manimani
Located directly connected to Toranomon Hills Station, the restaurant is situated on the 4th-floor restaurant floor of Toranomon Hills. The interior features a stylish, open design with no walls or doors, highlighted by pendant lights reminiscent of lanterns. A large single slab table at the center of the restaurant draws attention, and the layout includes two counter seats with about eight seats each, along with two four-person tables, making it suitable for solo diners, dates, girls' night outs, and business meetings.
Tonight, I was seated at the counter where I could watch the cooking process live. We started with a toast over a Tokyo Craft beer (900 yen), which is pleasantly a craft beer by default. The pale ale paired perfectly with the seafood-focused menu. The appetizer (660 yen) was a medium toro sushi. The marinated medium toro wrapped around a small piece of rice created a beautifully balanced and authentic sushi experience. It turns out that the chef here hails from a high-end sushi restaurant, which explains the quality.
The dishes we ordered included:
- **Sashimi platter** (1,980 yen) featuring bonito, sweet shrimp, red snapper, sea bream, sea urchin, and octopus. Unlike many places that require larger orders, this restaurant allows you to order a single serving, which is a bonus. The sashimi was impeccably presented, with the white fish having been aged correctly to enhance its flavor. The sea urchin was delightful, making it an excellent accompaniment for alcohol.
- **Spider crab and tsuru murasaki ohitashi** (780 yen): This dish combined the crunchiness and sliminess of tsuru murasaki with the goodness of spider crab, presenting a refined taste, reminiscent of something you might find in a high-end kaiseki restaurant.
- **Fig and macadamia nuts in white sauce** (880 yen): The ripe fig's sweetness combined with the roasted texture of the macadamia nuts and creamy tofu white sauce created a fantastic trio of flavors.
- **Tempura of anago and autumn vegetables** (1,200 yen): This dish had an impressive presentation, with generous portions of anago, sweet potato, Manjyu chili pepper, maitake, and hiratake all fried to a beautiful crisp. The light batter ensured that it was not greasy, leaving a refreshing aftertaste.
- **Omakase sushi (4 pieces)** (1,800 yen): Featuring bluefin tuna, salmon roe, horse mackerel, and octopus, I found myself wanting even more sushi due to its authenticity, especially since it’s surprising to find such quality in a non-sushi-focused restaurant.
- **Sanma (Pacific saury) with three kinds of mushrooms in a clay pot** (3,500 yen): I absolutely had to try this dish, so I order it first as it takes about 40 minutes to prepare. The three types of mushrooms are sautéed in saury liver and combined with grilled sanma and sun-dried tomatoes, layered over a rice that finishes steaming beautifully. The dish condensed many flavors into a deep taste without being overly salty. Any leftovers were made into onigiri (rice balls) to take home, and the adorable aluminum wrapper with a handle was a nice touch.
For drinks, I selected some of the restaurant's recommended sake and tea mixtures:
- **Mutsu Hassen Junmai (1-go)** (1,400 yen)
- **Aoikage coffee x hojicha** (900 yen)
- **Hozan Gyokamika x sunset tea**
The pairing of unique flavors with food was enjoyable, especially the combination of potato shochu with Okinawan tea creating a fruity twist, which was a new discovery for me. The cold water served in bottles of Fuji mineral water added extra points. I appreciate restaurants that provide quality drinking water, as I believe it’s important to hydrate well while enjoying alcohol.
I had a wonderful time sitting at the counter, watching the staff's skillful preparation and discussing various aspects of the menu with them.