LEON RESORT HOTEL Max4people 15min Shibuya Game Collector's Room LEON RESORT MEGURO 目黒 最大4人

In pursuit of a new expression of Japanese cuisine, the restaurant brings its own inventive ideas to the table. In the sashimi platter, each variety of seafood is paired with distinct seasonings and accompaniments. Inspired by the sauces of Western cuisine, grilled beef is served with smooth vegetable purées. The house’s credo, ‘onko-tokujitsu’, embodies a spirit of warmth, compassion and sincerity. That sincerity is evident in the way the chef approaches the work.

The shop takes such pride in the quality of its pork—Mochibuta, a domestic pork known for its tender meat and light, clean-flavoured fat—that the brand is in the name of the restaurant. Pork is deep-fried in vegetable oil, on a low flame at a leisurely pace, for a light texture. The chef is a study in undivided concentration as he hovers over his pots. Tonjiru pork soup is generously full of ingredients. The location is next to Musashikoyama Shopping Street, famed for its long arcade. Reservations are accepted for evenings.

For Joël Robuchon, ‘emperor of French cuisine’, this eponymous restaurant is the jewel in the crown of the company. Kenichiro Sekiya, recipient of the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) and heir to both the spirit and cuisine of his famous mentor, uses Japanese ingredients to breathe new life into French gastronomy. His interpretation of Le Caviar Imperial evolves from generation to generation. Even the trolley service is the pinnacle of luxury. A table of magnificence as befits the hall of the emperor.

Ensui means ‘flame and water’, celebrating the two starting points of Japanese cuisine: charcoal flame and water for soup stock. The pride of the house is its stew. Using water brought all the way from Kagoshima, dashi stock is drawn from aged kombu and high-grade bonito flakes. The soup ingredients are suffused with the aroma of charcoal, completing the theme. With the practiced hands of a craftsman, the chef weaves the soup ingredients and the soup broth into a harmonious whole. A natural curiosity drives him to scour producing regions for the best ingredients. A personal journey expressed t

Tempura at its most colourful, drawing from various disciplines in Japanese cuisine. Tempura shrimp is wrapped in nori; bamboo shoots are boiled, then deep-fried. Other ideas are borrowed from kaiseki tradition. Wagyu tempura and ‘Tenbara’, seasoned rice topped with mixed vegetables and seafood tempura, are distinctive offerings. Familiar items such as sillago and conger eel are woven into the mix, varying tone and pace. To ensure lightness of flavour, a blend of sesame oil and rice oil is favoured. Fertile imagination and Japanese elements fuse in this unique tempura approach.

The generously portioned, inventive dishes reflect the chef’s desire to satisfy. The signature Taichi Salad is piled high with over 30 types of vegetable. Whether cut, grilled, steamed or fried, each dish is prepared to bring out the flavour of the ingredients. The seasonal specials listed on the blackboard are also inviting. In summer, fragrant roast corn with butter soy sauce is this restaurant’s speciality. Each season brings a reason to return.

The name comes from Shuzo Kishida’s passion for discovering the true essence of French cuisine. The chef pursues his quest through three processes: ingredients, flame and seasoning. For Kishida, ‘ingredients’ means deep respect for food producers, common to all aspects of cooking; ‘flame’ means flame-handling that is finely attuned to the fish or meat at hand; and ‘seasoning’ is flavouring that is tailored to each ingredient. The soul of cooking lies in this trinity. The white spaces on the menu leave space for your imagination.