It's never too late to start a new career.

Knowing Chef Bruno Verjus's story is inspiring, and it gives people like me hope knowing that you can start late in life at something, and you can still very quickly excel, "catch up", and maybe even zoom past your competitors.

Chef Bruno Verjus started Table at the age of 50, with no formal culinary training. Before that, he had studied medicine in France, worked as an entrepreneur in China, wrote frequently as a food blogger and food critic.

Just last year, 2022, Restaurant Table by Bruno Verjus attained its second Michelin star. In 2023, it entered World's 50Best at an impressive 10th place, earning the "Highest New Entry" award.

I personally resonate with his story because I used to struggle with feeling "behind" in school because I was slightly older than all my classmates in primary and secondary school. Later on, I switched careers in my late 20's, yet again "starting over" in a new field. Sometimes it is tough to see others succeed when they are so young. But Bruno Verjus has certainly demonstrated to us that age alone is no barrier, and Table has quickly shot up in its "fame" and recognition, despite the fact that Chef Verjus is 63 this year.

I must give Bryan all the credit, since he was the one who researched restaurants in Paris once we knew that we'd be spending my birthday there. He found a reservation at Table exactly on my birthday.

At Table you can choose countertop seating or normal table seating. We had an especially unusual seat. We were sitting inside the kitchen on the other side of the counter! It was fascinating to get a true close up view of the kitchen in action.

Being so close to the kitchen gave us front row seats to a lot of the kitchen's intricate preparations.

Bryan chose this restaurant because if its focus on fresh, local vegetables and seafood, my favorite ingredients.

The first shellfish dish caught me off guard: La Belle Meunière involved grilled clams with veal brain (!) and Grenoble sauce (browned butter, lemon, capers). I've had brains before when it was very mashed up and stuffed inside ravioli. I refused to eat it recently when we were in China and they were selling spicy stewed whole brains at the street market. Here, you could clearly see the folds in the brain. I tried to not think about what I was eating, and ate the clams. They were actually very nice, and the brain only had a slight offal taste, not super strong. Brain is still not my favorite food, but it was OK here.

Next up, a beautifully executed "semi-raw, semi-cooked" piece of lobster over salad greens and topped with a plum sauce.

Scallops with a gorgeous caramelized sauce.

The next course, titled "Sunset", consisted of salt-grilled carabineros tail served with its head juice and a ginger remoulade.

"à la ligne" (line-caught fish) was a sole from the Ile d'Yeu served with a rich sauce made of shellfish and a generous amount of fresh Attilus caviar.

Yet another "à la ligne" fish from the island of Yeu cooked with a crispy skin that included the scales (!) in a rich veloute of sea urchin, celeriac, and verjuice.

"Le Mans" - aged poultry roasted in linden and carrots.

Cheese

They brought over this huge cylinder of blue cheese, which was delicious.

We also tried a few different cheese, including a special sheep's milk cheese called Régalis. On the side: a sweet red pepper jam infused with vanilla.

Dessert

I believe this is pink peppercorn ice cream?

A signature dish, the Peruvian Chocolate Tart was a fantastic fusion of sweet and salty.

The chocolate was infused with Linosa capers and the tart was topped with Oscietra caviar. It was excellent.

Madeleines

Table by Verjus Bruno - Concluding Thoughts

Thank you, Chef Bruno, for creating such a unique place in which to enjoy special celebrations. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting inside the kitchen and experiencing our meal from a different angle. The food was delicious, and Chef himself was very warm, gregarious, and friendly. I certainly recommend coming here!

Table by Verjus Bruno
3, rue de Prague,
75012 Paris France 

The post Restaurant Table Bruno Verjus Paris appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

The pandemic was a time that separated people, a time when many families and friends were unable to see each other for YEARS. We had a close friend who had been living in Asia for 30+ years until the pandemic all of a sudden prevented her from getting back home.

The border closures were challenging for many. For us, it was tricky to leave Hong Kong. We knew there were risks of not being able to go home (or being locked up in quarantine) if we tested positive outside.

It was in this type of environment that we serendipitously found out that our dear, dear friend would be in Paris celebrating her birthday AT THE SAME TIME we would be there!

What a God-given crazy opportunity to meet up! There was only one day where our travels would overlap.

After a flurry of messages back and forth, we decided to spend the afternoon visiting Versailles together. That evening, we celebrated her birthday with a very special meal at 2-Michelin star Hélène Darroze in Paris.

Welcome to Hélène Darroze Paris

The attention to detail in the artistry of the food is evidence the moment you sit down. We began with three intricately latticed leaf crackers. From left to right: pepper, lobster, and olive.

Starting Bites

Helene Darroz is originally from the Basque region of France. Our server, also from the Basque region, explained "the taloa . . . is like a taco.“ This delicious one consisted of a cornmeal crepe topped with mackerel, espelette pepper, and rosemary.

The next course (for the normal tasting) was a a beautiful multi-layered creation consisting of paper-thin white button mushrooms, lardon, and Perigord nuts.

This plump juicy oyster (supplemental cost option) was out of this world. It came topped with caviar gelee and a cocoa bean sauce. It was so ridiculously good.

Our friend does not eat foie gras, so the kitchen was kind enough to prepare a special pea-based cream for her. I personally don’t like foie gras that much either, so I was actually a bit envious of her dish, which looked really good!

Bryan and I got the foie gras, which Bryan absolutely loved. I have to admit it was pretty good, though certainly rich.

Seafood

Hélène Darroze has some Asian ties. In fact, her two daughters are adopted from Vietnam.

This next course also had hints of Asian flavors, reminding me a bit of Hong Kong‘s shrimp toast, with French influences (of course!). A beautiful layered crispy toast came topped with green asparagus, crayfish, and yuzu kosho beurre blanc.

French blue lobster with Tandoori spices, carrot mousseline, and Lampong pepper reduction with fresh coriander.

The seafood course consisted of a simple piece of hake topped with “crunchies” made from the skin (removed and deep fried). This came with a beautiful piece of white asparagus (which was in season at the time), peas, and a sauce made from fish essence and egg. On the side, dollops of “egg yolk“ completed the plate.

Main Meat Course

Bryan ordered the lamb as his entree, which came with two preparations: a seared lamb rib and a roulade. On the side, a beautiful seared artichoke heart topped with a mint pesto.

I ordered the Wagyu entree, which (unbeknownst to me) also had a (quite hefty) supplement cost. Like many traditional high-end restaurants in Paris, Hélène Darroze gives the male a menu with the prices, and the female(s) a menu without the prices.

Bryan was surprised I ordered so many supplemental courses. He didn't realize that I couldn't see the prices and didn't know (oops!).

This "Wagyu three ways" main course included a Wagyu steak, a “bao” and “shabu shabu”, which were all fantastic.

Cheese

Our server came back to serve us the next course: flatbread + cheese. She proceeded to shave this very special cheese onto pieces of the flatbread for us to enjoy.

Dessert

For our first sweet bite, we had a rice pudding with mango and crispies. It reminded me of the mango sago desserts in Hong Kong.

Finally, it feels like no French meal is complete without at least a little chocolate at the end.

Special Memories

Ah, what special memories from such an unlikely meet-up at a restaurant in Paris. We never could have imagined that, despite the fact that we both live in Asia, we had to go all the way out to Paris to meet up. Just goes to show how crazy restrictive the borders were back home.

In any event, our meal at Hélène Darroze was certainly memorable. The food, the presentation, and the whole experience was top notch. But even more so, it's the conversations, laughter, and the joy of catching up in-person that I won't forget. Thank you to the whole team at Hélène Darroze for making our meal so special.

And just for fun, here are some photos from our last visit to Versailles back in 2005, and 2022. Man, time really, really flies.

The post Hélène Darroze Paris appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

We circled the block twice, walking right by the closed gate leading to the restaurant ”grounds”, before finally finding the entrance to this spectacular restaurant by Chef Ricard Camarena, certainly one of the most well-known and beloved chefs in Valencia.

Chef Camarena runs a group of restaurants in Valencia. We fell in love with his more casual Central Bar at the Central Market (and actually went twice during our short trip).

His flagship eponymous restaurant has two Michelin Stars and also a Michelin Green star. The chef’s commitment to sustainability and not wasting any part of an ingredient is a central core belief, which can be seen and felt throughout the entire meal.

Dining at Ricard Camarena is like an adventure. The journey begins in the front ”wine library” where you sit down to enjoy a few small bites and a ”mocktail”.

After enjoying our first few bites, our server walked us into a modern looking dining room with tables spread far apart. Perhaps this is because we were dining in the middle of the pandemic; perhaps they just give diners space. In any event, we enjoyed our private little space in the corner.

At the Counter

As soon as we put down our things, our server asked us to get back up so that we could visit another chef standing at a counter on the other side of the dining area.

He explained each dish, emphasizing their zero waste philosophy.

”For the zucchini, we first put some salt, sugar, and olive oil and we roast in the oven. When it is cooked, we open it and removed the inside, but we don’t throw it out. We keep it for another application.”

The zucchini outer ”shell” was stuffed with steak tartare and topped with ricotta and raspberry. "Please eat in one bite." (seems to a common theme early on in this meal)

We stayed standing at the counter. We could now see that more and more diners were coming into the dining area from the wine library.

The chef handed us a small pour of a beautiful savory consomme. We also tasted a mochi-like dumpling filled with vegetable “scraps” leftover from other dishes, such as the zucchini insides from the prior dish, onion, eggplant, and more.

Finally, he sliced for us a piece of a 3-4 month dried tuna belly, which looked almost like steak.

After our very educational (and tasty!) experience at the counter, we returned to our seats for the rest of the meal.

Appetizers

Bread

Seafood

Fish Course

Rice

Beef Course??

Desserts

Luis Felipe are popular among tequila connoisseurs and are often enjoyed as sipping tequilas due to their complex and rich flavors.

For a final bite: pumpkin ginger pumpkin cookie sandwich, a sweet potato mochi dumpling, coffee cannoli (with a liquid center!), and an almond cake with lemon sauce.

General Thoughts - Ricard Camarena

This was my favorite meal in Valencia. I personally loved how light it was, and how it went against the normal flow and mold of a tasting menu. Who would ever think of serving peas (albeit, in a clear beef consomme) as the final course? I loved how fruits and vegetables took center stage, and how most of the protein came in the form of seafood. I never would have guessed it, but that small amount of steak tartare inside the zucchini that we had at the counter would be the largest piece of ”meat” that we would eat the entire meal.

Perhaps this type of meal is not for everyone, especially those people looking for hearty meat dishes. This is more of a meal that showcases Chef Camerena’s appreciation (and celebration!) of Spain’s rich produce. It showcases his creativity in how he expresses these flavors while honoring sustainability. Finally, I just had a lot of fun at the meal. The staff were super friendly. The exploration of different flavor combinations and different bites was unexpected yet delightful.

Highly recommended.

Practical Details

Booking can be done online but they do require a credit card. If you don’t show up or if you cancel in less than 12 hours, you’ll be charged a 200€ per person fee.

Give yourself plenty of time to arrive. As mentioned above, we actually walked past the front gate a few times because the entrance is unobtrustive and easy to miss.

Ricard Camerena
Av. de Burjassot, 54, 46009
València, Valencia, Spain

The post Ricard Camarena Valencia Spain appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

Japan is one of my favorite countries in the world. I fell in love with it when I lived in Tsukuba (right outside of Tokyo) as a college student during a summer internship. Since then, I've traveled back over ten (!) times (usually tagging along on one of my husband's business trips). As a result, I've had quite a few opportunities to enjoy the fabulous food this country offers.

I've had enough friends ask my for recommendations about traveling to Japan that I thought I'd write a brief guide on my favorite places to eat, shop, and hang out. The last time I was in Japan was 2019, so this guide is only as current as that trip. Unfortunately, Japan is still not open to regular tourists yet, and I have not been able to return. I miss it so much, and I can't wait until I can return again.

Favorite Places to Eat

As for real dining - the options are endless depending on how much you want to spend.

Tsukiji Fish Market used to be THE MAIN attraction for trying fresh sushi and for watching the traditional sushi auction at either 5:30AM or 6AM (there are two shifts). The market closed in 2018 and moved to a new modern space at Toyosu, which I have not visited yet. To see our entire old-school Tsukiji Fish Market experience (for which we waited in line starting at 2AM), check out this full post.

Favorite Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet)

Butagumi is a cute restaurant serves all sorts of different breeds on pork including tonkatsu made from the famous Iberian pig in Spain. It's a little off the beaten track, so if you're short on time, you can still enjoy excellent tonkatsu at Maisen, which has several locations around Tokyo.

Favorite Ramen

Rokurinsha has a history of having long lines out its door - which is a sure sign of a good ramen place in Japan. Visit the location at Tokyo Station on "Ramen Street" or go to the new Tokyo Sky Tree and enjoy it there. They specialize in "tsukemen", or dipping noodles. If the line at Rokurinsha is too long for your liking (it often has the longest line at Ramen Street), head over to Ramen Honda, which is still excellent. You can also go for breakfast, when the lines are only about 20 minutes long. For a lighter, yuzu-flavored ramen, try Afuri. For an authentic experience (no English menus!), check out this charming little ramen shop in Shibuya called Suzuran. 

Favorite Tempura

Tempura Kondo in Tokyo boasts 2 Michelin stars and churns out the most delicate tempura using the freshest ingredients all over Japan. Try the sweet potato (even though it costs extra). This is supposedly one of the best items on the menu, though I haven't had a chance to try it since it was not in season when I went. Another one that rivals Kondo, but at half the price, is Tempura Fukamachi, which offers a fantastic vegetable tempura option (which I loved). Mikawa Zezankyo (1 Michelin star) is also very good, though I personally prefer the other two.

Favorite Shabu

Seryna (Kobe beef) serves melt-in-your-mouth Kobe beef for shabu. Though it's extremely expensive (think over $100 USD for about 8 slices of beef!), it's by far the best shabu meat I've ever had in my life.

Favorite Steak/Teppanyaki

Ukai-tei is a beautiful and elegant 1 star Michelin restaurant with superb service and excellent steak. They offer steak from specially bred black cows from a region very near Kobe. According to Bryan, it's the best steak he's ever had in his life. The steak standwiches from Shima are also legendary. The catch is that you can only get a sandwich as a take-away after dining in the restaurant and ordering a steak. It's worth it, though, the steaks are phenomenal!

Favorite Sushi

Sushi Yoshitake (3 Michelin stars) is pricy but fantastic, and we love both the original Tokyo location and also regularly visit their Hong Kong location, called Sushi Shikon. I used to love Sushi Ya and I found the prices to be very, very reasonable during lunch. The chef at Sushi Ya, Chef Ishiyama, left and opened his own place, Sushi Ishiyama, which is also very good.

Legendary experiences include Sushi Mizutani (now closed) and the famous Sukiyabashi Jiro (very hard to get in). Sushi Saito is another, which I've never visited in Japan (only in Hong Kong, which is not the same). Back in 2013, we got our Jiro reservation by having one of Bryan's Japanese colleague contact the restaurant to make the reservation. They had to follow up by personally delivered the 20,000 yen cash deposit to the restaurant. Things have changed a lot now. The restaurant has become so exclusive the Michelin Guide removed its stars, saying it was too hard to book. Jiro Ono is 96 years old and doesn't make sushi as much as he used to.

Favorite Yakitori

We had amazing yakitori at a hard to find "hidden" spot called Nakameguo Iguchi. We've also had very good yakitori at 1-Michelin starred Birdland, which is partly famous because it is also in the basement of Ginza station right next to the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro.

Favorite Izakaya

One of my favorite casual izakayas where I discovered my love of yuzu kosho and tried chicken sashimi for the first time is this family-run restaurant called Kago, founded by a retired Japanese baseball player.

Favorite Noodles

We haven't explored soba too much, but the handmade ones at Kaoriya, Matsugen, and Matsuya Kanda are excellent. We loved the udon at Omen, a charming noodle shop in Kyoto within walking distance of the Silver Pavilion, one of the most famous temples in Kyoto.

Favorite Kaiseki

In Tokyo, our kaiseki meal at Azabu Kadowaki was memorable for two reasons. One, I ate fugu sashimi (!) for the first time. Second, they have an amazing signature truffle rice at the end that is sooooo good. Kikunoi Akasaka, a 1-Star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo whose uber famous sister restaurant in Kyoto has three Michelin stars, is also very good.

Kyoto (birthplace of kaiseki) has many top restaurants, and we have enjoyed many incredible meals there. Nakamura, though pricey, is one of those unforgettable kaiseki meals with exquisite service, fantastic food, and an overall unique and very traditional Japanese experience.

And for something completely different: Try some of the modern, creative cuisine that's popping up all over Tokyo. Aronia de Takazawa serves extremely creative, whimsical, and beautifully (and sometimes unusually) plated food. They also have a large selection of Japanese wines, which is unusual. Ryugin is one of the most famous modern kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo. Boasting three Michelin stars, it has some really fantastic dishes (though at the end it wasn't my favorite restaurant). Tapas Molecular Bar is all out molecular gastronomy located in the top floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo. The views are breathtaking and the meal is fun, though the flavors of the dishes are only OK.

Florilege is a French restaurant helmed by a very talented Japanese chef who cares deeply about sustainability and bringing out the flavors of local ingredients. Il Ristorante Luca Fantin serves excellent Italian food in a stunning space at the top of the Bulgaria building in Omotesando.

For a Nightcap: check out Bar High Five for great cocktails. In the past they had an incredible selection of Yamazaki whiskey, and we could even get Yamazaki 30 for about $50 USD a shot, which is a steal considering that a bottle probably costs many thousands of US dollars now.

Enjoy the Seaons! It's fun to eat the seasonal ingredients too. During my 2019 trip in the fall, matsutake mushrooms and gingko nuts were in season, and I loved trying both in several different ways.

Where to Shop and Walk Around?

Ginza is the ritzy part of town lined with high end boutiques. It is great if you're shopping for high-end stuff, but it's pricey! On Sundays they close down part of the street to traffic, so it's fun to walk and shop during that time. I do like to visit Toy Park there, and we like to buy shoes in Tokyo since we have wide feet. One of our favorite stores is actually the Asics store, which sells Asic's nicer lines of dress shoes, the Pedala (with their comfy Asics soles!).

Harajuku and Omotesando (adjacent areas) are really fun too - you'll see a bit younger crowd, especially in Harajuku. One of my favorite shops in Omotesando is Kiddie Land, which has one of the best selection of Totoro stuff in Tokyo (even better than Studio Ghibli itself). 

Shibuya is not too far away, and sometimes I'll walk from Shibuya to Harajuku and then to Omotessando. Definitely check out the famous crazy crosswalk at Shibuya! Between Shibuya and Harajuku is the NHK Studio, which has a fun shop that sells all sorts of Domokun stuff (Domo is their mascot). Shibuya is where I first fell in love with the Isse Miyake Bao Bao bag (before it became crazy hot and hard to find). It was just displayed at a shop, and I was drawn to its geometric shapes. It was the first bag I bought in Tokyo.

Tokyo Station Character Street. If you like "kawaii" (cute) Japanese characters, "Character Street" in Tokyo Station is a phenomenal place to shop. There are dedicated stores to many characters, such as Hello Kitty, Domokun (NHK), Totoro, Snoopy, and many, many more.

As a food person, my favorite kitchen shopping neighborhood is Kappabashi Dori and (pre-2018), Tsukiji Fish Market (for knives!). At Kappabashi, which is the restaurant supply neighborhood in Tokyo, you can pick up tons of cool Japanese kitchenware for really low prices. Make sure to bring cash, as a lot of places don't accept credit card. I have many beautiful dishes I hand carried back to Boston (and then to Hong Kong), that I still use to this day. They are amazing because they are hardy enough for restaurants, yet still beautiful for nice meals, and ridiculously reasonably-priced. This is also the place where you can buy plastic fake display food which make fun gifts to bring back.

One stop away from Kappabashi is Akihabara. Bryan absolutely loves Akihabara for electronics. The largest electronics store (possibly in the world) called Yodabashi Camera is there. They sell everything from electronics to kitchen appliances to even luxury handbags. It's sensory overload but definitely worth seeing. We've bought many cool water bottles, iphone cases, and random useful electronics. (I even have a cute Miffy charging cable.)

Akihabara is also not too far from Asakusa, where you can sample all sorts of fun Japanese snacks on the path leading to the huge temple (freshly made sembei crackers, red bean filled cakes, fresh mochi, etc).

Speaking of snacking, don't miss roaming around the basements of the high-end department stores (called depachika), where you can gaze at (and sample!) endless amounts of incredible food. Definitely check out the basement of the department store called Isetan in Shinjuku, which houses many of the world's most famous bakeries (yes, I buy a Pierre Hermes Ispahan macaron every time!). I love the grocery store at the basement of Isetan, where I always stock up on yuzu kosho and other spices.

Even if you can't make it out to Shinjuku, there are plenty of department stores in Shibuya, Ginza, and other areas with fun basements in which to explore. I would highly recommend grabbing lunch at least once from one of these places. You can also come back to purchase exquisitely wrapped food-focused gifts to bring back home. Nobody tops the Japanese when it comes to beautifully wrapped cookies, cakes, and other snacks as gifts.

Things to Do

Cherry Blossoms

The seasons in Japan are gorgeous. If you can, go during the spring during the famous sakura cherry blossom season, usually at the beginning of April, though tit varies year to year and by location. Different trees flower at different times. We arrived "late" one year but still got to enjoy phenomenally beautiful later-season cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen, a beautifully sculptured park that is easy to access and boasts over 500 different varieties of cherry trees (so you have a better shot of at least seeing some blooms!).

Fall Foliage

Fall is yet another beautiful time. The foliage is lovely, and certain ingredients such as matsutake mushrooms and gingko nuts are in season and featured in a lot of dishes.

Imperial Palace

You need to book in advance if you want to visit the Imperial Palace. Guided tours are offered at set times, and you need to book pretty early. I'm not sure how the pandemic has affected all this. We were super lucky during our tour and we saw Empress Michiko Shōda drive by!

Disney Sea

There is only one Disney Sea in the entire world, and it is in Tokyo. An ocean-themed park, this slightly more adult oriented park is beautifully designed, still fully Disney, and really, really fun. The rides are excellent, and the seven themed ports are all really nicely designed. I was so nostalgic because the "American Waterfront" port totally reminded me of Boston! I loved the park so much, I would certainly go back again.

Visit Totoro

Miyazaki fans will love Studio Ghibli, a museum dedicated to all of Hayao Miyazaki's art. You can see what his studio looks like, gaze at numerous sketches that he's made, and enjoy many elements from his movies in this three-story museum that includes an open air rooftop garden, a cafe, and a small theater where you can watch a short film. Kids will love playing in the giant neko-bus on the top floor.

Definitely also check out Shirohige Cream Puff Factory, a super cute cafe opened by Hayao Miyazaki's sister-in law on the outskirts of Tokyo. It is the only officially licensed "Totoro Cafe" in the world.

Ghibli Park is opening November 1, 2022 in Japan! It is located east of Nagoya, about a 3-hour train ride from Tokyo. I really really want to go, and will certain try to go as soon as Japan fully opens its doors to tourists.

Hiking - Mt. Fuji? Or maybe just Mt. Takao

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and a very, very popular place to visit. I climbed Mount Fuji in the middle of August 1997 when I was at university, 25 years ago. Back then most people did a night hike, taking a bus up to the 5th Station around 10-11PM, and then hiking up to the summit (takes 6-7 hours) to see the sunrise. Mount Fuji is a very popular climb, and it can actually get really crowded at the summit (see photo above of the "traffic jam" that slowed us down when we reached the top.) The climb is fantastic and worth doing at least once in your life, but you definitely should be at least somewhat in shape to do it.

If you don't want to do something quite so ambitious, consider taking a half day trip to Mount Takao, a hiking spot only about 50 minutes away from Tokyo by train. This mountain takes 2-3 hours to climb and there's plenty to see on the way up. Mount Takao is considered a holy Shinto mountain, and therefore the mountain includes temples, statues, various religious relics, and mountain street vendors selling all sorts of snacks.

Hakone

Another popular day-trip from Tokyo is to Hakone, where you can see an active volcano, enjoy hot springs, and check out some pretty cool art exhibits. Definitely a fun day trip visiting an area that is very different from the crowded metropolis.

* * * * *

It is impossible for me to write a sufficient comprehensive guide to Japan. As you can see I've been there over 10 times, and every time I try to do something a little different. It's such an amazing place, no matter what, you'll find plenty of things to enjoy, and reasons to return over and over again.

Listing of all Japan-related posts

{last updated August 30, 2022}

2019 Japan Trip
Easter in Japan - Trip Report  (trip report)
Tempura Fukamachi Tokyo (tempura, 1 Michelin Star)
Disney Sea Tokyo (theme park)
Sushi Ishiyama (sushi)
Imafuku Sukiyaki Tokyo (sukiyaki, 1 Michelin Star)
Il Ristorante Luca Fantin Tokyo (Italian, 1 Michelin Star)

2018 Japan Trip
Totoro, Fall Foliage, Tofu Kaiseki (trip report)
Potsura Potsura Izakaya (izakaya, bib gourmande)
Sushi Ya with Takao Ishiyama (sushi)
Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai - Tokyo Tower (tofu)
Hakone, Akihabara, and only-in-Japan Experiences Crony Tokyo (modern, 1 Michelin Star)

2017 Japan Trip
Kyubey - A follow-up visit
Tsukiji Fish Market Auction & Sushi Bun Breakfast
Shima Steak Tokyo - The Famous Steak Sandwich

2016 Japan Trip
Sushi Ya (sushi, dinner)
Afuri (ramen)
Dominique Ansel (bakery)
Bird Land (yakitori, 1 Michelin star)
Bar High Five (cocktail bar)
Matsuya Kanda (soba)

2015 Japan Trip
Hiking at Mount Takao in Japan
Florilege (French, 1 Michelin star)
Sushi Harutaka (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Rokurinsha (ramen breakfast)
Azabu Kadowaki (Japanese, 2 Michelin stars)
Nakameguro Iguchi yakitori (中目黒いぐち) (yakitori)
Sushi-Ya (すし家) (sushi)
Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory - Totoro Cream Puff (bakery)

2013 Japan Trip
Matsugen (soba)
Sushi Iwa (sushi, 1 Michelin star)
Ramen Honda (ramen)
Ryugin (modern kaiseki, 3 Michelin stars)
Omen (udon)
Shouraian (tofu)
Dotonburi (Osaka street food)
Taian (grill, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Sho (sushi)
Nakamura (traditional kaiseki, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Taku (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Yoshitake (sushi, 3 Michelin stars)

2012 Japan Trip
Sukiyabashi Jiro (sushi, 3 Michelin stars)
Sushi Sawada (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Aoki (sushi, 1 Michelin star)
Kikunoi Akasaka (kaiseki cuisine, 1 Michelin star)
Mikawa Zezankyo (tempura, 1 Michelin star)
Ukai-Tei (teppanyaki, Kobe beef; 1 Michelin star)
Kaoriya (soba)
Rokurinsha (ramen)
Omotesando Koffee (coffee)

2011 Japan Trip
Post Quake Japan
Kago (Kagoshima cuisine)
Daisan Harumi (sushi)
Tempura Kondo (tempura, 2 Michelin stars)
Sushi Mitani (sushi)
Inakaya (robotayaki)
Aronia de Takazawa (modern cuisine)
Sushi Mizutani (sushi, 3-Michelin stars)
Kappabashi Dori (Kitchen shopping street)
Masamoto Tsukiji (Knife shopping)

2010 Japan Trip
Part 1: Kappabashi Dori (shopping)
Part 2: Tapas Molecular Bar (modern Japanese, 1 Michelin star)
Part 3: Suzuran (ramen)
Part 4: Matcha and Azuki Breads
Part 5: Masamoto Tsukiji Knives (shopping)
Part 6: Maisen (tonkatsu)
Part 7: Snacking in Japan (snacks)
Part 8: Sushi Kanesaka (sushi, 2 Michelin stars)

2009 Japan Trip
Everything I Learned About Sushi I Learned from My Mom . . . . And Kyubei (sushi, formerly 1 Michelin star)
Seryna (Kobe beef shabu)
Sometaro (okomokiyaki)
Maisen (tomkatsu)
Kyubey (sushi, formerly 1 Michelin star)
Suzuran (ramen)

The post Updated: Jen's Japan Recommendations appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

Octavium is the experimental kitchen for Chef Umberto Bombana, the famous Italian chef behind 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana (the only 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy). Octavium Hong Kong is part of a trio of Italian restaurants by the Bombana Group in Hong Kong, the third being Ciak in the Kitchen, the most casual of the three.

Executive Chef Silvio Armanni oversees the restaurant. According to Chef Bombana, Octavium allows him to experiment more without feeling the need to always use super high end ingredients (truffles, blue lobster, etc.), which is what diners at 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo expect.

Starters

Pastas

Main Course

General Thoughts - Octavium Hong Kong

Octavium does a fine job of providing diners with excellent food and warm service in a cozy, pleasant dining space overlooking Central in Hong Kong. The homemade pastas were great, the meats were executed perfectly, and all in all, we had a lovely dinner.

Does it taste that experimental?

The dishes were delicious but did not surprise me in any strong sort of way. Instead of discovering new, innovative flavor combinations, I found the food to be very good but safely within the realm of flavors I had enjoyed before. Instead of thinking it as a truly experimental test kitchen, I see it more like another arm of Otto e Mezzo that incorporates a broader range of ingredients. Frankly, in our meal we still saw our fair share of typical gourmet ingredients such as truffles, caviar, and sea urchin.

Nonetheless, Chef Silvio and his team work hard to create delicious Italian dishes that incorporate a wide variety of fun and interesting ingredients. This is a good option for a business meal or a special celebration.

Octavium Hong Kong
8/F One Chinachem Central
22 Des Voeux Rd
Central, Hong Kong

Related Posts
8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Ciak in the Kitchen
Amber Hong Kong

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