48 Hours in Tokyo — FOODIES ONLY. December 21, 2016

Greetings

Just got back from Mike’s birthday dinner… This is truly for the foodies only.

We ate at Ginza Kojyu – a three Michelin Star restaurant.. and voted one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. Chef is very well known in Japan.

It’s apparently very difficult to get a reservation, but the hotel secured it. I tried for several other restaurants – rated high but not this high. And was unsuccessful in getting anything. But the hotel said there had been a cancellation and we were able to book… Not much choice for timing, but 9:00 was fine for us (we tend to eat late).

Took a taxi from the hotel, although we had walked to this street earlier… but taxis are quite inexpensive and it seemed easier. The restaurant did not disappoint. We had a little private room and our own server who kept popping in and out to assure that all was well.

The two and a half hour meal:

• Started out with champagne as we had the spiny lobster with tiny diced apple pieces and a few other ingredients including some kind of “gel’…
• Moved on to steamed crab in the shell with crab roe (which is a very dark rich brown color and very very fine granules… at this point we moved on to white wine).
• Then came a clear broth with an amazing scallop dumpling and some kind of chanterelle mushroom
• We stuck with white wine…. As we had the sashimi – melted in your mouth… tuna, “flat fish”, flounder, and mackerel… melted in the mouth… came with soy and wasabi for the tuna and mackerel and lime and sea salt for the white fish
• Next was a fish with miso glaze, a slice of baby yam… and wagyu beef slices (thick) and some green veggie. The beef was served with wasabi and soy… and the fish with the miso. There was also a pureed white radish
• Oyster with vegetables
• Broiled eel with brown rice and baby green
• Ended with a small trio of desserts: strawberry something… green tea flan, and yuzu sorbet – and tea

OK… This food section will not be in the daily report.

As we closed the place down at 11:15pm (on a Wednesday night)… although who would know since everyone is in their little private room…. We were introduced to the chef… Toru Okuda. I meant to get a photo of him with Mike.. but frankly was totally beat and maybe a bit high… Champagne, about 4 glasses of wine…  and all that food.

Back at hotel.. packing suitcases and also a box to ship winter clothes back to California… It will be in the mid to high 80s in Myanmar. Don’t need gloves, boots, and sweaters!

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Fern