Where to Dine - Tokyo - page 152

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Mominoki House NOUVELLE JAPANESE/VEGETARIAN Mominoki
House dishes could be described as French, except they're the creations of a very busy
chef (who is also the owner), who uses lots of soy sauce, ginger, Japanese vegetables, and
macrobiotic foods (there's even organic wine, beer, and sake). This alternative natural
food restaurant, open since 1976 and in a category by itself, has split-level dining, which
allows for more privacy than you would think possible in such a tiny place. Its recorded
jazz collection is extensive. Dinner features approximately 50 a la carte dishes and may
include tofu steak, free-range grilled chicken with ginger sauce, Hokkaido deer steak,
brown rice pilaf, tempeh steak, and macrobiotic vegetable gratin with soy cheese and
bean sauce. Especially good deals are the lunch specials featuring brown rice, miso soup,
seasonal vegetables, and fish or another main dish (including vegetarian selections).
There's an English-language menu, but daily specials are written on the blackboard in
Japanese only. The chef, Mr. Yamada, speaks English, so if in doubt, ask him what he
recommends.
2-18-5 Jingumae. & 03/3405-9144. www2.odn.ne.jp/mominoki_house. Main dishes ¥1,300-¥4,800;
set dinners ¥3,200-¥7,300; set lunches ¥1,150-¥6,000. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-4pm and 5-10pm (last
order). Station: Meiji-Jingumae (10 min.) or Harajuku (15 min.). From the Meiji Dori/Omotesando intersec-
tion, walk north on Meiji Dori and turn right at the pedestrian overpass; it will be on the left at the 2nd
street on the corner.

Pizzeria Sabatini ITALIAN/PIZZA This basement restaurant, opened in 1984 by
the same brothers from Rome who also opened Sabatini, an expensive Italian restaurant
in the same building (p. 147), is no longer the only game in town, but it still turns out
great pizza. Many ingredients are flown in from Italy, including olive oil and huge slabs
of Parmesan and other cheeses, as well as the restaurant's large wine selection. In addition
to pizza, there's spaghetti, lasagna, fettuccine, and meat and seafood dishes. All you need
order, however, is pizza.
Suncrest Building, 2-13-5 Kita-Aoyama. & 03/3402-2027. Pasta and pizza ¥1,365-¥1,995; main dishes
¥2,500-¥3,150; set lunches ¥1,575-¥3,360. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm and 5:30-10:30pm (last
order). Station: Gaienmae (1 min.). At the intersection of Aoyama Dori and Gaien-Nishi Dori.
o Toriyoshi VARIED JAPANESE/INTERNATIONAL This upscale jazz bar is a
popular dining spot as well, especially for its chicken specialties such as fried chicken
wings and half a fried chicken. The English-language menu lists a variety of Japanese and
Asian pub fare as well, including salads, yakitori, tofu (I love the black sesame tofu, called
kuroi gomadofu ), kimchi, and more. A good place for a convivial evening. There are more
than a dozen branches in Tokyo, including 3-18-16 Minami Aoyama ( & 03/3403-
7720; station: Omotesando) and 3-34-16 Shinjuku ( & 03/3225-1922; station: Shin-
juku).
4-28-21 Jingumae. & 03/3470-3901. Main dishes ¥620-¥1,400. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 5-11pm; Sat-
Sun 4-11pm (last order). Station: Meiji-Jingumae (3 min.). From the Meiji Dori/Omotesando intersection,
walk on Omotesando toward Aoyama and take the 1st left (there's a Wendy's here); Toriyoshi is down this
street, on the right side, beside a willow tree. Look for its V OICE signboard, a reference to the jazz vocals
often aired here.
Venire Venire ITALIAN You'll have to see for yourself how inexpensive doesn't nec-
essarily mean drab. This tall-ceilinged trattoria, on the fifth floor of the Y.M. Square
Building in Harajaku, is light and airy, with a large outdoor terrace affording sweeping
views over the surrounding rooftops (open from Golden Week to Oct). It offers mostly
pizzas and pastas, such as fettuccini with scampi or pizza topped with prosciutto ham and

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