomplished cooking and fine wines.

The menu offers lunch and dinner courses, as well as a la carte options, to suit a variety of appetites and purses, while sommelier Ishigaki Ayako’s unfailing hospitality, as she acquaints guests with a 900 bottle cellar encompassing 90 regional Italian varieties, ensures a memorable experience.

La Cucina Italiana Opium

06 6447 1044

Freeman Shokudo @ Nishihara

March 29, 2021 Dave Perry

Currently the darling of Tokyo’s ravenous insta-gourmands, Freeman Shokudo is an exceptional pit-smoked BBQ joint created and curated by erstwhile Brookyln reggae DJ Jeremy Freeman and local BBQ legend Sou Ieki of Hatos Bar fame.

The simple interior is dominated by an immense speaker and turntable combo, providing a reggae soundtrack with occasional forays into The Beatles’ back catalogue, and a fridge stuffed with a rich variety of beautifully illustrated canned and bottled craft beers and a few pricey wines.

Billed as ‘Brooklyn backyard BBQ,’ the food is all bold, smokey flavours and super-tender meat served in immensely satisfying US-sized portions with tangy pickles, sauces or mustards. Particular favourites are the meaty half- or full-rack spare ribs, the 250g melt-in-your-mouth home-cured, pit smoked pastrami sandwich and the moreish pulled pork and smoked mackerel sandwiches.

Freeman Shokudo

03 6317 7262

Tonkatsu Katsuichi @ Meguro

March 21, 2021 Dave Perry

The most reasonably priced and generously portioned among Meguro’s big three tonkatsu houses, Katsuichi is considered to rank in 2nd place behind the venerable Tonki and ahead of our personal Meguro favourite, Tiahou.

In business since the mid-1980s and now with the second generation master at the helm, this compact yet homely basement eatery is steeped in a rich Shōwa era charm complete with a gyotaku adorned ceiling memorializing the master’s fishing exploits. Although mostly frequented by regulars the welcome to the uninitiated is invariably warm.

The menu ranges from weekday lunch sets, katsu-curry and katsu-don to breaded oysters, but it’s the seminal loin and fillet cutlets, served with pickles, miso soup, rice and mountainous freshly sliced cabbage (wonderful with the sesame dressing!), for which this restaurant is famed. Although less refined than the cuisine at Taihou, the coarse, crispy bread crumbs and thick cut, juicy pork result in an exceptionally robust tonkatsu experience.

Tonkatsu Katsuichi

03 3779 3388