Shabu Gen - Nishi Azabu - Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki

Shabu Gen - Nishi Azabu

March 2009

B1F Hassei Building

3-24-23 Nishi Azabu

Minato-ku Tokyo
Tel. 03-5474 - 0224

The shabu shabu comes with 3 dipping sauces, lemon, ponzu and sesame. All 3 are made on site and you can taste the exceptional quality. The waiter will recommend different combinations with each dish. They also have sukiyaki but I have never tried it.

Best Dish - The shabu shabu of course! Also try the octopus shabu shabu in the lemon dipping sauce or the pork with kimchi dipped in sesame. Both are fantastic.
Cost - I don't like fatty meat so I always eat the cheapest set at 3,300 per person. This comes with pork, beef, vegetables and either rice or noodles at the end. Extra dishes and sides are more. The more expensive sets have the same amount of food but higher quality (fattier) meat.
English Friendly - Yes. The menu is in English and the manager speaks English.
Seats - 28
Atmosphere - buzzing
Food - fantastic
Service - Excellent
Wine list - Red and white.
Functions - no
Private Room - no
Non smoking areas - no
Vegetarian Options - no
Family Friendly - yes

Blue Dragon - Motoazabu - Asian Fusion

Blue Dragon - Motoazabu
March 2009

1F Tanaka Building
3-2-20 Motoazabu
Tel. 03-3478-8287
Open 6.30pm - 3.30 am

Best Dish - Chicken Rice Soup
Cost - This place is actually licenced as a bar not a restaurant so they make you order one drink. Including one drink, expect to pay maximum 3,000 yen each.
English Friendly - Yes
Seats - 12 + counter
Atmosphere - No-nonsense, good value.
Food - Most dishes are very good, a few are exceptional. Half the fun is trying them all!
Service - below average
Wine list - In typical Japanese style they have 2 kinds, red and white.
Functions - no
Private Room - no
Non smoking areas - no
Vegetarian Options - yes but I wouldn't guarantee no fish sauce.
Family Friendly - no

Miwa - Hiroo - Teppanyaki

Miwa - Hiroo
June 2007

Hiroo Branch

5-2-3 Minami Azabu
Tel. 03-3558-1858

Nishi Azabu Branch
1-10-6 Azabu Juban

Tel. 03-5410-3838

Osaka Branch

Tel. 06-6532-2468

Best Dish - Yakisoba
Cost - we paid 5,000 each including a few beers
English Friendly - one waiter spoke English, menu is Japanese only
Atmosphere - fashionable
Food - Top quality ingredients
Service - Can be a little slow
Wine list - red and white only
Functions - yes, a large room downstairs at the Hiroo branch

Private Room - No
Non smoking areas - yes
Vegetarian Options - yes
Family Friendly - older kids only

Esperia - Nishi Azabu - Italian

Esperia - Nishi Azabu

February 2008

4-11-25 Nishi Azabu

Minato-ku Tokyo
Tel. 03-5485-1771

Open Mon-Sat for lunch 11:30 - 15:00

Dinner 18:00 - 23:00

Open Sunday for lunch 12:00 - 15:00
Dinner 18:00 - 22:00

http://www.esperia.biz/

This place does not get 5 stars for the interior or for the service, both of which were well below 5 star standards. I gave this restaurant 5 stars for the gastronomic experience alone. The dishes were amongst the most creative I have come across on a long time. Who would have thought to stuff a baked apple with escargot? See the picture above.

The uni spaghetti was not the usual Japanese flavour which chefs here love to use. It was a rich Italian tomato sauce with the uni gently rolled in at the end. The pasta was cooked to perfection.

We ate the Chef's course which was made up of 3 appetizers, one pasta, one main, one risotto, one main, cheese or dessert (I would recommend the cheese) and coffee.

Best Dish - Baked apple stuffed with escargot.
Cost - The Chef's course was 7,000 yen per person or the 5 course is 5,000 yen per person. Appetizers start at 1,000 and main go up to 2,800 yen each. Lunch menus from1,300 yen.
English Friendly - Yes.
Seats - 22 seats + counter. There is also a room upstairs which seats 20 and can be booked for functions.
Atmosphere - Sophisticated.
Food - complex.
Service - Could be better.
Wine list - Around 40 all from Italy and 8 by the glass. Price starts from 4,000.
Private Functions - There is also a room upstairs which seats 20 and can be booked for functions.
Non smoking areas - All non smoking.
Vegetarian Options - No.
Family Friendly -No.

Monsoon Cafe - Thai

Monsoon Cafe - Azabu Juban
January 2008

6F Festa Azabu Building
1-7-5 Azabu Juban
Tel. 03-5775-6900
Open 7 days 11:30am - 5:00am
http://www.monsoon-cafe.jp/en/casual/home/welcome

Also located in Chiba, Kanagawa, Osaka, Daikanyama, Ebisu, Ginza, Jiyugaoka, Minami Aoyama, Nishi Azabu, Odaiba and Shibuya. See the website for more details.

Best Dish - Vermicelli Salad
Cost - Dishes go up to 1,380 yen each
English Friendly - Yes
Atmosphere - Tacky interior but the outside deck is lovely if the weather is nice.
Food - Average
Service - Average
Wine list - A good selection of Champagne and cocktails but only house wine.
Private Functions - Yes
Non smoking areas - Yes
Vegetarian Options - Yes
Family Friendly - Yes

Jyujyu - Nishi Azabu - Yakiniku

Jyujyu - Nishi Azabu
November 2007

Nishi Azabu Crossing

1F 3-24-20 Nishi Azabu

Tokyo Minato-ku
Tel. 03-3405-9911

Open 17:00-05-00

http://www.take-5.co.jp/company/restaurants08.html

One of the better yakiniku restaurants in town.

Best Dish - Famous for the Shio (salt) seasoning
Cost - 10,000 - 13,000 for 2 people
English Friendly - yes
Food - The wakame (seaweed) salad is very good, and large. The cuts of beef are juicy and tender.
Service - good.
Wine list - None
Private Functions - No
Non smoking areas - No
Vegetarian Options - No
Family Friendly -They have one high chair but it has no straps and our kids like to climb out so we byo booster.

Cafe Joy - Nishi Azabu

Cafe Joy - Nishi Azabu
October 2007

3-24-23 Nishiazabu
Minato-ku Tokyo
Tel. 03-5413-6811
Open Mon-Sat 11:30 - 03:00
Sun and Hol 11:30 - 23:00

Best Dish - Maybe the pasta
Cost - Without drinks around 3,000 yen for 2
English Friendly - No
Food - disappointing
Service - average
Wine list - Surprisingly not bad
Non smoking areas - No
Vegetarian Options - Yes
Family Friendly - Yes

Alley - Nishi Azabu - Kushiage

CLOSED

Alley - Nishi Azabu
May 2007

2-25-14 Nishi Azabu
Tel. 03-6419-8181

Best Dish - Pork Belly
Cost - We paid 3,500 each including a couple beers each
English Friendly - Waiters speak some but the menu is in Japanese
Seats - Downstairs is a standing bar, upstairs has 6 counter seats and 15 table seats
Atmosphere - Downstairs feels more like a bar
Food - Atmosphere is better than the food
Service - good
Wine list - surprisingly good
Private Functions - yes. upstairs.
Non smoking areas - no
Vegetarian Options - yes, lots of vegetables
Family Friendly -no
Map - Click on the title.

Chinese Cafe Eight - Nishi Azabu - Chinese

Chinese Cafe Eight - Nishi Azabu (also in Ebisu and Akasaka)

March 2007

Court Annex 2F

3-2-13 Nishi-Azabu

Minato-Ku Tokyo
Tel. 03-5414-5708

http://www.cceight.com/

Open 24 hours

24 hour Peking duck with erotic decor. It is no wonder why this place is busiest at 3-4 in the morning. Stores also in

Best Dish - Peking duck
Cost - Around 2,000 - 3,000 yen per person. The duck is 3,680 yen.
English Friendly - Yes including English menu
Atmosphere - I have only been late at night
Food - The duck is fantastic
Service - average
Wine list - average
Private Functions - No
Non smoking areas - No
Vegetarian Options - Yes
Family Friendly -No, given the decor.