The Caffeine Buzz - 500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers - page 391

mountain region of Takayama. An oasis amid the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, this small,
intimate restaurant provides a Zen-like version of the Benihana experience, as you
cook your own set menu on your table's sumiyaki charcoal grill (kimono-clad women
servers are there to help out). The cook-your-own technique is also part of the fun at
cheery, efficient Shabusen (Core Bldg. 2F, 5-8-20 Ginza; & 81/3/3571-1717 ), in
the heart of the Ginza shopping buzz, where diners sizzle their own paper-thin slices
of meat and vegetables in a bubbling pot of seaweed-flavored broth; here you can
sit either at a table or at a round counter.
A longtime favorite for tonkatsu (deep-fried breaded pork cutlet) is Maisen;
while there are a couple of branches around town, the one in trendy Harajuku (4-8-5
Jingumae; & 81/3/3470-0071 ) is the most interesting, occupying a converted pre-
World War II public bathhouse, with high ceilings and original architectural details.
Maisen is especially known for its black pork, originally from China and prized for its
sweet, intense flavor. For soba noodles—the ultimate Japanese comfort food—try
Matsugen (Hagiwara Bldg., 1-3-1 Hiroo; & 81/3/3444-8666 ), a serenely spare
restaurant amid a cluster of noodle shops in the Ebisu nightlife district. Sit at com-
munal tables and watch the chefs roll out the buckwheat noodles by hand; eaten
cold, either dipped in seasoned soy sauce or plain, the noodles' earthy, subtle fla-
vors are a revelation.
The ultimate Japanese dining experience is a full kaiseki meal, a ritualized series of
tiny, elaborately prepared dishes served with great ceremony as you sit on the floor
in a tatami room. The intricate progression of flavors, textures, aromas, colors (even
the serving vessels are prescribed by custom) raises dining to the level of art. Don't
skimp on kaiseki; go to a classic place like expensive Takamura (3-4-27 Roppongi;
& 81/3/3585-6600 ), in a gracious 60-year-old house secluded by gardens on a hill-
side at the edge of Roppongi. Similar to kaiseki but a little less formal (and less
expensive), kappo meals allow an individual chef to get more creative with his pre-
cisely choreographed dishes; one of the city's most respected kappo chefs is Hiro-
mitsu Nozaki at Waketokuyama (5-1-5 Minami-Azbu; & 81/3/5789-3838 ), near
the Hiroo station in the Minato district. Try to nab one of the seats at the chef's coun-
ter for a close-up view of the intricate preparations—it's some of the best theater in
town.
( Narita International (66km/40 miles).

L $$$ Capitol Tokyu Hotel, 2-10-3 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku ( & 800/888-4747 in the U.S. and

Canada, or 03/3581-4511; www.capitoltokyu.com). $$ Park Hotel Tokyo, 1-7-1 Higashi Shimbashi,
Minato-ku, Ginza ( & 03/6252-1111; www.parkhoteltokyo.com).