Ironbark Grill & Bar @ Ginza

Old Fashioned

Amuse of beetroot purée with almonds and olive oil

Fresh oyster with lemon

Butternut squash soup

Tasmanian ocean trout tartare with carrot puree, salmon roe and feta cheese

Leaf salad

Tasmanian salmon

Premium natural beef flat iron with parmesan polenta, bok choy and shallot pepper sauce

Rib eye with parmesan polenta, bok choy and shalot pepper sauce

White chocolate parfait with Nutella ice cream, berry sauce and crumble

Ironbark Grill & Bar is a pleasant lunch spot within the stylish Ginza 6 mall that riffs of past Salt Grill & Tapas Bar glories while no longer living up to them. It touts itself as a contemporary Australian restaurant with a focus on authentic Aussie ingredients and spices combined with the culinary influence of diverse regions and cultures. 

We’ve yet to have an unsatisfactory visit, although a cursory glance at online kuchikomi reveals a chequered history of poor service and a ‘tourist trap’ mindset that, with the exception of woefully over-priced table wines, seems to be mostly remedied. 

Ultimately, and especially for those who remain ignorant of the culinary depths of The Ginza, this is accessible premium economy dining by the numbers; the set lunch courses provide attractively presented, uncomplicated cuisine and cost performance that will neither disappoint nor excite.  

Ironbark Grill & Bar

03 6264 5402

 

Tonkatsu Taihou @ Meguro

Otoshi of takuan

Miso soup

Hirekatsu (fillet cutlet)

Hirekatsu (fillet cutlet)

Tokujō hirekatsu (special fillet cutlet)

Tokujō hirekatsu (special fillet cutlet)

Tokujō hirekatsu (special fillet cutlet)

Tokujō rōsukatsu (special loin cutlet)

Tokujō rōsukatsu (special loin culet)

Although ranked third among Meguro’s ‘big three’ tonkatsu restaurants, just behind Tonkatsu Katsuichi and Tonkatsu Tonki, we rate Tonkatsu Taihou more highly than either its Meguro area contemporaries or perennial Shirogane favourite, Tonkatsu Suzuki. 

In fact, and although clearly of a different ilk, Taihou falls only a tad short of even Musashi Koyama’s exquisite Tonkatsu Taiyou. 

Stellar cost performance aside, the succulent, juicy-pink, melt-in-your-mouth rōsu (loin) and hire (fillet) pork cutlets deep fried in light yet crunchy home-baked breadcrumbs are exceptional. For devotees and the gluttonous, premium ‘tokujō’ cuts of loin or fillet are divine. Both are best experienced as teishoku set meals complete with pickles, miso soup, rice, lemon and crispy-fresh shredded Miura cabbage. 

Tonkatsu Taihou

03 3491 9470

 

Bistro Nid @ Toritsu-Daigaku

Pickles and fermented nakazuke preserves; carrot, olives, radish, Jerusalem artichoke and turnip

Smoked boar ham with burrata cheese, fermented tomato jellyand strawberry and rucola sauce

Seasonal leaf salad

Bacon and porcini salad

Shrimp shell risotto, with firefly squid and fennel salad

Hokkaido venison with Jerusalem artichoke, grated mushroom and black garlic and egg yolk purée

Roast Echigo pork with lentils, sprouts and black garlic sauce

Winter yellowtail sauté with daikon sauce, black olive and wasabi tapenade and spinach

Japan Mont Blanc with blue cheese ice cream and brown sugar crumble

Baked appple pie with honey and rosemary ice cream

Onibus coffee

Caught as it is between Gakugei-Daigaku and Jiyugaoka (and despite boasting Yakumo Saryo and Carica.ri), Toritsu-Daigaku is something of a culinary afterthought. Thankfully, Bistro Nid seems destined to remedy the situation. 

Inspired by and aspiring to the particular ambience and focus of restaurants such as Kabi and Sio, chef Tsuzurahara has created an inviting space in which guests can enjoy his particular strain of seemingly uncomplicated yet surprisingly refined and seasonally variable neo-Euro fusion cuisine, paired with carefully curated natural wines, nihonshu and affable hosts. 

Although Nid is a nest best enjoyed by night, the lunch menu (sadly only available on weekends) is an absolute steal. 

Bistro Nid

03 6459 5572

 

La Luna Rossa @ Nakameguro

Chinese cabbage potage with milk and parmigiano mouse

Smoked salmon with beetroot and balsamic vinegar salad

Homemade pasta with bolognese sauce

Homemade pasta with truffle and mushrooms

Roast duck with apple sauce and balsamic vinegar

Roast pork with fungi, green beans and spicy togarashi paste

Tiramisu with espresso gelato

Baked cheesecake with citrus gelato

Another pleasant Nakameguro restaurant blessed with prime river-side hanami real estate, La Luna Rossa remains popular after over a decade of delighting customers with well crafted yet affordable Italian fine dining. 

Chewy fresh-made pasta, succulent meats and rich tasting game birds balanced with seasonal vegetables and occasional Japanese flavours ensure satisfied bellies. 

The lunch courses are excellent value — neither scrimping on variety nor portions — although the wines can feel a little overpriced for noontime bibbing.

La Luna Rossa

03 3793 4310

 

Comme Chez Michel @ Kyoto

Kyoto pork rillettes

Norwegian smoked salmon salad

Duck, foie gras and fig terrine

Sea bass in black olive sauce

Palate cleanser

Roast quail with seasonal beans and greens

Beef cheeks stewed in tarragon infused bouillon

Fig tart

Crème brûlée with raspberry sorbet

Comme Chez Michel is an absolute gem that captures the essence of downtown Parisian dining with a well executed menu and extensive wine list in a quiet back street setting. 

Owner-chef Ōkawa’s training at Paris’ Chez Michel, attention to detail and focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients have earned a well deserved Michelin Bib Gourmand that combined with stellar cost performance and popularity among couples-that-dine make reservations a must. 

Comme Chez Michel

075 212 7713