Two People from San Francisco with Their Passions in Food;
cityfoodsters’s 10 Restaurant Picks
"Aims to Discover the Best"
cityfoodsters are managed by Grace and Jason, who are both from San Francisco Bay Area. With their passions in food, they continue to present their opinions on different kinds of restaurants around the world.A student of Dentistry who loves sweets and desserts. Grace never stop looking for the best of the best restaurants and food around the world. Furthermore, she strives to present the most tasty and beautiful photos. With Tokyo as her most wanted-to-live city, she visits Tokyo about 3 to 4 times a year. She is specifically interested in food, culture and scenery. She has visited about 72 countries since 2016.
A Bay Area native graduated from UC Berkeley, Jason has worked in Microsoft and Google before he started his own companies. As a true foodie, food is always in his mind. He eats out 95% of his life, varying from small restaurants to starred fine dining. He believes that "food is inherently social; it’s the one activity you can count on having a good time."
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Chouyou
Experience the creations and techniques of Mr. Cho, one of the leading figures in Sichuan cuisine in Japan
Our first time eating Chinese food in Japan was at none other than Choyo, the pioneer of Sichuan cuisine in the country with a 2018 Tabelog Silver Award.
Making the trip back to Sichuan several times every year, Chef Cho works tirelessly to refine the fiery flavours and ingredient combinations of his home region. From shaoxing wine marinated shrimps and dandan noodles to homemade mapo tofu, the courses bring back memories and flavors from our trip to Chengdu. We enjoyed this meal and it was a welcome departure from the usual Japanese meals we’ve been constantly eating.
- 2 minutes on foot from JR Line "Shimbashi Station" Ginza Exit
- Family,Reception
Ginza Iwa
A 1-star sushi restaurant presenting the season through chef’s professionalism and skills
1* Sushi Iwa by Chef Hisayoshi Iwa trained under acclaimed Chef Shinji Kanesaka.
At an affordable price, the sushi omakase was one of our first sushi experiences in Tokyo back in 2012 and we truly enjoyed it. The chef himself is very knowledgeable and eager to educate his diners about sushi. The environment is casual and it’s a great spot for lunch.
- 5-minute walk from Shinbashi Station, Exit Ginza(Tokyo Metro Ginza Line)
- Foreign Guests,Anniversary
Ginza Koju
Taste the essence of Japan in Ginza by a chef who is a representative of Japan
Chef Toru Okuda serves a seasonal kaiseki menu at his 2* restaurant, Ginza Koju.
We visited Ginza Koju about 7 years ago and it was one of our first kaiseki experiences in Japan. Though quite a long time ago, we still remember the food experience. The focus on exceptional high quality ingredients is key in kaiseki meals. Chef Okuda masterfully highlights natural flavors in produce that you would otherwise find simple.
- 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Hibiya Line Ginza Station Exit B6
- Foreign Guests,Friend,Reception
Hyotei(Kyoto)
A 3-star well-established Kyoto restaurant with 450 years of history
3* Hyotei opened as a teahouse over 400 years ago and is one of Kyoto's oldest kaiseki restaurants.
Their specialty, boiled eggs, has been on their menu since the very first day. The kaiseki meal is served in a traditional private tatami room with a core focus on quality fish and vegetables. The restaurant also serves a breakfast course. It's a very special place for breakfast as it features two signature time-tested dishes - rice porridge and eggs. Their rice porridge has been featured in a hit comic "Oishinbo" and has a very refined taste containing no seasoning. And the legendary soft-boiled eggs provided sustenance to the travelers visiting the Nanzen-ji Temple back in the day.
- 10 minutes on foot from Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line "Kegami Station" Exit 2
- Foreign Guests,Family
Japanese Cuisine Seizan
Be enchanted by the flavors of the seasons
2* Seizan in Tokyo is helmed by chef Haruhiko Yamamoto.
The dishes highlight the ingredients and does not rely on too heavily on sauces. Watching Chef Yamamoto's straight from the counter is part of the experience - for example, the way he skillfully wields his knife or the precision of grilling fish over binchotan. Chef Yamamoto decides the offerings for the day according to the ingredients delivered; thus the absence of a menu. We're really excited to see the development of Seizan over time as it has currently risen to Tabelog Silver 2019. Our last visit was back in 2015 but we definitely can't wait to return!
- 8 minutes on foot from JR Yamanote Line "Tamachi Station" Mita Exit
- Foreign Guests,Friend,Reception,Dates
L'Effervescence
Innovative French cuisine born from artistic intuition and analysis
2* L'Effervescence by Chef Shinobu Namae combines French cuisine with Japanese ingredients.
He previously trained at Michel Bras' Toya in Hokkaido and The Fat Duck in UK. Once we stepped into L’Effervescence, the European style furniture and the feel of the private and relaxed atmosphere made the entire experience exceptional. One unique addition to the tasting menu is one course (the World Peace drink*) from State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, as he is good friends with the chef-owners and they were involved in collaboration dinners before.
*It is possible that some courses might not be available on Pocket Concierge.
- 12-minute walk from exit B1 of Omotesando Station on the Tokyo metro Chiyoda Line
- Foreign Guests,Anniversary,Reception
Restaurant Anis
Modern French by a high-skilled chef, enjoy special grilled meat and carefully selected vegetables
Restaurant Anis by Chef Susumu Shimizu previously worked in France at 3* La Maison de Marc Veyrat and then 3* L'Arpege.
We sat at the counter, front row to all of the action in the kitchen. It was a beautiful setting with just us in the restaurant for the first seating, receiving the full attention of Shimizu-San who cooked our entire meal with only the help of one of his cooks. Our dinner was one of his special "meating" meals, which consists of various cuts of different poultry coursed out through the evening. We got served shocking parts such as pork brain, cock's comb, boar testicles, and pigeon liver/heart. It was simply meat lover's paradise and happy to say that we were satisfyingly full by the end. Wonderful and very memorable experience!
- 5-minute walk from Hatsudai station (South Exit), Keio Keio Line
- Foreign Guests,Family
Sushi MASUDA
Edo-style traditional sushi prepared according to the traditions of the renowned 3-star restaurant
Chef Masuda is one of Jiro Ono's disciples and also had a stint at Tenzushi when he was 17 years old.
Masuda-san's shop opened in January 2014 with just 5 counter seats. The sushi is a thorough recreation of those flavors Masuda learned at Sukiyabashi Jiro, but the tsumami shows his own unique culinary style. The grilled tachiuo was one of the highlights of the meal.
- 3-minute walk from exit B1 of Omotesando Station on the Tokyo metro Ginza Line
- Foreign Guests,Reception
Sushidokoro Mekumi
A 2-star sushi restaurant in Ishikawa. Uncompromising devotion to Noto-style sushi
Kanazawa is known for its abundance in fresh seafood due to its proximity to the Japan Sea.
So naturally, our first stop in this city is one of the top sushiyas - Mekumi- which is highly rated on Tabelog in the Ishikawa Prefecture for sushi. Chef Takahashi Yamaguchi runs the show here, preparing everything with the help of 1 apprentice and serving everything himself. There are just 8 seats at the counter. What stood out the most is the top-grade quality of the fish. Overall, a very enjoyable beginning to our first visit to Kanazawa!
- 10-minute by taxi Nonoichi-shi Station(JR Hokuriku Line)
- Foreign Guests
Sushisho Masa
A 7 counter-seat only sushi restaurant for those seeking for real sushi
Sushisho Masa (located in the basement with a small wooden sign outside) in Tokyo was difficult to locate when we visited Japan for the first time in 2012.
We brought our friends here primarily because Masakatsu-san serves a wide variety of fish, and it would be one of their first sushi experiences in Japan. It’s a great spot for sushi lovers to learn and enjoy food in a relaxed casual setting. The number of different courses (alternating tsumami and sushi) that Chef Masakatsu Oka can serve goes up to 45+!
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