Jump to content

2013 Flavor Trip Tokyo & Beijing!


Recommended Posts

Could Tokyo be the food capital of the world? Based on the amount of Michelin stars in the city that statement could be true. Tokyo has roughly 200 stars in a single city thats more than twice the amount of Paris or any other country on earth. It could simply be supply and demand, like Japanese Golf Clubs quality & design play a significant factor in the way Tokyoites and it's visitors dine. In our recent trip to Japan we ate and well ate more and took tons of high res photos

gallery_18_5_78280.jpg

You can find a lot of things in the TSG forums, one thing that I found recently was a recommendation & VIP reservations to a restaurant called ARONIA DE TAKAZAWA in Akasaka and this spot was off the hook. They only serve 3 tables a night because there are only 3 tables in the restaurant. Chef Takazawa and his wife Akiko felt that with any more tables the could not give the guest the experience they deserve. It's not only delicious but all of the ingredients are produced of seasonal and rare ingredients not to mention it looks like art on a plate. While it isn't easy to get a reservation TSG member Supo67 hooked it up and we appreciate that so much, Thank You Stew! while it isn't cheap its an experience you must have while in Tokyo. Here are just a few of the pics from the meal:

gallery_18_5_187169.jpg

Above is a dish they call Ratatouille deconstructed. It's obvious TAKAZAWA-san is obseesed with perfection with flawlessly executed dishes. This course may look small as it is one bite but considering its one of about 13 you get your fill. With each course Akiko shares the story and ingredients or the story of the ingredients as well. It was more than just dining it was entertainment as well.

gallery_18_5_135115.jpg

Vegetables Parfait with caviar

gallery_18_5_120614.jpg

The chocolate spoon, not desert its actually filled with foie gras.

gallery_18_5_251399.jpg

gallery_18_5_29925.jpg

We ordered the Japanese wine pairings, Tried about 6 different JDM wines and 1 really smooth sake. Learned something new, Japanese wines are often of really high quality so every vineyard sells their entire stock each year and has no back stock to store. That means it's very hard to find previous years wines unless you go to a collector. Much more different than how things work in Napa or Sonoma where the winery stores back stock of years allowing it to age. So these are just a few pics. If you want to see tons of pics of not only the food from TAKAZAWA but also other highly rated Tokyo restaurants & restaurants from our trip to Beijing " Click Here " to visit our forum for the full posting!

gallery_18_5_59571.jpg

gallery_18_5_206394.jpg

gallery_18_5_176292.jpg

gallery_18_5_18669.jpg

gallery_18_5_10870.jpg

gallery_18_5_126065.jpg

gallery_18_5_118934.jpg

gallery_18_5_41320.jpg

gallery_18_5_106153.jpg

gallery_18_5_105851.jpg

gallery_18_5_109138.jpg

gallery_18_5_82535.jpg

gallery_18_5_4678.jpg

gallery_18_5_30402.jpg

gallery_18_5_118664.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OMOTESANDO Ukai-tei

Brittany Lobster Mousse with Beluga Caviar

gallery_18_5_13972.jpg

Oxtail Stewed with Perigourdine Sauce covered in Black Truffles

gallery_18_5_13304.jpg

White Asparagus Poached with Hollandaise Sauce

gallery_18_5_84343.jpg

Abalone Steamed with Truffle White Sauce

gallery_18_5_166134.jpg

gallery_18_5_54568.jpg

Ukai Best Quality Beef Steak with Bamboo Shoot

gallery_18_5_24323.jpg

gallery_18_5_133023.jpg

Steamed Rice with Muscle of Clam & Black Truffle

gallery_18_5_28081.jpg

Desert Cart

gallery_18_5_130759.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ah yes u ukai as well....

u dont miss a thing sir.

glad u liked takezawa

"meticulous" is an understatement.......................!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stunning.

Just to give us an idea, any chance of letting us know what the bill cost? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd take a Mac D's any day!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am with you DaleUK!

I have had my limit of pretty food that leaves me hungry.

I will take a Tony Luke's Cheesesteak or Philly Pork sandwich over the pretty food....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im not sure how many of you have seen whats called steak over here .

but this might open a few mouths.....

this is one of the tope 5 steak s in japan and the best wagyu on he planet.

its def NOT for everyone.

but i assure you when u taste this , uforgt every steak uve ever eaten.

today im drinking chloryphyll only..

and il lrestart my geting fit agn campaign tomorrow when this has "gone"

its amazing coked in a charcoal grill

flavour is out of this world.

an i think ud prob for go the cheers burge for about 10 ounces of this baby

once / twice per year........................., ONLY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

once / twice per year........................., ONLY

Only for budgetary concerns... I'm sure taste wise I'd eat every day if possible.

Thought Kobe was Japanese and Wagyu was from elsewhere. Like champagne and sparkling wine...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the 3 steaks are from differnt areas .

the least fatty was from hokkaido. the deep red one ,

then the middle was from shikoku and the white thing with red spots.... is kobe .

wagyu just means ......japanese beef .

kobe beef is only form kobe

if u eat this every day

u die

end of chat!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh gawd those are stunning, obviously A5 all day! Is the one with the grey edges aged or the best one?

I used to be able to handle JDM A5 but over the years i began getting nausea if I ate too much. It's just so damn fatty and oily it puts me in a coma.

10oz - what's that go-mon? ju-mon? Is that Shima?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

no, this palce is caleld dons de la nature

its the same thing as shima ,same level but diffent cooking stlye.

shima bakes his, dons charcoals them differnt flavours

both outstanding

the best one is the one with the most fat on the outside looking at photo on left.

the grey one is the"healthy hokkaido" one.

seriously tho, both the other two dont make 1/2 the kobe.

its unvbeleiveable

yes u need to sell a lung ,cost wise in this place.

but hey ucan get by one right ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stew your steak was overcooked, that's a felony around here. Food looks incredible very much like art, I have not been to Japan but every time I think of Paris and Bordeaux my mouth starts watering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm more the steak kinda guy but can appreciate the artwork that went into that cuisine.

Wagyu just means "Japanese cow" but also specifically refers to several similar breeds of cattle that come from Japan and have a high level of intramuscular fat/tenderness. The ones you see them feeding beer to and hand bathing etc.

I'm acquaintances with a businessman who owns what I believe is the largest herd of Wagyu cattle in the US, in the Sandhills of Nebraska. He supplies nearly all the domestic Wagyu beef for most of North America.

I thoroughly enjoy a bone in Wagyu ribeye medium rare. Although it also can be too rich for me if I have too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...