Kyubey Ginza - A perfect meal

For most of my life, I used to categorize rainbow rolls and dragon rolls and California rolls together with nigiri - that is, eponymously with the term "sushi." I've since become a sushi purist after living in Japan, so that when I refer to sushi, I mean only nigiri sushi - vinegar-marinated sushi rice topped with fresh raw fish. Gunkan maki, the type of sushi wrapped with nori (often done with uni or ikura) counts too, but please, please don't say you want sushi and then eat California rolls or anything that includes a mayonnaise-based sauce. I don't know exactly what to call that type of cuisine - perhaps "Bastardized American sushi" would be most fitting. If you ever have a Japanese business client and take them out for sushi make sure there is no special sauce, fake crab meat or deep-fried soft shell crab within 100 feet of your sushi, and especially not in or on your sushi. I know - I sound like a food snob, but all you need to do is visit Kyubey in Tokyo and I think you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Kyubey is legendary in Tokyo. This is where gunkan maki is rumored to have been created. Astonishingly, it appears to have been left out of the Michelin guide's favor for the past few years, and perhaps that has to do with the fact that it is now a restaurant chain and the service and food quality is inconsistent across locations. This review is for the original Kyubey located in Ginza - I've previously reviewed the Hotel Okura location which was disappointing, but the Ginza location served one of the most impeccable meals I've had in my life. But enough talk, I'll let the pictures do the convincing.

Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna)

Maguro (lean tuna)

Kai (red snapper)

Uni (sea urchin)

Amaebi (Sweet shrimp - these little guys were alive and kicking when I took this photo. The chef swiftly de-headed and de-shelled them before serving)

The prepared Amaebi. The flesh was still beating with life when I ate it.

Bonito

O-toro (fattiest fatty tuna)

Anago two ways - the one on the right was sprinkled only with a light dusting of salt and it was absolutely amazing because it allowed the sweet, subtle flavor of the eel to shine while the one brushed with sauce was overpowered by the salty sweetness of the soy. If I ever go back to Kyubey, I will ask for both my pieces to be served with salt only, no sauce.

Final course - maki rolls with pickles and tamago. The negitoro (fatty tuna with green onion) in the middle was the best negitoro I've ever had.

I asked for no "chewy" sushi (i.e. squid, octopus, clam or abalone), so one of my courses was a simple chawanmushi (savory egg custard)

The sushi omakase ends with your choice of a traditional Japanese red bean dessert or fruit. Even the watermelon here was the most delicious watermelon I've ever had.

Food rating: *****

Bang for buck rating: 5 (not cheap but worth every penny)

The essentials:http://www.kyubey.jp/index_e.html

Location: 7-6, Ginza 8-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Sushi omakase: 8,500 yen (~$90) at lunch, 10,500 (~$110) yen at dinner 

Cerveceria Catalana - a perfect meal

To me, there's no place in the world that encapsulates joie de vivre as much as Barcelona. It's a city that doesn't start to wake up until 10 am, enjoys a long leisurely lunch followed by a nice afternoon siesta, then really starts to come alive after 6 pm. It's a city where wine is literally cheaper than water, where jamon refers to fresh slices of rich, salty Serrano or Iberico ham cut straight from the hindleg of a pig that sits on a counter, hoof and all (rather than processed, oversalty, oversweet Oscar Meyer American ham), and where even the humblest loaf of bread is made magically delicious with a little bit of tomato, olive oil and salt. 

What I love best about Barcelona is its approach to food: simple, fresh, pure in flavor. One of my favorite places to eat in Barcelona is Cerveceria Catalana, an insanely popular casual eatery among locals and tourists alike. If you get here after 9 pm, you will have to wait outside with legions of other people waiting to grab a seat at the counter or a table. If you're used to eating at more "normal" hours (i.e, dinner before 8 pm), you'll fare better and should be able to snag a seat at the counter. Cerveceria Catalana is also open for breakfast and lunch - you can't go wrong any time of day, but for some of the best tapas in Barcelona, try to fit in at least one lunch or dinner.

Montaditos (mini sandwiches) available at breakfast. The full menu is not available at breakfast, just sandwiches, pastries, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee (and wine and beer, if you want)


Tapas offerings at the bar during lunch and dinner - if it's your first time, the best seat in the house is at the counter where you can simply point to the dishes you want (most of them are not listed on the printed English menu). You choose what you want, and the servers will start cooking/preparing your tapas - the green peppers above (pimientos de padron) would be fried with olive oil and sea salt, the goat cheese skewers covered with almonds would be deep-fried into a lollipop with soft gooey cheese covered by raspberry jam - decadent and delicious.

Pimientos de padron

 Marinated vegetables topped with goat cheese disc - the cheese is torched before being served so that it is soft and melty.

 Mini hamburguesa with cheese and caramelized onion - absolutely recommended!

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
No website
Location: 236 C/Mallorca, Eixample, Barcelona, Spain
Average price of meal for two (including drinks): 30 euros

Amber

From the very beginning (delightful amuse bouche) to the very end (perfect assorted petit fours), the degustation menu at Amber was absolutely perfect. Very few times in my life have I had a meal (especially a meal with numerous courses) where there wasn't a single flaw - dinner at Amber is one of those rare perfect meals that I can count on one hand.

Amber is perfect for special occasions - the service is impeccable, the decor is sophisticated yet understated, and the food is clearly the star of the night.

One of several amuse bouche - candied foie gras lollipops

Hokkaido sea urchin in lobster gelee with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffles

Smoked Tasmanian salmon confit with avocado, horseradish and Granny smith apple

Seared Normandy diver scallop with toasted brioche, mousseline kabocha squash and dried basque country sausage

Langoustine and foie gras, steamed with cep ravioli, cep mushroom and dry sherry consomme

Kagoshima wagyu beef - sirloin MS A4 oven roasted with souffle potatoes au jus

Kagoshima wagyu beef - braised short rib with passion fruit-glazed root vegetables

French farmer cheeses

Fruit plate

Blood orange segments with preserved orange skin and rosemary prepared with Greek yoghurt as a vacherin 'coque'

Abinao 85% chocolate souffle with brown rum anglaise and cacao sorbet

Assorted petit fours

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 3.5

The essentials:
www.amberhongkong.com
Location: 7th floor, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong
Average price of dinner (degustation menu) for two: $500

Luce

I've been wanting to write about Luce ever since I fell in love with it after dining there in December. When I visited, it was fairly empty so I truly hope that SF diners discover its delicious, perfectly executed cuisine soon so that Luce doesn't fall prey to the travesty of amazing-but-failed-anyway restaurants that plague the restaurant world.

If you live anywhere near the bay area and need a place to go for a special occasion or just a fabulous meal, go to Luce. If you are visiting SF and want to have a fabulous meal, go to Luce. In a city full of amazing restaurants, Luce shines.

Recently awarded a Michelin star, I think it deserves at least another one (I've eaten my way through a fair share of Michelin stars in SF and Tokyo, and Luce is truly memorable).

Lobster gnocchi - the most delicious, chewy-soft gnocchi I've ever had

Luce's modern take on carbonara - squid ink infused housemade trofiette pasta with slow cooked organic egg, pancetta and parmesan. Lip-smackingly delicious.

"Le Jardin de Printemps" - spring vegetable garden with black olive and rye soil

Lobster and seared foie gras on a bed of faro

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 4.5

The essentials:
www.lucewinerestaurant.com/
Location: inside the Intercontinental hotel on Howard and 5th Streets
Average price of dinner for two: $100

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

A 10-minute drive south from the North Shore in Oahu leads you to a cluster of shrimp trucks. Everyone has their favorite, but the unanimous favorite among my Hawaiian native and transplant friends is Giovanni's. I was told it was a "must-try" so even though we were full from a complete Hawaiian breakfast, we pulled over from the highway to try it. At $12 a plate, the shrimp and rice plates, served out of a beat-up food truck, aren't cheap. But after one life-changing bite of the garlicky, savory shrimp scampi, served over rice with extra garlic and scampi sauce, I was a convert. Giovanni's shrimp might quite possibly be the BEST SHRIMP I have ever had in my life.

Giovanni's shrimp truck

A perfect plate of food - Giovanni's shrimp scampi and rice

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
Location: 83 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, Oahu
Average price of meal for two: $30

Koh Samui & The Monkey

I have an awesome recipe for Thai pumpkin curry that I will share with you.

Instructions:

1. Pour yourself a glass of champagne or cabernet.
2. Call (415) 369-0007 and ask for the pumpkin curry.
3. While you're at it, also order the fried sweet corn patties, sea bass clay pot, crushed sesame scallops and pad thai.
4. Throw in a few good friends, some laughter, and a couple cocktails and you have: THE BEST MEAL EVER.

My place in SF is literally 2 blocks away and I am completely serious when I say that when I was looking to make my real estate purchase, my building's proximity to Koh Samui was a deciding factor (ok, not THE deciding factor because that would be silly now, wouldn't it, but definitely A deciding factor).

I LOVE Koh Samui & The Monkey. I refuse to get into philosophical arguments about which Thai restaurant in the Bay Area has the most "authentic" Thai food because that is besides the point. Koh Samui & The Monkey is my favorite Thai restaurant in SF, in the bay area, in the US, in the world. I can't count how many happy meals I've had here with friends. If you are my friend and you lived in or visited SF while I was living there, then I'm pretty sure you've been to Koh Samui. With me. Because I take everyone there. And if I haven't taken you, I am truly sorry, and promise to take you next time I'm in town.

Now I can't vouch for everything on the menu. I think I ordered a beef Penang curry once just to mix it up and immediately wished I had just stuck to my tried and true items. So please just trust me on this one and order exactly what I listed above. And I promise you, you will agree that it was one of the best (if not THE best) Thai meals you've ever had in your life.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos because I can't be bothered to delay the gratification of my tastebuds and stomach once the food arrives, but there are plenty here: http://www.kohsamuiandthemonkey.com/gallery.shtml

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
http://www.kohsamuiandthemonkey.com
Location: 415 Brannan Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets, San Francisco
Average price of dinner for two (but best with groups so you can order more variety): $60

Ippudo

The best ramen in Tokyo is at Ippudo in Roppongi. I realize that's a very bold statement to make in a city with more than 4000 ramen shops, but I stand by my claim. Ippudo doesn't make trendy ramen or gourmet ramen (such as ramen shops with gold flakes) or innovative ramen (such as shops with corn or butter or cheese ramen). It just makes the best freaking bowl of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen you will ever have in your life. The broth is amazingly rich and savory and decadent - like melted down lard, in the best possible way. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the tiny mysterious white flecks floating in the Akamaru ramen broth ARE lard.

My favorite is their Akamaru modern, made with miso paste and black garlic oil, but the Shiromaru classic is a cleaner version, with less oil. A variety of condiments are available to add to your taste - spicy marinated bean sprouts, pickled ginger, pickled greens, sesame, garlic, etc.

Your happiness of eating this ramen makes us happy!

Condiments for ramen

My prepared Akamaru modern ramen - happiness in a bowl!

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
http://www.ippudo.com/index.html
Location: behind the Softbank at Roppongi Crossing
Average price of meal for two: 2000 yen (~$22)

Tapas Molecular Bar - A perfect meal

On my 30th birthday, I experienced the most amazing meal I've ever had to date.

I use the word "experienced" rather than "ate" because a meal at Tapas Molecular Bar is not just about eating meticulously prepared creative dishes. It's a show. A sensory experience that surprises and delights all of your senses, not just your taste buds. It's Cirque du Soleil meets culinary perfection. Every dish invokes oohs and aahs and mmms, and occasionally a gasp of surprise. One dish caused all the guests to erupt in laughter. During two entertaining hours, the two chefs prepare and serve a parade of twenty courses, explaining each dish (because often it's not what it looks like, or contains elements you wouldn't expect) in English and Japanese.

Located on the 38th floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo, Tapas Molecular Bar has just 7 seats with two seatings per night (for the mathematically challenged, that means only 14 people get to experience this gastronomic magic show each night), one at 6 pm and one at 8:30 pm. And dinner starts promptly at the appointed time so it is imperative that you aren't late because part of the experience is watching the chefs prepare the dishes and having them explain each dish to you. It's best to arrive a bit early and relax with an aperitif in the bar/lounge area, which boasts gorgeous views of the Nihonbashi area. At only 14,000 yen (~$150) per person for 20 courses, I absolutely think that dinner at Tapas Molecular Bar is the BEST bang for your buck for a high-end meal you will ever find, anywhere.

Dinner at Tapas Molecular Bar on my 30th birthday with my favorite guy? An unforgettable perfect meal.


Autumn menu


Our chefs and hosts


Aperitif - muscat gelee and muscat grape


Matsutake gohan (mushroom and rice) with jamon iberico - on the left is a cracker that tastes just like matsutake mushroom and a bowl of rice, on the right is a brittle made with jamon iberico


Apple crisp cigar wrapped around Manchego cheese sorbet


Kobujime sea bream with ball of sour plum (umeboshi) tea


The chef using chemistry to create "carrot caviar"


Carrot caviar, served with passionfruit jus


Baked scallop with curried pumpkin sorbet, lime foam, asparagus, pepper cream sauce and pistachio dust


Slow-cooked sanma (Pacific saury) with tonka leaf, gingko nut and parsnip puree (one of my favorite "main" dishes)


"Smoke" - venison tartar with mustard (in egg yolk-like sac) and Asian pear. When the glass was lifted, smoke started lifting from the plate and you could smell the delicious scent of smoked meat


Cepe mushroom soup with stewed chestnut


Wagyu beef seasoned with charcoal oil, slow-cooked in a vacuumed bag at low temperature for 10 hours


Salmon - baked salmon served on top of salmon tartar with pumpkin seeds and lentil salad. The only dish out of the 20 that fell a little flat...there's only so much you can do with salmon to make it creative/special. The dish was good, but it just tasted like salmon, with no special effects or creative subtle flavors


"Xialongbao" - a roast baby lamp chop with juices in the middle that squirt out when you bite or cut into it


Miso soup - a egg yolk like sac which actually has the texture of a slightly poached egg yolk but tastes exactly like miso soup, served with scallion oil, powdered nori and soybean milk caviar


"Peaches and Cream" - a lightly cooked berry peach with yogurt sauce


Yaki imo - a baked sweet potato, hand shaped into a meringue and dipped into liquid nitrogen immediately before it's served to you.


This is what happens after you put the liquid nitrogen-dipped sweet potato meringue into your mouth. The chefs served the men first and the women got a good laugh out of watching steam stream out of their dates' mouths and noses. The meringue itself almost disappears once you put into your mouth - one second it's there, the next second, it's just gone.


I thought I couldn't possibly eat anymore, but when they served this dessert tray, I magically found more room. The desserts included a donut hole filled with foie gras (sounds strange but was an absolutely delicious balance of sweet and savory), Kinako, Cappuccino, Raspberry Soda, Yuzu jelly and chocolate pumice (a slab of chocolate that looks and feels like a pumice - the stone you slough your feet with - and melts in your mouth)


Kinako - a spongy confection covered with soybean cake-like crumbs


"Raspberry soda" - a creamy sweet candy disc that, when you place on your tongue, starts to fizz with carbonation and tastes like...raspberry soda


"Cappuccino" - cotton candy that tastes just like a cappuccino


The seed of the "miracle fruit" - a tiny red fruit that makes sour fruit taste sweet. You eat the miracle fruit and suck on the seed for a minute (the chefs actually use an hourglass timer), cleanse your palate with water and afterward even the most sour lemon tastes like the sweetest fruit you've ever had


After eating the "miracle fruit," lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit tasted like the sweetest fruit I'd ever had in my life. I seriously wished for a bucket of lemons.

Food rating: ***** (ok so a couple dishes fell short - but most were amazing, and there were 20 courses!)
Bang for buck rating: 5 (an amazing dining experience, totally worth it!)

The essentials:
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo/dining/molecular/
Location: 38th floor of Mandarin Oriental hotel in Nihonbashi, Tokyo
Average price of meal for two: 30,000 yen (~$330)