shu-tin
Food log rating ☆3.52 * Visit date: January 2023 National holiday Lunch "Restaurant TOYO Tokyo" is a Japanese branch of "Restaurant TOYO". "Restaurant TOYO" is a restaurant opened by Chef Toyomitsu Nakayama in Paris, France in 2009. Chef Toyomitsu Nakayama used to be the personal chef of Kenzo Takada, the designer of the famous apparel brand "KENZO". On this day, I made a reservation through "Ikyu" and ordered the course menu for 5400 yen excluding tax, including a champagne toast (6700 yen including tax). The course includes amuse-bouche, 2 appetizers, fish dish, meat dish, dessert/coffee. (When I visited in January 2022, the same course was 5000 yen excluding tax) I opted for the wine pairing for drinks. The menu offers "3 glass from 4500 yen excluding tax", "5 glass from 6500 yen excluding tax", "7 glass from 8500 yen excluding tax", where you can choose the number of glasses according to the number of dishes in the course. The price varies depending on the type and quantity of wine, so I asked for 7 glasses to stay within 8500 yen excluding tax. (In this case, the amount of wine per glass would be around 30cc) Champagne toast Amuse-bouche 1: Butternut squash and pumpkin mousse. It is topped with butternut chips and chocolate powder. The mousse combines the sweetness of pumpkin and the richness of butternut, and when you mix in the chocolate powder, it tastes like dessert. Amuse-bouche 2: Apple, kumquat, and tempura-fried burdock, lotus root, ginger, taro, topped with Mimolette cheese. The combination of Mimolette cheese and kumquat was surprisingly delicious. Appetizer 1: Conger eel from Goto Islands, Nagasaki. Grilled with soy sauce and served with black shichimi pepper. The eel is thick and chewy, with a rich flavor that intensifies as you chew. Adding black shichimi pepper enhances the taste. Wine pairing 1 Wine pairing 2: A slightly sweet red wine. It is not overly sweet, with mild tannins and acidity, and was delicious. Appetizer 2: Soup poured tableside. Beneath the tilefish is chawanmushi, garnished with ginkgo nuts. The soup is consomme-based, with each component having a gentle flavor, but combining them made it even more delicious. Wine pairing 3: Orange wine made from domestic Koshu grapes, which pairs well with consomme. Wine pairing 4: A white wine with a good body, balanced acidity, and mineral notes, which I enjoyed. Fish dish: Shirako from Yoichi, Hokkaido. Baked with cheese and served with white balsamic vinegar sauce. Parsley powder is sprinkled on top, and chicory is served on the side. The contrast between the creamy shirako and crispy cheese is excellent. The sauce has a balanced acidity that transforms the taste when dipped, making it delicious. Chicory has a moderate bitterness that acts as a palate cleanser. Wine pairing 5: Sake, not wine, was served with the shirako. It was slightly sweet and easy to drink, pairing well with the shirako. Wine pairing 6: A slightly sweet white wine. Meat dish: Red wine sauce with Miyazaki Takachiho beef. Served with watercress salad, sweet potatoes, carrot puree, and Ehime mandarin orange. The beef is tender and flavorful, but not overpowering. Wine pairing 7 Dessert: Anko (sweet red bean paste) souffle. Served with whipped cream, anko sauce, butter. Start by eating the souffle from the center downwards, adding the sauce and butter as you go.