Apologies for the delay. Once again, work has been unrelenting recently.
For our last meal in Japan, we end up at Tateru Yoshino. Chef Yoshino was a long time sous chef under chef Robuchon and now runs Stella Maris in Paris and 3 namesake restaurants in Japan, all with at least a Michelin star.
Despite the accolades, the restaurant was completely empty when we arrived and would only be 1/3 filled throughout our lunch.
The service was very classical European fine dining with the maitre'd wearing a full tux and such extras as amuse bouche, bread cart, mignardise.
We opted for the 8500 yen mid level lunch menu.
Choice of appetizer, fish dish, meat dish, and dessert
Amuse tray. Vegetable and goat cheese tart, gourgeres, and foie gras macaron.
The execution is really good. The veggies very fresh, the gourgeres nice and crisp and airy and the foie sweet and lush eithout overwhelming.
More amuse. Beet mousse. Subtle beet flavor.
Mini baguette from bread cart. Other choices include milk bread and boule.
Very good example of baguette. Glass shattering outer crust with very soft and airy interior.
Wife's first course, Monet's Garden. Seems like a variation of Michel Bras' Le Gargouillou.
Vegetables were all very fresh with the cooked ones controlled correctly in terms of doneness.
I went with a more pedestrian asparagus risotto as I wanted to test the kitchen with a simple classic.
Very good rendition. Rice seemed like cannaroli rice done to an al dente that was a bit softer than many places in the US where there is still some over hardness in the center of rice kernal. Richness permeated the dish, tasting of chicken broth and parmesan, while the asparagus pieces lightened the dish.
Issaki with a citrus sauce. Crisp exterior, melting interior. Proper fish cooking.
Sea Bass with artichokes and a red wine butter sauce. Again very competent cooking of the fish and sauce.
Lamb. Meat was nicely done though there seemed to be a lot of the outer fat. Wife says she prefers the lamb rack I make as I score the fat very finely to render and crisp the fat.
Beef cheek in red wine. Incredibly meltingly tender. Puree of potatoes rich yet light.
We both went with the apricot dessert. Many texture: gelees, nougat, ice cream, sorbet, meringue, sauce.
Mignardise of macaron, chocolate covered hazelnut, and mini cannele.
Last edited by amoeba; 07-08-2018 at 12:58 AM.