Heartache

Haneda airport, October, 2009

I go to Tokyo almost every year. I have friends and acquaintances who live there. There are memories that lurk in various corners of the city, where my stories have been written and told.

Like most people, I have spent the past few days glued to the news of the terrible earthquake in Japan. Even after hearing news that those I know were okay, my heart sank lower and lower as news came in. I'm not watching live footage anymore because I can't take it. There are images swimming in my mind that I want to forget, even though I wasn't even really there. I cannot imagine the pain and loss and grief and all the mixed emotions that the Japanese are going through right now.

Just hoping that there will be no more injury to the country nor the people. I truly hope.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Tokyo)

I had debated long before my Tokyo trip whether to make a visit to L'Atelier or not, although Joel Robuchon is probably the most influential French chef of modern times (some might argue that it's Bocuse), you never know whether a restaurant is really that good or whether its reputation is built upon name value and hype.
Because you never know until you try out yourself and taste is subjective, I decided to give it a shot. It was a weekday so my hubae and I managed to dine there without a reservation.

There is a patisserie adjoined to the restaurant.

The interior is a blend of rouge et noir (red and black), which I thought was an appropriate color theme for a French restaurant. The soft lighting made my photos come out a bit blurry.

We sat at the bar facing an open kitchen. It was astounding how quiet that kitchen was. No shouting orders, no conversations regarding the dishes; if the staff indeed talked with one another it was all done in whispers.

The bar counter. We went at an early hour which accounts for the semi-emptiness.

Hubae and I had two separate menus, so we could taste a bit of each others'. I had a kir as an aperitif, which was a perfect color match for the table setting.

The freshly baked bread came in a red "coral" basket.

Pre-dinner mousse. Forgot what the ingredients were; it wasn't on the menu.

The server cuts off strips of jambon de jabugo (iberico ham). Haute French cuisine is definitely not for vegetarians.

L'oursin (sea urchin) topped with cream of cauliflower.

Chataigne (chestnuts) in caramelised foie gras mousse. This was way too sweet for my liking. I like my foie gras as is or grilled.

Shiitake mushroom terrine. This tasted uncannily like fusion Korean cuisine.

Homard(lobster) with salad greens.

Langoustine(prawn) in crispy papillote. Cooked perfectly. I normally don't like fried foods, but this wasn't greasy at all.

Coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops) on a bed of cucumber spaghetti.

Butter grilled scallops. The scallop comes out intact - I sliced the whole scallop before realizing I forgot to take a pic. We didn't have wine with the course (it would have been astronomically expensive to pair each dish) but I really wanted a good Chablis with this one.

Saint Pierre (white fish, have no idea what it's called in English nor in Korean, in fact). Great texture. Could have done with a little less sauce, for me.

Lamb filet with onion compote, rosemary, mushrooms and asparagus.

Lamb chop with mashed potatoes. A perfect medium rare. I usually like my beef extremely rare but lamb a bit more cooked.

Lime sherbet with raspberries and blackberries in gel.

Dessert! Marron (chestnut) meringue with bergamot, figs with white cheese and marinated grapefruit.

And strong bitter coffee, of course.

Photo of our reflections. Happy to be there.

The staff were super super friendly. They took their time to explain every single dish in detail. It was an interesting melange of Japanese, French, English and Korean conversation.

Hasegawa-san and Sato-san, domo arigato gozaimasida!!!

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon at Roppongi Hills

http://www.robuchon.com/

Ikura & Kani Gohan at Kyonochaya (Tokyo)

I stay at Shinjuku a lot when in Tokyo. Mostly because I dislike taking the train into the city from the airport (hate changing lines). The airport limousine bus stop in west Shinjuku is close to almost everything, so despite my wanting to try out other neighborhoods, the convenience of the neighborhood beckons me back.

The neighborhood is home to many department stores. When I don't have an eating itinerary planned out beforehand, I usually eat at the dining areas of department stores; the food is usually above standard, especially if you're looking for local cuisine.

I frequent the dining area at Odakyu the most. My favorite restaurant there serves traditional seafood gohan (rice) sets. Funny thing is, I've never ever seen a young person in this restaurant. The clientele, at least whenever I've been there, are of the older generation. The waitresses are in kimonos and the atmosphere is rather subdued in a "proper" sort of way, but I've never felt uncomfortable.
The staff are very kind and patient. When I stumble over words while ordering they help me out without making me feel inadequate.
The food is for the tofu-liking palate; i.e. those who don't need deep and heavy seasoning on their food. Very light and subtle.

I had the salmon, ikura (salmon roe) and kani (crab) gohan set this time. The rice comes in a wooden steamer which you move to the porcelain rice bowl with the large wooden spoon. I move the rice little by little so the rice can remain warm in its original container.

Kyonochaya at Odakyu:
http://www.odakyu-dept.co.jp/shinjuku/restaurant/kyonochaya/index.html

Bisty's at Omotesando Hills (Tokyo)

I had some time to kill before a dinner appointment, so I dropped by wine shop and brasserie bar Bisty's at Omotesando Hills.
I was given permission to take photos. The place was practically empty due to the odd hour.

Bisty's is one of those dispenser wine bars, where you can drink and taste various types of wines with a debit card. They have a great selection of wines from all over the world; they also sell by the bottle.

You insert your card (which you buy at the counter and can be recharged) in the slot above your selected wine and press in the desired amount into your glass. The prices are indicated by volume according to wine.

Since I didn't plan on drinking, I opted for the least amount possible and just did a mini-tasting of my own. I had two whites and two reds: Israel Yarden Chardonnay 2007, Japan Takahata Chardonnay 2006, France Vin de Pays d'Oc Alain Chabanon 2005, France Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2004.

I never had Israeli nor Japanese wine (that isn't other fruit based) before so it was a new experience.

Labels with descriptions are provided where you can write simple tasting notes. The brasserie also serves light dishes to accompany the wine and also serve other beverages. The staff are super friendly and English is okay.

http://www.bistys.jp/

Ai Weiwei at Mori Art Museum

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was showing at the Mori Art Museum with the title of "According to What?" when I visited. The Mori always has fabulous exhibitions of modern art; I've never been disappointed so it's another place that I always drop by during my visits to Tokyo.

Ai Weiwei's installations were thought provoking with a good dose of whimsy thrown in. Everyday objects viewed through the artist's eye were different yet familiar at the same time.

He plays with structure and geometry in natural materials. The large wood 'honeycomb' balls were quite inviting despite their sharp shape.

"Cubic Meter Table". Lined up cubes formed an open tunnel. I would have loved to have a photoshoot within this structure, there were so many possibilities. It is, according to the description provided, "most representative of Ai Weiwei's work; basic forms and volumes of art and design, matched with the use of tables in everyday life".

I caught hubae and our wine group's maknae (who is currently studying in Tokyo) in various poses playing around the gallery. "The Mid-Slide".

House of dried and stacked tea leaves. The fragrance of the leaves permeated the whole gallery, it was like being in an old teahouse.

Closeup of a tealeaf cube.

The art pieces threw interesting shadows.

There seemed to be open spaces (whether they're small holes, openings, or large vacancies) in most of his artwork.

An uneasy seat. Would it actually hold a person's weight, I wondered.

I was deeply impressed by this quote from the artist:

"I make the useful become not useful; they combine the practical with change and illusion. They open up a perspective so that we can have an understanding of the material or an understanding of space. It is a basis of dealing with perception and when you think about how people use an object, you're also using so-called knowledge in the sense that 'useful' has a meaning. The meaning is the use. And that plays a great role in human understanding and culture."

I've been trying to include "the meaning is the use" in a lot of my conversations thereafter, probably annoying a lot of people. Heh.