Tag: Japanese

[Shanghai] Hiya at The Shanghai EDITION

Modeled after Mr. Atherton’s former London restaurant Sosharu, Hiya is inspired by the Japanese izakaya. There is something in that with the vivacious crowd and the loose, laid-back vibes. Yet izakayas don’t usually perch 27 floors above the ground. Nor do they sit in chic boutique hotels like The EDITION. Nor is their cooking often as inspired or as finely tuned.

[Shanghai] Racines

A cozy French bistro by Japanese chef Kenji Ishibashi, Racines is a hidden gem in the truest sense of the word. Discreetly located in a quiet residential building behind a rather nondescript door, Racines is certainly not a restaurant you’d stumble across. But if you know what you’re looking for, Racines is one of most invigorating French bistros in town, a compelling meeting of French techniques and Japanese sophistication.

[Tokyo] Sushi Tokami 鮨とかみ

Despite a few hiccups during appetizers, my meal at Sushi Tokami was a solid one. The signature tuna hand roll was indeed spectacular. Chef Sato was very welcoming and quite chatty – in a good way – which is not so easy to find in Japan if you don’t speak Japanese.