Ostay Numabukuro Hotel Apartment

Sushi items lined up inside a glass display case ooze Showa-era ambience. A sushi shop of the old school, and that’s how the chef likes it. Cutting and serving the sushi himself, the chef offers everything from omakase set menus to à la carte. Tuna is marinated in soy sauce; conger eel is coated in a thick, sweet eel sauce; and egg is served ‘kurakake’ or ‘saddle-style’: layered into a cake and split over a bite-sized mound of vinegared rice. The character for ‘sushi’ combines the characters for ‘fish’ and ‘delicious’. The pursuit of essential Edo style expresses the chef’s pride in his craft

The lines that form outside Tensuke at lunchtime are a part of the Koenji landscape. Inside, one voice after another calls for the ‘Egg Lunch’. Accompanying the speciality of deep-fried egg on rice, tempura items are fried in a set order. Another speciality is the performance of the chef, who tosses the eggshells in the air in poses worthy of a kabuki actor. The idea is to make the waiting time fun, too. Deep-fried eggs fill mouths with yolk and smiles.

The founder of Sushi Yoshino was once an apprentice at a well-known sushi restaurant in Tokyo’s Kyobashi district. When he became independent, he inherited the shop name, and now his heir and son have hung out their shingle together. Sushi toppings prepared in the old-school way are paired with sushi rice made with red vinegar. The shop captivates with the spirit of a true sushi restaurant. Lighting is used effectively in view of the basement location and the long counter of zelkova wood is a striking feature. Enjoy craftsmanship in both the sushi and the décor.

With close cooperation with food producers as his creed, the chef devotes himself to his 100% buckwheat juwari soba. He only uses ingredients native to Japan, to convey the charm of old-school soba. Depending where his ingredients come from, his soba may be served on a wickerwork tray, and may be either coarse-ground or ground with husks included. His inquiring mind drives him to check each day’s soba, adjusting thickness and serving temperature according to its nature. His diligent application is raising soba to new levels, as his many regulars would agree.

Unagi are dressed, skewered and grilled over high-grade charcoal. From the counter seats, the whole series of cooking scenes can be observed. The unagi are kept alive in purifying tanks until they are dressed, then dipped three times in sauce and grilled Edo-style. Sauce is used sparingly, letting the flavour of the fish speak for itself. Rice cooked somewhat firm, and freshly ground sansho pepper deliver a distinctive touch. Skilful restraint shows in the short steaming time and sparing use of sauce.

‘Novel yet nostalgic Western food’ is the theme here. Hamburger steaks with dollops of demi-glace sauce and gratin dressed in silky smooth béchamel sauce are prepared in time-honoured ways, bringing back the flavours of the good old days. Decompression-prepared salad offers rich flavours and uniquely fresh textures. Unchanging methods combine with advanced cooking techniques declare a new approach to Western favourites.

A Thai restaurant that showcases the cuisine of the ancient city of Chiang Mai and the Isaan region in northeastern Thailand. The menu includes a salad of pounded green papaya, fermented pork sausages, and a soup of stewed beef and herbs. The local style is to eat these with sticky rice steamed in a bamboo basket. The sour and spicy flavours of fermented seasonings, along with the aromas of citrus and fresh herbs, evoke a Thai dinner table.