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Best Restaurant Which US people Loves Most?

makioryoji said:
My client is coming from US. Which is the best restaurant in Tokyo to take him for dining out?
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What does he like?

I have visitors all the time from various countries. If they are not comfortable with Japanese - the we go to some fusion place or steak place. Ruth’s Chris gets a chunk of business from us as does The Oak Door and Steakhouse 42. 37 Steakhouse in Roppongi also see us a lot...

The U.S has a wide range it will depend on where they are from.

I’ve even had people at that Soul Food place in Azabu.... and very traditional Japanese kaiseki.
 
If they are up for it, take them to a nice sushi place. Most people don't get to experience fresh sushi. Especially in the states where they only have California rolls...
 
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You can play it safe and go to Gompachi (Nishi Azabu) , where Obama went with Abe or Koizumi , I forgot. Supposedly Tarantino replicated it in Kill Bill
 
I’m coming to visit from the US, and I’m really looking forward to eating sushi and sashimi as it is such a higher quality in Japan. If he is a more conservative eater, a steakhouse is probably a safe option. Yum, Kobe beef! Japanese fruits, like strawberries, melon, and grapes, are also amazing compared to what we’re accustomed to. It might be out of season, but fresh corn is also so much better in Japan. I’m not hip on specific places, but is there a place where food is a sensual experience?
 
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Frenchy said:
You can play it safe and go to Gompachi (Nishi Azabu) , where Obama went with Abe or Koizumi , I forgot. Supposedly Tarantino replicated it in Kill Bill
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That was actually Bush and Koizumi.

"Former-US President Bush and former-Prime Minister Koizumi's Izakaya Summit"
 
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oLUXo said:
If they are up for it, take them to a nice sushi place.
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I once took an American CEO to a great sushi place the day he arrived to Tokyo. He ended up vomiting all that nice fish over his very expensive shoes.

All in all a great day.
 
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MikeH said:
I once took an American CEO to a great sushi place the day he arrived to Tokyo. He ended up vomiting all that nice fish over his very expensive shoes.

All in all a great day.
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Well it could have been a US president vomiting on a Japanese PM, consider yourself lucky :)
 
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oLUXo said:
If they are up for it, take them to a nice sushi place. Most people don't get to experience fresh sushi. Especially in the states where they only have California rolls...
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Only have California rolls? You haven't eaten much Sushi in the US. Any genuine sushi place servers just as many different types of Sushi as you can find at a Sushi restaurant here in Japan
 
I have brought people to Ginza Steak before, and I would probably recommend that. Easy to make reservations beforehand, good quality beef, fun for those who have never been to that type of steak restaurant before and pretty close to the station. Maybe not the fanciest place in Tokyo, but I've had no complaints so far.
 
The trick seems to be to take people someplace where they feel they are eating authentic Japanese food in an authentic ‘local’ environment, but that the food is familiar enough so that they are not completely pushed out of their comfort zone. If I am taking out a group of younger more adventurous types, I would recommend the izakayas in Kanda or Ueno. Young people should be challenged. If the guests are a bit older, I like Inakaya. It’s expensive. Predictable. It’s like a Disney version of Japanese food. Safe. I also think a good yakitori place is also a good safe choice. Who doesn’t like grilled chicken? If they have been here a few times and done Japanese food already, go to any of the excellent authentic high end Italian places. If they are fat, rich, gluttonous American pigs with gold cards as most US global co execs are, go to Ukai Grill and eat steak with a higher fat content than bacon. Drink Opus One and single malts. Call it a night.
 
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If it’s an American client visiting for the first time, then it’s likely they’ll want something “Japanese”.

If not, steakhouses are cool , then Two Rooms in Omotesando would be my #1 recommendation. I also tried one of their other restaurants the other night, Ruby Jack’s , which was surprisingly good. Same staff from Oak Door ===> Two Rooms. The US based steakhouses are Benjamin’s, Empire and I guess Wolfgang Steakhouse falls into that category ...sorta.

Old memo on Japanese steakhouses ....

KAWAMURA BIFTEK's Ginza location:

Biftek Kawamura , Ginza
https://www.bifteck.co.jp/en/restaurant/ginza/

Not to be confused with this extremely exclusive KAWAMURA ...

Actually CHEF KAWAMURA of the exclusive KAWAMURA first worked at a place called YUKATA STEAKHOUSE in their GION KYOTO main restaurant: http://www.yutaka-steak.com/english/index.html

And, there are two other former YUTAKA STEAKHOUSE alumnus who have restaurants (in Tokyo) that some argue as as good as KAWAMURA. I’ve been to (SHIMA):

Shima
〒103-0027 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Nihonbashi, 3 Chome−5−12, 日本橋ＭＭビル
03-3271-7889
https://goo.gl/maps/jbPjn66uwb22
Reviews:
  1. http://www.luxeat.com/blog/shima-steakhouse/
  2. http://www.luxeat.com/blog/time-shima/
  3. http://www.opinionatedaboutdining.com/OADblog.php?ID=11600
SHIMA is the favorite of Momofuku Chef David Chang.


GINZA HIRAYAMA
Ginza Hirayama (銀座ひらやま)
1F Musashino Building, 7-17-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
+81 3 6264-0688
https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1313/A131301/13151917/

Review
http://www.luxeat.com/blog/images-ginza-hirayama-steakhouse/
Video


And, here's the thing about CHEF HIRAYAMA -- he not only worked at the same place CHEF KAWAMURA first started at [ YUTAKA STEAKHOUSE, GION ], he actually worked for CHEF KAWAMURA at KAWAMURA before setting out on his own ( he is in his mid 30's).
 
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TAG Manager said:
And yes, that's true too.

This part sticks out....

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Global Dining owns Gonpachi and Tarantino apparently got turned down when he asked for permission to film... so he built a replica in China. He’d also in those days often head over to the faux S&M bar , The Black Rose which is nearby. https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13012988/

The Kouzumi Bush dinner at Gonpachi ( versus a more formal dinner or state dinner even ) was meant to indicate the personal relationship was so good that a more casual venue would suffice. Similar to GW Bush’s custom of inviting leaders like Kouzumi over to his Texas ranch for burgers and steaks.
 
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NorthTriangle said:
Global Dining owns Gonpachi and Tarantino apparently got turned down when he asked for permission to film... so he built a replica in China. He’d also in those days often head over to the faux S&M bar , The Black Rose which is nearby. https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13012988/

The Kouzumi Bush dinner at Gonpachi ( versus a more formal dinner or state dinner even ) was meant to indicate the personal relationship was so good that a more casual venue would suffice. Similar to GW Bush’s custom of inviting leaders like Kouzumi over to his Texas ranch for burgers and steaks.
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True, I remember when GW invited Sarkozy there and media (US ones) made a fuss about serving burgers to a French President. Well this one didnt drink wines and loved simple stuff like salads so it was not a big deal at all. Also I suppose that a burger at the Bushs is better than at Wendy’s!
 
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NorthTriangle said:
Global Dining owns Gonpachi and Tarantino apparently got turned down when he asked for permission to film... so he built a replica in China. He’d also in those days often head over to the faux S&M bar , The Black Rose which is nearby. https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13012988/

The Kouzumi Bush dinner at Gonpachi ( versus a more formal dinner or state dinner even ) was meant to indicate the personal relationship was so good that a more casual venue would suffice. Similar to GW Bush’s custom of inviting leaders like Kouzumi over to his Texas ranch for burgers and steaks.
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Black Rose still exists? Wow, may go back there to remember (much) earlier days!
 
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Any sort of high end Teppanyaki experience would be good as well - it’s the de facto gateway Japanese fancy dinner where you talk business.

It depends on the casual vs. formal tone of the meal.

I like taking people I’m comfortable with to places they wouldn’t normally go - yakiniku, tempura, yakitori, shabushabu .. etc. The reason being is everyone goes for sushi, or steak and it can get boring.

You won’t believe how many times I had steak when I went to South America simply because that’s where they take you as a foreigner.
 
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Frenchy said:
Black Rose still exists? Wow, may go back there to remember (much) earlier days!
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If you are French, I wonder whether you were the suave fellow several years ago, whom in good humor, decided to venture into the cage. There was a visiting friend of a friend, a recent divorcee from the US, whom I had brought to ‘cheer up’. She was apprehensive at first but delighted to discover they had sexy black leather costumes that she could change into. When time for the whipping, I encouraged her to step up and participate, forgetting that there is a certain technique required where one ‘pulls back’ so as not to inflict maximum damage. The pain I suffered as I was torn between laughter & twinges of sympathy for the poor guy is the Cross I bear to this day...

 
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NorthTriangle said:
If you are French, I wonder whether you were the suave fellow several years ago, whom in good humor, decided to venture into the cage. There was a visiting friend of a friend, a recent divorcee from the US, whom I had brought to ‘cheer up’. She was apprehensive at first but delighted to discover they had sexy black leather costumes that she could change into. When time for the whipping, I encouraged her to step up and participate, forgetting that there is a certain technique required where one ‘pulls back’ so as not to inflict maximum damage. The pain I suffered as I was torn between laughter & twinges of sympathy for the poor guy is the Cross I bear to this day...

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Lol! Maybe. Used to go there frequently but long ago. Being whipped by a strong American Woman (Leny Kravitz’s song in my head now :)) is always a pleasure !
 
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Take him to an izakaya under the tracks at Yurakcho station. Most of the people I've taken out prefer that to somewhere up scale.
 
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