Food & Wine

Jay (Eire)
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French - Japanese

If you’ll indulge me on some food posts.

My favourite cuisine has long been the combination of French technique and Japanese ingredients.  This is executed very well in many many restaurants all over the world and it’s always a treat to be able to visit any of these establishments. 

I was fortunate enough to be able to return again to one of these restaurants a few weeks back and wanted to share some photos. 

Some folks will recognize the “signature” dish here, it’s been a favourite of mine since first eating at this restaurant a long long time ago.  And while the menu changes and the restaurant itself had a major revamp in 2019, this dish obviously needs to remain the constant.  If I’m correct there was some discussion of it being removed from the menu a few years back, I can’t recall if it was in fact removed (and then reinstated), thankfully any time I’ve visited it’s been there. 

So what is it?  Hokkaido sea urchin, lobster jello, caviar, cauliflower cream.  It’s a pretty amazing combination.  And for the watch folks, the necessary mother of pearl spoon ! Is there enough to make a watch dial? LOL

The chef is a Dutch guy, been head chef at this restaurant for 17 years I think.  That’s dedication.  It can’t be easy, one needs to reinvent and ensure that folks keep coming.  They are of course fortunate to be housed in a premier hotel with global recognition and so that will always ensure foot traffic.  But one can’t rely on visitors alone and so new ideas, interesting ideas, are needed to keep the return diners returning!

Since the revamp, in which the kitchen was also expanded, they now have one course served in the kitchen at a standing bar.  Yes it’s a novelty, but I think it’s quite cool.  The order and structure of the kitchen is interesting to observe.  It’s helped by what is a very spacious kitchen and layout.  No screaming here, no tight spaces either.  

The kitchen dish was Spanish mackerel, charred (and crispy) on the skin side with winter melon, sake leese, mustard, bonno negi and extra virgin rice bran oil.  Mackerel is a strong tasting fish, and the other ingredients were complimentary but didn’t dilute it.  

Enjoy.  Hopefully the belly’s don’t rumble too much.