11 replies to this topic

[mjs]

On my first visit to Japan, more than 20 years ago, I was taken by a senior manager at the company I worked for to a tempura restaurant for lunch. When he suggested tempura, I was secretly disappointed, since I considered relatively uninteresting food that gaijin eat. When I arrived at the restaurant I was stunned.

I don't remember much about the entire restaurant except that we were ushered into an exceedingly large private tatami room. The three of us sat at a counter behind which was a huge vat of oil. Behind the vat was a shoji through which the chef entered.

We had a 1.5 lunch during which the chef stayed the entire time and cooked individual pieces of a huge variety of exotic (and familiar) seafood and vegetables.

I've wanted to replicate this experience ever since, but have never found anyone who could identify a similar establishment in Tokyo. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm going to be in Tokyo next week and would like to try and reserve it.

[Ohba]

Is this the kind of thing?

http://metropolis.co...restaurants.asp

It sounds, apart from the shoji, similar to any specialist (and small) tempura restaurant, where the pieces are served one by one across the counter as soon as they're ready. Rarely disappointing.

Edited by Ohba, 20 November 2007 - 12:02 AM.

[JasonTrue]

I don't know the specific place you're referring to, but the difference between average tempura served at a ryokan or at home or a non-tempura-focused restaurant, and that at a tempura specialty restaurant, was night and day in my experience.

I was surprised by the quality at a little place near Ginza that a friend's parents took me to. I know the price was substantially higher than you'd find as an add-on thing, but there was no comparison.

Tempura had been, until relatively recently, restricted to the wealthiest sectors of society, as traditional rapeseed oil extraction was laborious and expensive. My understanding is that the technique was introduced by way of early Portuguese traders, although it seems to have evolved a bit.

[kazuo]

MJS:

I don't know the place you've described, but here are a couple of options (all in the "piece by piece, cook to order" vein):

Hayashi 03-3241-5367: small shop, one seating only, located in Nihonbashi and hard to find (I still get lost), you eat what the master deems best

Yamazato 03-3582-0111: has the advantage of being located in the Hotel Okura, so finding it is no problem, ask specifically for the tempura counter, if you order a set, the chefs will show you what they're going to serve and you can substitute items that you dislike

There are also a couple of chains with many shops throughout Tokyo, Tsunahachi being the lower budget place and Ten'ichi being the more upscale.

Well executed tempura is generally a bit of a luxury, expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000-20,000 yen (more if you opt for Hayashi) per person.

I'm sure you know this already, but if you're going to a shop that you've not been to before, you may want to request that they fax a map to your office/hotel. Have fun.

Edited by kazuo, 20 November 2007 - 01:07 AM.

[Culinista]

For tempura, I prefer the counter to tatami rooms unless the chef is cooking right there.

In Tokyo, Rakutei and Gondo are very good.

Yoshikawa in Kyoto and Ippoh in Osaka are ryotei and sound like the kind of place you went.

Nothing beats amazing tempura. The best I had was at Endo in Kyoto.

[mjs]

For tempura, I prefer the counter to tatami rooms unless the chef is cooking right there.

In Tokyo, Rakutei and Gondo are very good.

Yoshikawa in Kyoto and Ippoh in Osaka are ryotei and sound like the kind of place you went.

Nothing beats amazing tempura. The best I had was at Endo in Kyoto.

Ryotei style is definitely what I'm looking for. The restaurant I visited many years ago was a private room (thinking back, I can't say for sure it was tatami), and the chef was there the entire time. That was one of things that made it so special. We essentially had the chef exclusively to ourselves for the entire meal.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions above. I've been to various branches of Ten-ichi many times. Always good, but not really standout. A friend once took me to a very small place in Ginza...probably only 8 or 9 seats max, that was the best experience I've had other than the original I described. It sounds like Hayashi may be like that.

Appreciating further thoughts.

[The Blissful Glutton]

I was just in Tokyo in September and went to Tempura Kondo. May have been the place you went in Ginza. The food was absolutely stellar. I would recommend going if you have not been or even if you have. It was amazing. Photos by here: click me.

Edited by The Blissful Glutton, 22 November 2007 - 06:16 AM.

[robyn]

There is a branch of Ippoh (Osaka) in Tokyo (Ginza). It's on one of the top floors of Barney's New York (which makes it easy to find). I am not an expert when it comes to tempura - but it sounds like the kind of place you're looking for. It was kind of expensive - about $40-60/person for lunch. But really excellent. Note that about zero English is spoken by the restaurant staff - but that didn't prevent us from getting terrific service (a couple of patrons spoke a little English and helped us out). Robyn

[mjs]

There is a branch of Ippoh (Osaka) in Tokyo (Ginza).  It's on one of the top floors of Barney's New York (which makes it easy to find).  I am not an expert when it comes to tempura - but it sounds like the kind of place you're looking for.  It was kind of expensive - about $40-60/person for lunch.  But really excellent.  Note that about zero English is spoken by the restaurant staff - but that didn't prevent us from getting terrific service (a couple of patrons spoke a little English and helped us out).  Robyn

Sounds nice, but for the type of place I'm talking about $40 - 60/person at lunch would be a bargain. Expected price (even at lunch) would be at least $100, probably $150+. At dinner easily over $200. A generous size private room with a dedicated chef for only 3 or 4 guests is going to be pricey.

[robyn]

The $40-60 was for the fixed price lunch menus. I'm sure if you go a la carte (kind of difficult when your Japanese isn't very good) - or for dinner - the sky's the limit. Note that this restaurant has been mentioned in the English speaking press recently (we were there in early 2006) - so prices may well be higher now. Robyn

[ojisan]

Is there any such thing as a tempura restaurant in California any more? I remember back in the day there was such a place in L.A., li'l Tokyo (Tokyo Kaikan?). I'm dating myself here....

[anpanman]

Is there any such thing as a tempura restaurant in California any more? I remember back in the day there was such a place in L.A., li'l Tokyo (Tokyo Kaikan?). I'm dating myself here....

Komatsu in Torrance, or Thousand Cranes in Little Tokyo