MIMARU東京 新宿WEST

Prix fixe is the rule here, but with plenty of room for choice. Traditional fare includes favourites such as pâté de campagne, smoked salmon and roast lamb. Standard dishes are always on the menu, constantly being improved as the chef hones his skills with each dish. The chef prepares his creations in silence, the very picture of the craftsman, pouring his passion into simple French cuisine that brings out the native goodness of the ingredients.

The chef’s grandparents’ house once stood on this land. He harboured a lifelong dream of becoming a sushi artisan; the first knife he ever held was a gift from his grandfather. Never forgetting the spirit of the novice, the chef takes an honest, no-nonsense approach to his ingredients. “Letting the ingredients do the talking is not the same as doing nothing,” he says—and indeed, the chef devotes great time and effort to food preparation. As an apprentice, he learned from his mentor that cooking means thinking for yourself. The work of the old days inspires today’s creativity.

This has been in operation since starting life as a food stall in the postwar years. An old photo on the first floor shows the original sign from those early days. The ‘Tori’ in Torishige reflects an earlier usage, when yakitori referred to pork as well as chicken skewers; ‘shige’ is in honour of the Prime Minister of that time, Shigeru Yoshida. In place of chopsticks, two bamboo skewers are used; meat-stuffed bell peppers are a tradition since the first generation. Beef was added by the second-generation chef; the use of rare cuts is an innovation by the current chef. In era after era, Torish

The counter spreads like a fan, so guests surround the kitchen. Chef and apprentice serve snacks and nigiri in turn, moving in perfect harmony. The house snack is iwashi-isobemaki, bite-sized pieces of pilchard wrapped in nori. Old-school sushi craftsmanship is woven in, such as spring sea bream topped with sweetened egg yolk flakes and lean tuna paired with mustard. In mutual support between restaurateur and farmers, sushi rice comes from the chef’s native Noto Peninsula. The team keeps the sushi smoothly flowing with deft motions, serving each guest with just the right intervals. ‘Takumi’ me

The team at Den welcomes guests with bright smiles and easy conversation. A playful, inventive menu brings a fresh perspective to Japanese cuisine. The omakase menu begins with monaka, a wafer sandwich filled with foie gras seasoned with miso, along with fruits and vegetables. Fried chicken wing tips are stuffed with iimushi, mochi rice steamed with seasonal toppings. The delight of his guests is what drives the chef. Original thinking gives rise to the sort of fun dining experience only Den can offer.

‘The look surprises, the taste reassures.’ The chef’s passion for creativity makes his culinary spirit unique. Decoratively arranged sashimi are briefly heated to draw out moisture. The chef doesn’t serve soup dishes, as much of his cooking tailors the dashi stock to each dish. His freewheeling personality makes the evening fun, while the folk-art vibe of the interior, including a chest of drawers inherited from the chef’s grandparents, fills the air with memories and the warmth of family.

The second-generation chef passes on the Catalonian cuisine that the first-generation chef acquired in Barcelona. Salad of sardines and egg like grandma used to make honours the memory of this couple’s mentors. Dried cod and parsley sauce and homemade sausages convey the flavours of Catalonia, while the well-worn pots attest to the popularity of the paella. Cuisine interwoven with warm memories echoes the journey this restaurant has traced.