港屋八代

Chef Shinsuke Ishii brings the passion of the producers to your table with his unique recipes. Using underutilised fish species and local ingredients, he passionately conveys human connections. The fish wrapped in pie pastry, resembling taiyaki, hides a playful twist within its sophistication. The chef personally serves his creations, and the whole team unites to engage with guests. The dining experience is filled with energy and a sense of togetherness.

Prix fixe is the rule here, but with plenty of room for choice. Traditional fare includes favourites such as pâté de campagne, smoked salmon and roast lamb. Standard dishes are always on the menu, constantly being improved as the chef hones his skills with each dish. The chef prepares his creations in silence, the very picture of the craftsman, pouring his passion into simple French cuisine that brings out the native goodness of the ingredients.

The second-generation chef passes on the Catalonian cuisine that the first-generation chef acquired in Barcelona. Salad of sardines and egg like grandma used to make honours the memory of this couple’s mentors. Dried cod and parsley sauce and homemade sausages convey the flavours of Catalonia, while the well-worn pots attest to the popularity of the paella. Cuisine interwoven with warm memories echoes the journey this restaurant has traced.

The chef’s grandparents’ house once stood on this land. He harboured a lifelong dream of becoming a sushi artisan; the first knife he ever held was a gift from his grandfather. Never forgetting the spirit of the novice, the chef takes an honest, no-nonsense approach to his ingredients. “Letting the ingredients do the talking is not the same as doing nothing,” he says—and indeed, the chef devotes great time and effort to food preparation. As an apprentice, he learned from his mentor that cooking means thinking for yourself. The work of the old days inspires today’s creativity.

The team at Den welcomes guests with bright smiles and easy conversation. A playful, inventive menu brings a fresh perspective to Japanese cuisine. The omakase menu begins with monaka, a wafer sandwich filled with foie gras seasoned with miso, along with fruits and vegetables. Fried chicken wing tips are stuffed with iimushi, mochi rice steamed with seasonal toppings. The delight of his guests is what drives the chef. Original thinking gives rise to the sort of fun dining experience only Den can offer.

The billboard says ‘Chinese home cooking, Yoshida style’ and refers to nourishing Chinese food, based on yakuzen (medicinal food). Having experienced the healing power of Chinese cuisine, the owner-chef strives to devise dishes that restore bodily vigour. Helpful comments on the menu detail the effects of each, such as how mapo tofu stimulates the appetite, or sweet and sour pork with black vinegar relieves fatigue. The Beatles and other classics play in the background, making everyone feel at home.

The concept is ‘neo-machichuka’, ‘machichuka’ denoting an unpretentious neighbourhood Chinese restaurant and ‘neo’ referencing an upgrade for modern tastes. A culinary tune-up, so to speak, with the accent on changing aromas and textures. Red sea-bream salad, for example, is dressed with scorched rice for a smoky fragrance. Mouth-watering chicken, prepared in black vinegar to deepen the flavour, accentuates red pepper and nutty texture. Menu items are reassuringly familiar, yet each recipe harbours a novel twist.