http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/ 413-30 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/413-hengen-jizai Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:58:26 +0900 246-21 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/246-restaurant-s I love this place! Shinya Tasaki is of course Japan's claim to Wine history becoming World's Best Sommelier in 1996... He founded "S" (for Shinya, no doubt) on the principle that great wine should not be expensive! With all wines under 5,000 yen anyone should be able to enjoy two varietals with every meal! It's a great deal! ]]> Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:17:04 +0900 76-15 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/76-roti-roppongi Roti is a full service real American style Bar and Grill. The happy hour is a phenomenal deal and the regular dinner menu is very fairly priced. To my knowledge this is the only place you can get an authentic Reuben sandwich. I have always been pleased by the food and the wine selection is well thought out. I strongly recommend this restaurant for an upbeat dinner with a group of friends. ]]> Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:52:48 +0900 348-14 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/348-izakaya-vin I’m often in a situation where I need to entertain a guest or two in a relatively relaxed environment. Now, Shibuya is full of places that offer entertainment but these are not really the sorts of places you want to take people. Either you stand out as the only people over 40 in the room, or you’re the youngest people there. Time warp back four years ago, when Anthony Dowling introduced me to a quirky little izakaya in Shibuya called Izakaya Vin. Located at Dogenzaka 1-5-7, this place is well worth the journey of discovery into the back streets to find it. If you’re hopelessly lost, call 03-3496-2467 in Japanese! When you think izakaya, the first thing that comes to mind is long, narrow counters reeking of tobacco smoke and filled with non-descript Japanese salarymen for whom the loneliness of the bar is more attractive than home. Put that out of your head! Well, there is a long narrow counter on the Ground Floor (1 of 3) but that’s where it ends. Founded about 30 years ago, Izakaya Vin is focused on delivering a perfect environment to enjoy wine and bistro-esque food while proudly maintaining its Japanese flavor. Think sort of izakaya, sort of French bistro, sort of Tapas...and you’re beginning to get close! With over 100 wines to choose from (unfortunately, very tightly concentrated on France) and some great small menu items, it’s not hard to spend hours here. Ironic really, because you might choose Izakaya Vin because of its proximity to the train station yet suddenly realize you’ve missed the last ride home. I’ve rented all three floors before for a staff party, I’ve gone there with one, two and ten people, and I’ve dropped in by myself. On each occasion, the service has been outstanding and I’ve come away having learnt something new about wine. Izakaya Vin is not haute cuisine, but it is - to coin a phrase - haute vin. Sometimes, the Master even condescends to give me my favorite Grande Dame champagne at a reasonable price (yes, reasonable is in the eye of the beholder...). But at the same time, you can sample Grand Cru’s (yesterday a Chablis and a Margaux), snack on a more-ish pork rillette or warm vege salad and get out of there under Y20,000 for two. Definitely a keeper, with a lean towards taking good friends or business associates you’re close to. Not a place for a romantic dinner, but a great venue for conversation and learning more about one another. ]]> Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:04:23 +0900 315-12 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/315-cujorl Cujorl is a good-to-excellent suburban trattoria that sells itself short with the "hybrid" tag. Chef always surprises with his imagination and creative use of high quality ingredients. The wine service (and suggestions) are always first class. While the location is difficult to impossible, there is a welcome and genuine desire to delight that keeps me coming back. Price represents true value for money. These are not characteristics of a hybrid - which more often tends to mean the weaker elements dominate at the expense of the essential. Just think Prius ... I will review Cujorl in a little more detail soon in Eating Out, but take my advice and try this little gem. You'll find it well worth the effort in getting there. My advice: Ask for one each of the specials of the day, and split these with a cooperative partner. ]]> Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:36:12 +0900 315-11 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/315-cujorl Cujorl has taken the head of the list as our favorite place to have a nice dinner in Tokyo. The chef puts together a course that is nicely done portion wise while at the same time reaching just the right balance of flavors, textures, and quality. The friendly sommelier knows his wine! If you bring a nice wine (corkage at 2,000 yen per bottle) he will be very happy to see it. Offer him a taste - he'll probably gladly accept - he does enjoy trying the wines we usually bring. In fact, one of the first bottles I every took to Cujorl still holds a "place of honor" on their display of "used" wine bottles. We have never been disappointed with the food or the service. Both are top notch. The atmosphere is family friendly, yet intimate enough for a cozy dinner for 2 - or 12. Bring a friend, or a group of friends, and give it a try. Trust me, you won't be sorry! ]]> Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:48:05 +0900 315-10 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/315-cujorl A bit hard to find to very well worth it. Cujorl is one of my favorite Tokyo restaurants. I've been 3-4 time now and the food and wine are always excellent. Even with the change in head chef the quality of the food--fusion fare with an emphasis on Japanese ingredients--has remained consistently superior. The room is intimate and offers a full view of the modest kitchen. The wine list leans to Italian wines, many of which are affordably-priced and offer great value for money. If you've not yet been I would say now is the time to go! ]]> Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:36:46 +0900 333-9 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/333-le-pre-verre Went there for the first time for dinner last night. A couple of large bonenkai groups helped create a shout-over-your-plate kind of ambiance. The staff were trying like mad to keep up with everything, meaning we didn't see much of them. We were given a simple printed menu on arrival as well as a chalkboard with that days entrees and starters. We never got a wine list and so assumed that the seven or so reds (starting at 7300 yen) were all they had on offer. I found out they actually do have a wine list about 3 seconds after the sommelier popped the cork on the Saint Chinian we had ordered from the "monthly" menu. It was certainly a good one, about 80% Grenache and the remainder Syrah. Would have preferred something closer to 5000 yen, though. I should also mention that I tried to call 5-6 times in the afternoon. Each time the phone just rang and rang, leaving me to wonder if perhaps they had decided to kick off the holiday season early this year. The sommelier was charming and enthusiastic, while the rest of the waitstaff were--as far as we could tell--still learning the ropes. They could take some lessons from the superior staff at Le Petit Tonneau. Overall the food and wine were both quite good, but enough little niggling things piled up to make Le Pre Verre a place we won't rush back to. ]]> Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:26:53 +0900 89-8 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/89-le-petit-tonneau Le Petit Tonneau is one of my favorite restaurants and I visit the 3 locations here in Tokyo for lunch or dinner quite regularly. What keeps me going back is the exceptionally good food and the great selection of Southern French wines (currently my favorite wine region). My guests and I are always treated well and enjoy ourselves there, and the service gets better the more often we go. (Of course by now we know pretty much all of the waitstaff, so maybe that helps...) Highly recommended! ]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:20:40 +0900 311-7 http://www.vinotokyo.com/e/index.php/component/content/article/36-restaurants/311-legato Diverse and interesting menu, and a great wine list created by Ned Goodwin. I go to a lot of wine tasting dinners by The Vine there and also visit for lunch. Never disappointed in the food or service. ]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:23:51 +0900