Cuisine: Molecular, Japanese, European
Location: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8328, Japan
Date of visit: 24th September 2014
Reservation: A few weeks in advance (Only 8 seats available)
Recommended Dishes: Shabu shabu, Muesli
Set Menu: Only 1 menu available, ¥ 15,000
Service: Very friendly
Notable Awards: 1 Michelin Star
Overall: 9/10
Location: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8328, Japan
Date of visit: 24th September 2014
Reservation: A few weeks in advance (Only 8 seats available)
Recommended Dishes: Shabu shabu, Muesli
Set Menu: Only 1 menu available, ¥ 15,000
Service: Very friendly
Notable Awards: 1 Michelin Star
Overall: 9/10
Summary
A molecular bar with only 8 seatings per round (3 rounds per day, same menu throughout) on top of the Mandarin Oriental Toyko, looking over the Imperial palace. Everything here was cooked in front of us by only 2 chefs, one from Hong kong (which explained some Chinese influence in the dishes) and the other a Canadian-born Japanese. The meal was innovative, playful and most importantly, extremely delicious. We would strongly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Tokyo, with a bit of an adventurous palette. It was definitely one of our most memorable meals ever.
A molecular bar with only 8 seatings per round (3 rounds per day, same menu throughout) on top of the Mandarin Oriental Toyko, looking over the Imperial palace. Everything here was cooked in front of us by only 2 chefs, one from Hong kong (which explained some Chinese influence in the dishes) and the other a Canadian-born Japanese. The meal was innovative, playful and most importantly, extremely delicious. We would strongly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Tokyo, with a bit of an adventurous palette. It was definitely one of our most memorable meals ever.
First we were served something which looked like what you would get in a hospital, a tray of pills and a glass of water. However we were instructed to pour the water onto what looked like a pill. The pill expanded and turned out to be a wet hand towel, a nice little surprise before the meal.
We were then given a tool box each and inside was a bunch of tools, which the chef said we'll be told to use later.
I couldn't help but notice this elegant looking scientific apparatus on the side, so I asked the chef what it was. "A siphon" he said, "we'll be using this later as well".
Beetroot- mint / caramel / quinoa
To kick start our meal, we were served a strawberry, which was not actually a strawberry. It was shell of coloured sugar, filled with cream and beetroot caviar (from spherification).
6.5/10
To kick start our meal, we were served a strawberry, which was not actually a strawberry. It was shell of coloured sugar, filled with cream and beetroot caviar (from spherification).
6.5/10
Puff- potato / smoke / caviar
Next we were served a white macaron, which again turned out to be something else. It was potato foam, frozen by liquid nitrogen and filled with real caviar this time.
6/10
Next we were served a white macaron, which again turned out to be something else. It was potato foam, frozen by liquid nitrogen and filled with real caviar this time.
6/10
Truffle- bocconcini / tempura
At the first instance I saw this dish, it blew me away, whole black truffles? No, this is another trick. The dish was actually bocconcini cheese, fried in quid ink tempura batter; and the result was sublime. The creamy and stringy cheese combined with the ever so light and fluffly tempura batter produced a spectacular overall texture.
9/10
At the first instance I saw this dish, it blew me away, whole black truffles? No, this is another trick. The dish was actually bocconcini cheese, fried in quid ink tempura batter; and the result was sublime. The creamy and stringy cheese combined with the ever so light and fluffly tempura batter produced a spectacular overall texture.
9/10
Caesar
At first, the salad was served in front of us, but no dressing. The chef then spooned something from his magic cauldron onto the salad. Yes that's right, the dressing was frozen by liquid nitrogen into dressing flakes and sprinkled onto the salad to keep the lettuce crisp and dry. A wonderful idea.
8.5/10
At first, the salad was served in front of us, but no dressing. The chef then spooned something from his magic cauldron onto the salad. Yes that's right, the dressing was frozen by liquid nitrogen into dressing flakes and sprinkled onto the salad to keep the lettuce crisp and dry. A wonderful idea.
8.5/10
Ceviche- tuna / abalone / yuzu
Seared chūtoro served with abalone and a variation of crispy seaweeds, with a hint of chinese influence. The tuna literally melted in our mouths.
8.5/10
Seared chūtoro served with abalone and a variation of crispy seaweeds, with a hint of chinese influence. The tuna literally melted in our mouths.
8.5/10
Dressed crab- dashi / seaweed / sand
A quirky dish, once you finish the crab on the top, you turn the class over and use the mini shovel to spoon some sand and dashi jelly into your mouth. A great idea, but the taste was a bit too fishy for our liking.
5/10
A quirky dish, once you finish the crab on the top, you turn the class over and use the mini shovel to spoon some sand and dashi jelly into your mouth. A great idea, but the taste was a bit too fishy for our liking.
5/10
Shabu shabu- prawns / herbs / consomme
This is probably one of the most aesthetically elegant dish I have ever seen. It was a play on the shabu shabu tradition, serving the prawn raw then pouring a hot consomme to cook to prawn to perfection. The broth was fragrant, delicious and the prawn was very fresh. The prawn head was also deep fried and served on the side to avoid getting soggy; a great crunchy contrast to the delicate prawn texture. Clearly a lot of thought and creativity has been put into this dish.
9.5/10
This is probably one of the most aesthetically elegant dish I have ever seen. It was a play on the shabu shabu tradition, serving the prawn raw then pouring a hot consomme to cook to prawn to perfection. The broth was fragrant, delicious and the prawn was very fresh. The prawn head was also deep fried and served on the side to avoid getting soggy; a great crunchy contrast to the delicate prawn texture. Clearly a lot of thought and creativity has been put into this dish.
9.5/10
BBQ- foie gras / shiso glaze / cherry
Foie gras well roasted, accompanied by a sweet slice of grapes, another well balanced and delicious dish.
8.5/10
Foie gras well roasted, accompanied by a sweet slice of grapes, another well balanced and delicious dish.
8.5/10
Palate cleanser- plum sphere
The sphere bursted in our mouths and it felt as though we were drinking plum juice.
7/10
The sphere bursted in our mouths and it felt as though we were drinking plum juice.
7/10
Palate cleanser- sparkling tomato
Here was where the siphon came in, all those time since we sat down, it was infusing basil fragrance into a sparkling apple juice. Served with a sweet cherry tomato, this is probably the most creative and the best palette cleanser I've ever had.
9/10
Here was where the siphon came in, all those time since we sat down, it was infusing basil fragrance into a sparkling apple juice. Served with a sweet cherry tomato, this is probably the most creative and the best palette cleanser I've ever had.
9/10
Beggar's chicken- lotus leave / leftover
Before serving, the chef told us an old Chinese lore of how a beggar preserved his precious chicken meat, using lotus leave and clay. Here, we were served the beggar's chicken with a twist. The chicken was cooked in charcoal bread and lotus leaf and the result was a fragrance and tender meat, again with a subtle oriental taste to it.
7.5/10
Before serving, the chef told us an old Chinese lore of how a beggar preserved his precious chicken meat, using lotus leave and clay. Here, we were served the beggar's chicken with a twist. The chicken was cooked in charcoal bread and lotus leaf and the result was a fragrance and tender meat, again with a subtle oriental taste to it.
7.5/10
Wagyu roll- mushroom / rice / ginger
A simple dish, seared wagyu beef roll with Japanese rice, mushroom, sweetcorn in a sweet sauce, amazingly delicious. Then came the biggest surprise of the meal, and our most favourite, we were served seconds!
8.5/10
A simple dish, seared wagyu beef roll with Japanese rice, mushroom, sweetcorn in a sweet sauce, amazingly delicious. Then came the biggest surprise of the meal, and our most favourite, we were served seconds!
8.5/10
Bircher muesli- apple / yoghurt / oat
Better than any frozen yoghurt we've ever had. This one is special as it was made using liquid nitrogen, allowing the yoghurt particles to freeze very quickly and form finer crystal flakes, resulting in an extremely smooth texture. It was also one of the most refreshing desserts we've ever had.
9/10
Better than any frozen yoghurt we've ever had. This one is special as it was made using liquid nitrogen, allowing the yoghurt particles to freeze very quickly and form finer crystal flakes, resulting in an extremely smooth texture. It was also one of the most refreshing desserts we've ever had.
9/10
Sunny side up- brioche / fig / mango / coconut / sauterne ice cream
The mango sphere and coconut pancake was a playful take on fried eggs. Fig was fig. The best elements on the dish however has to be the caramelised brioche and the sauterne ice cream (did not taste alcoholic at all), when combined tasted like a very good bread and butter pudding.
8.5/10
The mango sphere and coconut pancake was a playful take on fried eggs. Fig was fig. The best elements on the dish however has to be the caramelised brioche and the sauterne ice cream (did not taste alcoholic at all), when combined tasted like a very good bread and butter pudding.
8.5/10
Petit Fours- truffle & mochi
We were surprised till the very end with popping candy in the chocolate truffle.
7.5/10
We were surprised till the very end with popping candy in the chocolate truffle.
7.5/10
As a souvenir, we were given a copy of the menu as well.