Brasserie Paul Bocuse Daimaru Tokyo

Posted on November 29, 09 by seat

鴨のテリーヌカンパーニュ風。
Duck Terrine Campagne style.

ガンバス海老のポワレリゾットと共に（+￥300）。
“ムッシュポール・ボキューズ”のクレーム・ブリュレ。
Pan-fried Gambas prawn with risotto(+Y300).
Creme Brulee.

From the Y2860 lunch course(+Y300 for the prawn).

I’m quite impressed by this place! Honestly I wasn’t expecting high for this place because it’s located on the top floor of a department store(Daimaru Tokyo) and we could easily get a table for a weekend lunch even though we only booked the night before….but I was surprised by how high the quality of the food was. Appetizer, main, dessert….everything was so well prepared and delicious. Plus we got a table next to the window and had a nice view over the streets. All of that for about Y4000(including a glass of champagne which was reasonably priced). Incredible value!

Menu 1, 2.

Brasserie Paul Bocuse Tokyo Daimaru

Le Cafe Plus A

Posted on November 29, 09 by seat

エスカルゴのマッシュルーム詰めグラタン、サラダを添えて。
サンマルチアーノ種トマトのソフトクリームサラダ仕立て。
Escargot stuffed mushroom gratin with salad.
Tomato softcream with salad.

鴨のコンフィと椎茸とじゃが芋のソテー。
軽いブランマンジェ、キルシュ風味のアングレーズ。
Duck confit with sauteed shiitake mushroom and potato.
Blanc Manger in Anglaise sauce.

All the above are from the 4000 yen dinner course which includes 2 appetizers, 1 main dish and dessert.

Went on a Sunday evening and we were the only customer throughout the whole night. I read from some food blogs beforehand that it’ll get quite expensive if you order from the a la carte, and the set course is of better value. So even though the waiter was a little overly eager to recommend us the a la carte and even said that “the set course might be a bit small in portion”, we ordered the set course anyway. And he was not lying, the portion was a little small. The taste was not bad in general, considering the price, but the service was kinda spotty – there weren’t that many options to choose from the set course and not all of us could choose what we wanted because they could only provide limited portions for each choice. After some compromising among us and we had decided our choices, they told us that they had mistaken the number of available portions, and such confusion happened not just once but twice….

Le Cafe Plus A

神田きくかわ (Kanda Kikukawa)

Posted on November 6, 09 by seat

(Apr 19 2007)
うな重（２匹付）（イ）、２６２０円。
A famous place for Unaju – eel on rice in a box. The difference in price is just the difference in size of the unagi. I had the cheapest(2620yen!) and it was pretty big already. The madam said unadon(eel on rice in a bowl) uses fatter unagi, but she recommended Unaju so we all had it. It is very good. Huge portion. Want to try the Unadon next time!
(Whole set looks like this.)

(Nov 03 2009)
大串うな丼、￥２７００。
More than 2 years later, I went back to try the Unadon(Y2700). It was very good but I had no idea if it was in fact fattier than the Unaju I had 2 years ago….

Menu here.

神田きくかわ

Champ de Soleil (シャン・ドゥ・ソレイユ)

Posted on October 24, 09 by seat

Another lunch spot that I’ve been obsessively visiting. A Belgium restaurant apparently but the lunch menu isn’t that Belgium. Daily lunch(Mon-Sat) has 2 pasta options, 1 fish option and 1 meat option, all of which Y1260 including bread, salad and coffee. Usually they are all good – there really isn’t much varieties in their lunch menu but they make a simple dish very tasty. The fish option can be a bit small in portion. I don’t like the bread served here and always wish that they would serve rice instead. The best option is the pasta which is yummy and generous in ingredients and comes in a big plate.

豚ロースのソテー　ブラックヴェルソース、￥１２６０。ガトーショコラ、￥３１５。
Pork loin Saute in mustard sauce, Y1260.
Gateau chocolat, Y315.

ツナ、キノコ、ホウレン草のクリームスパゲティ。
メカジキムニエル～トマト、ケッパー入り焦がしバターソース。
Spaghetti with tuna, mushroom, spinach in cream sauce.
Mekajiki meuniere with tomato, caper in burnt butter sauce.

カサゴのポワレスープドポワソンのソース。
カニ、キャベツ、ホウレン草のトマトスパゲティ。
Panfried Kasago in fish soup sauce.
Spaghetti with crab, cabbage, spinach in tomato sauce.

鶏ももソテーエシャロットパン粉のせグリーンペッパーソース。
カニ、キャベツ、玉ネギのオイルソーススパゲティ。
Sauteed chicken thigh with eschallot bread-crumb in green pepper sauce.
Crab, cabbage, onion spaghetti in oil sauce.

ベーコン、ズッキーニ、オニオンのトマトスパゲティ。
鶏もも肉のソテー　ゴルゴンゾーラソース。
Spaghetti with bacon, zuccini, onion in tomato sauce.
Sauteed chicken thigh in gorgonzola sauce.

豚バラ肉の黒ゴマ焼き、トマト、バジル入りクリームソース。
カニ、パプリカ、ナスのオイルスパゲティ。
Grilled pork belly meat with black sesame seed, tomato and basil, cream sauce.
Crab, paprika and eggplant spaghetti in oil sauce.

カルボナーラスパゲティ。
カサゴのポワレ～ホワイトビールソース。
Carbonara spaghetti.
Panfried kasago in white beer sauce.

豚ロースソテー・エシャロッヴィネガーソース。
エビ、パプリカのスパゲッティー。
Sauteed pork loin in vinegar sauce.
Spaghetti with prawn and paprika in oil sauce.

鶏もものナス・トマト重ね焼きバジルソース。
カサゴのポレンタ揚げ４種の豆のトマト煮と共に。
Grilled layers of chicken thigh, eggplant and tomato, in basil sauce.
Fried Kasago in Polenta, in tomato stew with 4 beans.

牛バベットステーキ　赤ワインソース、グリーンサラダ、コーヒー、￥１５７５。
1500 yen lunch course served in the second floor consists of Bavette steak with red wine sauce, green salad and coffee. This is the cheapest lunch course in the 2nd floor menu.

Left: 1st floor
Right: 2nd floor

Menu: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

Champ de Soleil (シャン・ドゥ・ソレイユ)
Add: 1-10-6, Uchi Kanda, Chiyoda-ku
Tel: 03-5281-0333

東京純豆腐 (Tokyo Sundubu)

Posted on October 17, 09 by seat

A chain restaurant specialised in Sundubu or Korean tofu hotpot. This branch is inside Tokyo Dome City. There are two kinds of soup base for the Sundubu – miso(Korean style) or salt(American style), and 4 spicy levels – Mild, Hot, Very hot and Super hot. Lunch set comes with rice(free to ask for large portion at lunch time), veggy side dish and a small tofu dessert. All the additional side dishes and desserts are from the weekend and holiday menu and are not available on weekdays. I like the Sundubu lunch set here but the main reason I had lunch in this restaurant so many times is that it is conveniently located right opposite to a supermarket that I always shop on weekends….

海鮮スンドゥブ、￥1,400。明太子、￥100。
フローズンヨーグルト、￥400。
Seafood Sundubu, Y1400. Mentaiko topping, Y100.
Frozen Yogurt, Y400. The only dessert that’s okay. The others are pretty bad.

Mixスンドュブ、￥1,300。杏仁マンゴーパフェ、￥580。
Mix Sundubu, Y1300. A limited menu including ingredients such as chicken, Squid and buta no kakuni(simmered pork belly).
Almond mango Parfait, Y580.

Wワンタンスンドゥブ、￥1,200。オムアイス、￥600。
Double Wonton Sundubu, Y1200.
Omu-ice(ice-cream wrapped in egg), Y600.

チャプチェ、￥750。
豚肉みぞれスンドュブ、￥1,100。切り餅、￥100。
Chapchae, Y750.
Pork and raddish Sundubu, Y1100. Rice cake topping, Y100.

冷製スンドゥブ、￥1,000。ゴマ坦々スンドゥブ、￥1,100。
Chilled Sundubu(summer only), Y1000.
Sesame seed Tantan Sundubu, Y1100.

牛すじア・ラ・モード、￥1,200。じゃがチーチヂミ、￥800。
A fancy version of beef tendon sundubu produced by a celebrity. It has collagen and some other beauty ingredients added to it.
Potato pancake, Y800.

チーズスンドゥブ、￥1,100。海鮮チヂミ、￥1,000。
Cheese Sundubu, Y1100. Seafood pancake, Y1,000.
The pancakes don’t have that much ingredients in it.

韓国風冷奴、￥500。味噌バタースンドゥブ、￥1,100。
Korean chilled tofu, Y500. Miso Butter Sudubu, Y1100.

緑野菜スンドゥブ、￥1,100。トッポギ、￥100。
豆腐屋さんの豆乳アイス、￥700。
Green vegetable Sundubu, Y1100. Topokki topping, Y100.
Tofu shop’s soy milk ice-cream, Y700. Very disappointing.

アボガドとトマトのキムチ、￥550。黒豚スンドゥブ、￥1,200。
Avocado and tomato kimchi, Y550. Kurobuta(black pig) Sundubu, Y1200.

豚キムチトッポギ入り、￥800。ザブ～ンスンドゥブ、￥1,000。
Pork and kimchi and Topokki,Y800.
Limited menu with cheese, okra and onion in a curry soup, Y1000.

豚スンドゥブ、￥1,000。あさりスンドゥブ、￥1,000。
Pork Sundubu, Y1000. Clam Sundubu, Y1000.

カレースンドゥブ、￥950。地鶏スンドゥブ、￥1,100。
Curry Sundubu, Y950. Chicken Sundubu, Y1100.

東京純豆腐 (Tokyo Sundubu)

Menu(J): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

nana’s green tea (ナナズ・グリーンティー)

Posted on October 16, 09 by seat

角煮温泉卵どんぶりセット、￥１０００。
黒胡麻ガトーショコラパフェ、￥９５０。
Simmered pork belly(Kakuni) and hotspring-egg rice bowl(donburi) set, Y1000. Comes with a drink from the set drink menu.
Black sesame seed Gateau chocolat Parfait, Y950.

As I said before I tend to stay away from chain/franchise food joints so I never tried this Japanese style cafe even though I walked past its branch in Ochanomizu many times. But one day I gave its parfait a try and…..I loved it!! ^^;;; I’ve been going back again and again in the past few months and tried many items from the sweet/food/drink menu; “Black sesame seed gateau chocolat parfait” and “Kakuni and hotspring-egg donburi”(the two pics above) are my favourite sweet and food item respectively. For the rest, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

黒胡麻わらび餅パフェ、￥８５０。
黒胡麻クリームあんみつ、￥６３０。
Black sesame warabi-mochi parfait, Y850.
Black sesame cream anmitsu, Y630.

I love the black sesame seed ice-cream the most(more than green tea ice-cream or red bean ice-cream) and the sweet red bean paste is black sesame flavour too and is very good.

This branch is in Ochanomizu.

づけ鮪のアボガドとろろどんぶりセット￥１０００。
Second floor of Ochanomizu branch.
Marinated maguro and avocado and tororo(grated mountain yam) donburi set, Y1000.

抹茶ガトーショコラパフェ、￥９５０。
抹茶わらび餅ジェラートパフェ、￥８５０。
Maccha(green tea) Gateau chocolat Parfait, Y950.
Maccha Warabi-mochi Gelato Parfait, Y850. This one has a layer of Maccha soft-cream in the middle which is yummy.

抹茶白玉パフェ、￥８００。抹茶ラテ、￥４５０。
Maccha Shiratama(rice-flour dumpling) Parfait, Y800.
Maccha Latte, Y450. If you order the donburi set, you can choose Maccha Latte or Maccha(without milk) as the set drink for an extra Y150.

The branch inside Tokyo Dome City Laqua.

ヨモギわらび餅、￥６００。
Laqua branch has a nice window view overlooking Kourakuen theme park.
Yomogi Warabi-mochi, Y600.

小倉フルーツパフェ、￥９００。
小倉白玉パフェ、￥８００。
Red bean Fruit Parfait, Y900. Ice-cream is red bean flavour.
Red bean Shiratama Parfait, Y800.

贅沢とん汁とじゃこご飯セット、￥９００。
Tonjiru and Jako(dried small fish) rice set, Y900. Japanese tea comes in a pot.

抹茶白玉ぜんざい（温）、￥６００。あずき黒蜜ラテ、￥５５０。
Maccha Shiratama Zenzai(hot), Y600.
Azuki(red bean) Kuromitsu(black honey) Latte, Y550.

焼芋パフェ、￥８５０。黒胡麻白玉フローズン、￥６３０。
Grilled taro Parfait(winter menu), Y850.
Black sesame seed shiratama Frozen, Y630.

抹茶豆乳ソフトクリームラテ、￥５５０。
Maccha soy milk soft-cream Latte, Y550.

温泉玉子タコライスどんぶり、￥８５０。
角煮やまかけどんぶり（スモール）、￥６８０。
Hotspring egg taco rice rice bowl set, Y850.
Simmered pork belly(Kakuni) and grated yam rice bowl set(small),Y680.

豆腐のキーマカレーどんぶり、￥９００。海老とオクラのカレーどんぶり、￥９５０。
Tofu Keema curry donburi, Y900. Prawn and Okra curry Donburi, Y950.

豚ロースの生姜焼きどんぶり、￥８５０。
ふわふわ鶏そぼろどんぶり、￥７００。
Pork ginger rice bowl, Y850.
Minced chicken rice bowl, Y700.
These two are just so so.

苺と洋梨のきなこキャラメルパフェ、￥９００。
Strawberry and pear’s kinako caramel Parfait, Y900.

nana’s green tea (ナナズ・グリーンティー)

Tokyo Dome City Branch
Add: 3F, Laqua Biru, 1-1-1 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku.
Tel: 03-5689-8123

Ochanomizu Branch
Add: 3-1,Surugadai, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku.
Tel: 03-3294-6541

神田　いるさ (Kanda Irusa)

Posted on September 12, 09 by seat

I love the weekday lunches offered by this Japanese restaurant near Jimbocho. There are 3 options in the lunch menu: donburi (Y1000), teishoku(Y1200), bento(Y1500). The menu changes every week and I’m always amazed by how creative the menu for the donburi and the teishoku sound. Sometimes I visit this restaurant twice in a week because both the donburi and the teishoku sound so tempting but I’m too embarassed to order both at the same time.

All lunches come with salad, miso soup, pickled vegetables, and dessert. For the teishoku, you get a main dish, plus a small piece of grilled fish, which you can choose from the list of fish available on that day. In general, I like donburi more than teishoku. I only ordered the bento once and while it was not bad, it wasn’t interesting enough to make me order it again.

Among all my visits, obviously there were times when the food wasn’t so fantastic, but for a ~1000yen lunch, I think this place is just great.

特製鰻の和風オムレツ丼、￥１０００。
Salad. Special Unagi Omelette Donburi, Y1000.

秋鮭と鮭の白子の天丼風、￥１０００。
Salmon and Salmon milt “Tendon”(tempura on rice), Y1000. Dessert.

お好み焼魚（いしもちの一夜干し）と牛バラ肉の煮込み、￥１２００。
Teishoku(Y1200): Your choice of grilled fish(Ishimochi salted and dried overnight). Stewed Beef belly meat.

お造りと日替わり二段弁当、￥１５００。
Two layered bento(Y1500) comes with a small dish of sashimi.

特製二色とろろ（和布蕪と大和芋）の海鮮丼。
特製鰻と浅利の玉子とじ丼。
Special two-colour tororo(grated mountain yam) Seafood Donburi.
Special Donburi of Unagi and clams cooked with egg.

お好み焼魚（こちかま）と若鶏とセロリとピーマンの味噌炒め。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Kochi’s head). Chicken and celery and bellpepper stir-fried with miso.

金目鯛とつくね蓮根挟みの照り焼き丼。
梶木鮪と浅利のバターぽん酢焼き丼。
Kinmedai and sandwiched Tsukune and lotus root Teriyaki Donburi.
Donburi with Kajiki-Maguro and clams grilled with Butter and Ponzu.

お好み焼魚（金目鯛の西京焼き）と鶏ささみオクラの豚ロース巻き、チーズの豚ロース包み揚げ盛り合わせ。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Kinmedai’s Saikyo-yaki). Chicken breast and Okra wrapped in pork loin, deep-fried pork loin roll with cheese.

鱧の天ぷらとキムチかき揚げの丼。
若鶏と三島おこぜの照焼き丼。
Hamo tempura and kimchi Kakiage(tempura with mixed ingredients) Donburi.
Chicken and Okoze(sting fish) Teriyaki Donburi.

お好み焼魚（ほうぼうかま）と豚トロの焼きしゃぶ～梅肉ソースで～。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Houbou’s head). Grilled Pork belly with sour plum sauce.

鰆（さわら）と烏賊の南蛮漬けの丼、￥１０００。
特製ウニづけ丼、￥１５００。
Sawara and Squid Nanban-zuke(deep-fried and then marinated in vinegar) Donburi.
Special marinated Uni(sea urchin) Donburi, Y1500.

お好み焼魚（すずきのカマ焼き）と変わりメンチカツの玉子とじ。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Suzuki’s head). Strange Menchi-katsu cooked in eggs.

牛肉のすき焼き風丼～温泉玉子添え～。
Beef Sukiyaki-style Donburi with hotspring egg.

お好み焼魚（あいなめのカマ焼）と自家製コロッケ鶏肉チーズ巻烏賊フライ盛り合わせ。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Ainame’s head). Store-made croquette, chicken and cheese roll, fried squid.

鰯のカツとメンチカツの丼～特製甘味噌掛け～。
Iwashi(sardine) cutlet and menchi-katsu Donburi with special sweet miso sauce.

お好み焼魚（鯵のひらき）と豚の角煮～梅肉ソース掛け。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(opened and dried Aji). Pork Kakuni with sour plum sauce.

鰯のさつま揚げとトマトオムレツの丼～フカヒレ入りべっこう餡掛け。
穴子と海老真丈キス巻きととまとの豚ロース巻きの天丼風。
Donburi of fried tofu-skin with Iwashi(sardine) and tomato omelette in shark-fin starchy sauce.
Tendon with Anago, Ebi-shinjo(deep fried prawn ball), Kisu roll, tomato and pork loin roll.

お好み焼魚（ひらす西京焼）と若鶏と山菜の天麩羅。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Hirasu Saikyo-yaki). Chicken and mountain vegetable tempura.

鰤のマリネ風炙り〆丼、アボカドと温泉玉子のせ。
鱚（キス）と海老真丈（しんじょう）と豚肩ロースの桑焼き丼。
Seared marinated Buri with avocado and hotspring egg.
Kisu and Ebi-shinjo and pork loin kuwayaki Donburi.

烏鰈の黒酢あんかけ丼。
Donburi of Karasu-karei with black vinegar starchy sauce.

お好み焼魚（ひらす西京焼き）と豚ロースの香味焼き。
Teishoku: Your choice of grilled fish(Hirasu’s Saikyo-yaki) and grilled Pork loin with herb.

牛挽肉入り和風オムレツ丼、べっこう餡掛け、￥１０００。
Minced beef Omelette Donburi.