どくだみちゃん
I received an invitation from a friend to enjoy barbecuing at a restaurant in Ginza that's perfect even in the middle of winter. The location is on the 9th floor of the Pacific Building, but the building's sign only indicates up to the 8th floor, so it's a bit confusing. Although I could find the way if I took the elevator to see the directions, I decided to go to the 8th floor to the "Tenku Restaurant" and then took the external stairs up to find a rooftop restaurant that felt like a secret hideout!
The interior is spacious, and since they can accommodate up to 30 people with only one group allowed per day, it has a very roomy feel. In the living area, there is a large painting resembling the moon, which contributes to the luxurious atmosphere. There’s a fridge stocked with unlimited wine and beer, and the kitchen has all the liquors and carbonated water needed to make cocktails. They even have a tap for craft beer, making the selection of alcoholic drinks truly abundant.
The pricing for the courses ranges from 10,000 to 27,500 yen, but we opted for a 16,500 yen course, which includes 3 hours of unlimited drinks. The meal starts with a Caesar salad and roast beef made from "Ichibo" (a cut of beef), followed by "Okayama chicken cacciatore," which are served by the staff, and then we grill the rest ourselves. At the beginning, we are shown the fresh ingredients—they are really fresh. We grill the meat outdoors on a terrace adjacent to the living area, which is covered, making it very warm. It gets so cozy while grilling that you may want to roll up your sleeves. The meat is pre-sliced and easy to cook, even for amateurs. The scallops were fresh and plump, but the standout was definitely the high-quality meat. Both the beef and pork had a natural sweetness thanks to their fat content, making them incredibly delicious. I learned that this restaurant is affiliated with a famous yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant in Jinbocho called “Akira,” which explains their confidence in sourcing meat.
The bone-in sausage was nicely spicy and a personal favorite! The finale was a spicy veggie-packed soup curry that was so good, I couldn't resist going back for seconds, even though I consider myself a light eater. Curious about who created the dishes, I asked the staff on the way out and found out that the entire building houses various restaurants from the same group, with different chefs preparing the food separately. What a fascinating concept!
The unlimited drink selection began with craft beers and included a bottle of Chandon champagne. For those who enjoy drinking, this is truly a lavish course. We grilled the meat together, poured beers, and enjoyed lively conversations, making it a fun New Year's party.
The meal content included (from Tabelog):
1. Grilled seasonal vegetables (onion, bell pepper, sweet potato, pumpkin)
2. Caesar salad (loaded with chunks of bacon)
3. Roast beef from wagyu Ichibo
4. Okayama chicken with mozzarella cacciatore
5. Seafood grill (scallops)
6. Bone-in frank pork
7. Yonezawa pork loin
8. Grilled wagyu rump
9. Black-haired wagyu ribeye
10. Wagyu and seasonal vegetable soup curry with saffron rice
11. Dessert
Three hours of unlimited drinks included (last order 30 minutes before end):
BEER: Craft draft beer (Hojun 496, Silk Ale, Yona Yona Ale, Brooklyn Lager), bottled beer (CORONA, Heineken, Heartland, Budweiser, etc.)
WHISKY: Whisky, highball, coke high, ginger high
COCKTAILS: Gin, vodka, rum, cassis, Campari, peach
WINE: Red wine, white wine, sparkling wine
OTHER: Smirnoff Ice
SOUR: Lemon sour, Calpis sour, oolong high, green tea high, jasmine high
SOFT DRINKS: Oolong tea, green tea, jasmine tea, Coca-Cola, ginger ale, Calpis soda, coffee.