I had the chance to try out a restaurant and bar where the locals go after office hours, and compared to the usual Izzakaya places, this is considered more upmarket and classy, with an accompanying higher price tag
Located within the Odakyu Southern Tower, which is surrounded by many office buildings, it is no wonder to find many business people in suits and formal business wear. The atmosphere was bustling but not too noisy or rowdy, unlike most bar restaurants
Serving premium whiskey with seasonal organic produce and fresh seafood sent directly from farms, the restaurant curates monthly special dishes. One of the specials here is a plate of delicious handmade Zaru Tofu made by Kawashimaya, a renowned 200-year-old tofu shop in Saga and Ishigama-daki rice, which is a renowned strain of rice from Niigata that is boiled in a stone cauldron
I left the ordering to my friend, who started us off on a light seaweed base soup, which was light and savoury to start the meal
Next was an appetiser dish where the server ground sesame seeds in front of us before mixing in the fresh peas. The result was a crunchy yet nutty cold dish which brings out the natural sweetness of the sweet pea
Next, we had a sashimi platter, which consisted of different fish and seafood. The fish and seafood were fresh and of good quality, and there were different sauces to eat with each fish. For example, the squid was topped with uni, while the snapper was best with the lemon slice and the bonito with a radish sauce
We also had pan-fried fish paste with peppers, which reminded me of the pan-fried yong tau foo we have in Singapore. This Japanese version has a lot less oil, so the flavours were generally lighter, and you could taste the fish paste and the fresh pepper
We also had the scallop and green chilli fish cake, which was like a fried meatball. The meat in the meatball was springy and savoury with a nicely fried skin. Compared with the panfried peppers, the meatballs were oilier but still a lot drier compared to the Singapore versions
Since it was their speciality, we had the stone-cooked Koshihikari rice with bamboo shoots and chicken meat. The flavours were again light and not overly seasoned, but you could taste the sweetness of the bamboo shoot and the fragrance of the rice. I quite liked the claypot rice, although most people might find it on the bland side
Overall, I like the food being seasonal and not common, so it was something I did not try at other Japanese restaurants. The price is higher since it is an upmarket restaurant, but the service and premium ingredients used do justify the price tag. Most servers can speak simple English, which makes the place foreigner-friendly
Address: Japan, 〒151-0053 Tokyo, Shibuya, Yoyogi, 2 Chome−2−1 小田急サザンタワ 4F
Opening hours: 11.00 am to 2.30 pm ( till 3 pm on Sat and Sun), 5 pm to 11 pm
Bear Travels . Bear Eats . Bear Cooks 