MEGURO CITY, TOKYO, JAPAN

LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon

Over a year after trying La Table for the first time, we were still thinking of this meal. We had to know if it was a fluke. Though the menu has changed (several times since), the art and mastery was consistent. I’m not exaggerating when I say some bites sent me into a dopamine stupor.

Beyond the perfect pairing of local ingredients (some surprising), La Table has also perfected complementing sauces.

GINZA, TOKYO, JAPAN

Dominique Bouchet Tokyo

Ginza is inundated with Michelin stars. One of the esteemed recipients is Dominique Bouchet Tokyo. We enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch here as part of our anniversary celebration. There were several interesting dishes with great depths of flavor – a wonderful blend of French style using Japanese ingredients. When flavor wasn’t pronounced, it was balanced with skill (e.g. crispy scales tilefish). Of note is a stewed oxtail that has earned the chef some fame in the Japanese TV realm. The artful gourmandise du pâtissier (sugar dome, grape sherbet, cream and slices of kyoho grapes) was as satisfying to break as it was refreshing to consume. 

The service has to be highlighted because our main server was a gem. He was a perfect balance of professional, personable and charm. The restaurant gifted us a bag of sweets and some of the tea I chose to pair with my mignardises. Such a thoughtful and lovely gesture!

GINZA, TOKYO, JAPAN

Tempura Kondo

When you think of clean eating, you wouldn’t necessarily think tempura. Yet that’s the best way to describe Tempura Kondo. As you watch the chefs perform their disciplined routine of flouring, dredging, frying and changing out oil, you can’t help but get indoctrinated into the purity of the method and the taste. Simple, local ingredients of shrimp, lotus root, asparagus, eel, fish, scallop, shishito pepper and fiddlehead fronds impressed us one by one. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce), taste the clean ingredients as they were intended.

ROPPONGI, TOKYO, JAPAN

L’ATELIER de Joël Robuchon

Well, Tokyo makes it too easy of a decision. Two two-starred Robuchon restaurants with similar course prices is too delicious to pass up. L’ATELIER is a casual, open-kitchen dining counterpart at the heart of Roppongi Hills. The ambiance is much more festive, but perhaps this makes it slightly more casual than La Table. The course menus are similar in structure and offerings are still seasonal. Completely different ingredients so you get to try variations of the same standard of quality.

MEGURO CITY, TOKYO, JAPAN

LA TABLE de Joël Robuchon

This two-star “informal” dining fare sits in an auspicious building with its three-star sister restaurant, Joël Robuchon. La Table has an exceptional offering at a, frankly, very affordable price point. True to its namesake, each course presentation is as much a work of art as it is a culinary culmination.

SHINJUKU, TOKYO, JAPAN

Soba House Konjiki-Hototogisu

Soba House still maintains its one-star as of this writing (2023), and justifiably. It actually took us two tries to find the right one for our tastes, but the shoyu tsukemen hits all the spots. The accompanying broth has so much depth and flavor.

Watch the process here.

YOYOGI UEHARA, TOKYO, JAPAN

Tsuta Ramen

This is the first ramen shop to receive a Michelin star! We tried it during the COVID Era, which made it much easier to get a table. The broth was delightfully clear and the noodles freshly made. I can’t say the truffle added especially to the dish, but I tend to be a purist when it comes to broths. The highlight was the wagyu topping. Ramen in Japan is generally topped with chashu (braised pork belly), which I don’t enjoy. For this reason, I was particularly amenable to the wagyu slices.

HELSINKI, FINLAND

Ravintola Gaijin

A Bib Gourmand restaurant that brings Asian-fusion flavors to Helsinki. Our menu of the evening was heavily influenced by Japanese flavors and ingredients. The triple choco & mint dessert is a dream.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

Mathias Dahlgren-Matbaren

We purposely planned a long layover in Stockholm for this treat. It lived up to its reputation and so much more! To start, our server was one of the most personable and attentive I’ve ever experienced. We didn’t make reservations since it’s relatively easy to get a spot at the bar – and this turned out to be the best way to experience Matbaren. Loved watching the chefs work.