Hyōtan Zushi @ Tenjin

August 30, 2023 Dave Perry

***Tai, kanpachi, aburisalmontoro, ika, anago***

Dating back to 1964, Hyōtan Zushi is a splendid Fukuoka sushi-ya specialising in generous portions of “cheap and delicious sushi” and seasonal seafood (mostly sourced from the local Genkai Sea), described by a diner with three decades of visits under their belt as a “consistently exceptional dining experience.”

An oft cited guidebook entry, and popular among locals, daily queues are the norm and waits lengthy, ranging from 60 to 90 minutes. Arriving at 10:30am for the 11:30am opening usually guarantees entry at the first sitting. We, along with Hakata locals, usually shun such queues, but the heightened anticipation and eventual dining experience are worth it.

Spread across two floors, the bright, clean and surprisingly spacious interior provides counter, table and horigotatsu seating, tended to by a team of hospitable floor staff and affable sushi chefs. Menus are available in English, Japanese and Korean.

Hyōtan Zushi

092 722 0010

Kushizen @ Gakugei-Daigaku

July 27, 2023 Dave Perry

***Appetizer of stewed pork, beans, carrot and lotus root***

***tomato bacon-maki topped with cheese***

Although we tend to eschew chain stores, some are admittedly worth a visit. Gakugei-Daigaku’s Kushizen is just such a one, belonging to a small chain covering Kawasaki City, and Tokyo’s Meguro, Setagaya, Sugunami and Nakano wards.

The restaurant is bright and spacious, priding itself on its cleanliness and suitability for hardened yakitori fans and families alike, but can feel somewhat lacking in character.

Thankfully, the quality of the yakitori and other dishes more than make amends for any shortcomings in atmosphere and decor. Every dish, from the surprisingly good appetisers, succulent negima and tender sasami topped with Genovese sauce are cooked with care and served in generous portions, delivering satisfaction and excellent cost performance.

Kushizen

03 3793 0677

Savoy Classic & Domi-La @ Azabu-Jūban

June 25, 2023 Dave Perry

***“Pizza Y” Yamayuki Pacific bluefin tuna and wasabi pizza***

***“Domi-La De+LAX” pepperoni, bacon, green pepper, red onion and mozzarella pizza***

Following the closure of Savoy’s iconic hole-in-the-wall pizzeria, appetites were soothed and hearts consoled by its nearby sister store’s ability to take up some of the slack in accommodating hungry diners, although this did result in some lengthy queues.

Luckily, with the opening in March of the brand new, relocated and enlarged Savoy Classic, accessing some of Tokyo’s very best pizza has become somewhat easier. The new store’s concept differs from the original in that it’s now three stores in one - Savoy Classic, Domi-La and Woodstock Tokyo - with each providing different menus cooked in their respective kilns.

Savoy Classic sticks to its classic pizza line up, with the Margherita and Marinara remaining as perfectly delicious as ever they were, and the counter seating providing a great view of the process of crafting the perfect pizza. Domi-La also focuses on pizza, but with a more contemporary and somewhat experimental approach to ingredients and toppings. Meanwhile, Woodstock Tokyo’s menu encompasses grilled meats, fish and seasonal vegetables.

Savoy

03 6665 8102

Tonkatsu Miyako @ Azabu-Jūban

May 31, 2023 Dave Perry

Our regular tonkatsu sessions at Taihou and Katsuichi have recently be interspersed with visits to Azabu-Juban’s excellent Tonkatsu Miyako.

Managed by renowned meat wholesaler “Niku no Ishikawa,” this is a more refined tonkatsu offering providing succulent, thick cuts of choice pork, rich tonjiru soup, delicious Koshihikari white rice and surprisingly good sake.

The menu offers the range of tonkatsu staples as well as some speciality dishes, of which the voluminous special rib roast katsu is not to be missed, especially when paired with the Canadian maple syrup and salt.

Tonkatsu Miyako

03 3453 2929

Pizza Marumo @ Ebisu

April 6, 2023 Dave Perry

***Wood-fire oven baked cauliflower with anchovy sauce***

***Quattro formaggi with organic honey***

***Homemade roast ham and aguala salad with Balsamic dressing***

A relatively recent Ebisu debutant, Pizza Marumo’s contemporary Japanese interior, marble dining counter and eye-catching pizza kiln create a stylish setting for a top tier pizza experience.

Previously of Savoy, founder-chef Motokura Yuki wanted to provide a “fusion of Neapolitan pizza and Japanese flavors.” In doing so he’s created a menu that’s both unique and inventive, offering a selection of Japanese influenced appetizers, sides (the roast cauliflower with anchovy and garlic paste is wonderful), wood fire grilled meats, and a regularly updated selection of superb pizzas.

Freshly baked for only a minute in a 500℃ wood-fired kiln, these pizzas are some of Tokyo’s best. Made with dough that’s been fermented to the limit, the base and crust has an irresistibly chewy texture while remaining light on the stomach.

The Margherita is a delicious balance of rich mozzarella cheese and tomato, while the Marinara delights with its garlicky flavour. For the more adventurous, the Japanese Umami is topped with dried shiitake sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, mackerel, katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes), kombu, green onion, sesame and soy sauce.

Pizza Marumo

050 5462 2221