Bringing Back Cocktail Hour – Minato Neighborhood, Tokyo, Japan

 Certified Kobe Beef...The Best Beef Ever!It seems only appropriate that our final Asia related blog entry pertains to the region’s amazing food, a theme we embraced and celebrated throughout our travels in this unique corner of the world.  Our decadent indulgence in certified Kobe beef, sourced from top-grade Japanese Tajima cattle, was generously sponsored as a birthday gift from Jenn’s family.

Our evening began with a relaxing walk to the Minato neighborhood of Tokyo, an area known for its internationally-acclaimed selection of restaurants.  A peaceful side-street led us to the unassuming door of Kobe Beef Kaiseki 511, a quiet and inviting venue.  A quick glance through the menu revealed a selection of multi-course dinners, each presenting Kobe beef in unique ways to highlight its tender, marbled flavors.

Jenn selected the Maeda course and Matt opted for the Hearth Baked Kobe Beef and Seafood course.  Each offering included eight reasonably sized, meticulously presented dishes.  A sample of items included:

• Consumme jelly-contained vegetables and Kobe beef
• Sakhalin surf clam rolled Kobe beef
• Butter roasted foie gras and bamboo shot with red wine sauce
• Steamed egg in a tea bowl mixed with Kobe beef
• Sea bream with champagne and wasabi sauce
• Kobe beef chirashi sushi
• Sautéed onion wrapped Kobe beef
• Hearth-baked Kobe beef steak
• A light and refreshing desert (surprisingly, not infused with juicy, beefy goodness!)

We paired the seemingly endless parade of dishes with a bottle of light-bodied and refreshing Kubota Manju saké.  With our sake glasses in hand, we offered a toast of Kanpai to Jenn’s family for making it a birthday meal that won’t soon be forgotten!