While spending time in Tokyo, I spent a lot of my time seeking out food that I cannot easily get outside of Japan. I actually reviewed the ANA InterContinental Tokyo on a different trip and that was when I first learned about The Steakhouse. The Steakhouse Restaurant sits one floor above the lobby. I was originally interested in The Steakhouse because of their selection of beef, both foreign and domestic. In order to be called Wagyu, the beef must meet certain requirements, Japan is serious about these. Lucky for us The Steakhouse has lots of high-end meat, including the beautiful and authentic Wagyu!

I was first greeted by a friendly hostess who led me past the spacious main dining room to one of several private dining rooms. I could see the New York inspiration in their interior design.

To start the meal off was a glass of G.H. Mumm Champagne. Things started to get exciting with the arrival of the Tomato Salad with Ricotta Cheese. This salad was fantastic and perfectly balanced. Highly recommended.

For this evening, I ordered both the Sendai Tenderloin and the Iwami Sirloin, to compare. Also, I ordered the surf and turf option which added a lobster tail. For the side dishes, I went with sautéed mushrooms and French fries. This was all accompanied by a glass of Tenet Wines ‘The Pundit’ Syrah, Columbia Valley which paired well with its deep full body. First and foremost, the steak looked beautiful, love at first site. I sliced into it and was pleased to see a perfect medium rare. When you look closely, you can see all of the marbled fat running through the muscle tissue which was incredibly tender. Both were mind-blowingly good, but the Sendai Tenderloin was the winner in my book!

Sadly my steak disappeared from my plate rather quickly, not sure where it went! It was then time for dessert, I sampled the Lemon Pie and the Panna Cotta. Both of these desserts were quite lovely in their own way, very tasty. With dessert, I got a shot of espresso which was also super tasty, great coffee at The Steakhouse.

The evening at The Statehouse inside of the ANA InterContinental Tokyo, Japan was superb! My favorite items were the Tomato Salad, Sendai Tenderloin, Iwami Sirloin and the desserts. There were a few other items ordered that could have used slight improvements but if you go with what I recommend, you have a recipe for success! If you’re looking for a great restaurant to get a high-quality piece of meat in Tokyo, look no further than The Steakhouse at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo!

The Steakhouse

Restaurant

ANA InterContinental Tokyo
1-12-33, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan

Phone: +81-03-3505-1185

The more I travel, the more I learn that local cultural experiences tend to be the most rewarding when visiting foreign countries. Diving deep into a culture, seeking out experiences that teach you something new, tend to build lasting memories. For example, if you’re a foreigner in Japan, sure you can go eat lots of tasty local food, but you’re only able to absorb what you can see. That is why I searched out an experience that could teach me more deeply about the cuisine and culture. During my search, I came across Sushi Mafia. Sushi Mafia focuses on everything related to Japanese seafood and offers several high-end experiences including tours of the famous Tokyo seafood markets, sushi making classes, tuna auction tours, knife sharpening classes, and their Tokyo Sushi & Sake Night with chef Morio Hori and interpreter Naoko Miyajima.

Click here to book your experience with Sushi Mafia now!

The Sushi Mafia location is near the Tsukiji Fish Market and close to multiple metro stations. The building was in the style of a classic Japanese tea house, complete with a half door that guests must hunch down to enter, so we can’t bring in our swords obviously. I walked upstairs, it felt like I stepped into a traditional Japanese living room, very warm and comfortable.

It was just three guests and the 2 staff members, so we really had a very intimate experience. Throughout the evening we tried dozens and dozens of food and alcohol pairings! With each bite and each drink we learned the specifics of every item, sometimes it was about how they were made, where they were bought, their value and much more. During the evening there was a completely free exchange of conversation between the chef, interpreter and the guests, which made it very easy to ask questions and learn. Somethings we learned was an overview of how to make sushi, the differences between Japanese sake, how to grind wasabi and more.

This immense information and wisdom came from 30 years of the chef’s experience which would be nearly impossible to come by during a standard restaurant visit.

We had lots of fish during the evening and my favorite was the swordfish, which was actually caught three days previous. There were a wide range of other dishes besides the fantastic sashimi and sushi, including salmon croquettes, grilled anchovies, greens with mushrooms, a Japanese seafood stew and more! We were offered only the finest alcohol, fish and other ingredients along with an educational experience that I will never forget.

I still can’t get over how well I was treated, and how much good food and drink I had during my experience with Sushi Mafia! If you’re in Tokyo, and want to truly memorable Japanese dining experience, then you must give Sushi Mafia a try. They’ve got lots of experiences to choose from, and after this evening I can’t wait to try their other offerings! The amount of value guests get for their money far exceeds the price. This is an experience I’ll never forget and therefore I can easily recommend Sushi Mafia everyone!

Sushi Mafia Tokyo

Tour

Japan, 〒104-0045 Tokyo, Chūō, Tsukiji, 2−6-9

Phone: +81 3-3216-7297

Ever since my recent visit to the Andaz Tokyo Hotel, I was curious to visit their Tavern – Grill and Lounge to try their Snow-Aged Beef. If you haven’t, be sure to read my 7 Reasons to Love Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills article here. Snow-Aged Beef is aged in a snowy northern area of Japan, inside of a snow cellar. If something is done in a unique way, I’m up to try it!

The evening began with a drink at the Andaz Tokyo’s Rooftop Bar. The Rooftop Bar is just one floor up from The Tavern and offers phenomenal views of the Tokyo skyline. If there is something unique I tend to go for it, as mentioned, so I ordered a hot sake cocktail. The one I ordered was actually listed as a soup and I could see why immediately because of it’s thick, green consistency. The bar was beautiful during my winter time visit but I’m sure it’s even better in the summer! Then it was down to the dining room for dinner.

The interior of The Tavern is stunning and comfortable just like the rest of Andaz Tokyo. There are several different seating options, all very aesthetically pleasing. For the evening, we went for a six course tasting menu, to fully experience what The Tavern can do.

First arrived a glass of Ruinart Brut Champagne, to get the juices flowing. A few dishes came and went, but the real excitement started with the lobster bisque. I loved this frothy yet rich soup. That slight sweetness from the lobster and just the right amount of salt made for the perfect balance. The next item that was very memorable was the grilled sea scallop with watercress purée, and butter braised turnip. This dish was also perfectly balanced, scallop seared to perfection, sauces bursting with great flavor and it all fit together like a hand in glove.

After an evening of anticipation, it was finally game time! We had two options for the Japanese Snow-Aged Beef, Sirloin F1 120g or Tenderloin F1 120g. Both came with mashed potatoes. The Snow-Aged meat had a satisfactory amount of fat and muscle tissue reminded me of American beef. It was very tasty indeed, but I’d credit that more to the lovely cows than the aging process. The accompanying mashed potatoes were top-notch and a perfect pair with the steak!

To finish off the meal was the Bombe Alaska, Earl Grey, apricot, and almond dessert. Very lovely indeed and went well with the espresso I ordered. I’d highly recommend ordering espresso at The Tavern, it was incredible coffee.

Overall, the evening at The Tavern – Grill and Lounge was lovely. The service throughout the evening was exceptionally good, very personable service. Considering all the aspects of The Tavern, I would score this evening well and could easily recommend a meal here!

The Tavern – Grill and Lounge

Restaurant

1-23-4, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 105-0001

Phone: +81 3 6830 1234