4.23.2006

Restaurant Review: Kozue at the Park Hyatt Tokyo

On the 40th floor of the Lost in Translation famed hotel, the Tokyo Park Hyatt, is a peaceful, tranquil and where you will only find the best in Japanese cuisine.

I was lucky to dine here with my husband in our travels to Tokyo to experience the waitresses in traditional kimotos, the beautiful view of Tokyo's Shinjuku neighborhood and most importantly, quite a memorable meal.

Here are a few of my favorites from our luncheon:

Our first course consisted of several items, which is how most Japanese meals are served.

Kelp Flavored Snapper and Fresh Seaweed (top right) with Vinaigrette Soy Sauce (bottom right); Marinated Tofu, Konnyaku and Deep Fried Puffy Bread (right center); Simmered Short-neck Clam, Yachiazami and Fuki Greens (top left); Conger Eel and Seri Greens with Sesame Sauce (bottom left). Everything was delicious, although my personal favorite was the Eel and the Snapper.

Our main course was Grilled Yonezawa Sirloin and Seasonal Veggies Wrapped with Hoba Leaf (pictured left). The meat and veggies were actually inside the leaf, sliced in 1/2 inch thick and 4 inch long pieces. The meat was really good, more fatty then I would normally enjoy, but the fat added some amazing flavor. This type of meat is even more prized then Kobe beef, which is quite a delicacy in American-Asian-Fusion restaurants.

The most interesting part of this course was that it was served like the above picture. But they provided us with a little clay pot (see picture), that contained very hot, smoldering branches (of what kind, I don't know), which a wire, fence like top.

The waitress explained that the meat was prepared rare and if we would like it cooked further, please place the leaf bundle on the clay pot for a few minutes.

Of course she didn't say that much in english, but the picking up one leaf bundle and placing it on the pot was enough description for us.

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