restaurant review

Andaz Tavern: The ingredients shine in European provincial culinary trip - first class all the way

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By Maki Yasuda

I’d been having something of a burrata moment this autumn, and if I could give an award to the single most outstanding example of this fresh Puglian cheese that I’ve been trying all around Tokyo this past month or so, it would hands down go to the “burratina” with salad of artichoke, avocado and rocket of the Andaz Tavern, the main dining venue of the Andaz hotel in Toranomon Hills.

With burrata cheese, it’s all about quality and freshness, and you can tell a good one when a pierce of the fork to the mozzarella-like outer layer reveals an incredibly supple creamy center that oozes forth. Well, as they say, where there’s good burrata, there’s good everything (OK, I just made that up), and amazing artisanal cheese is just one example of the awesome quality and craftsmanship of chef Gerhard Passruger’s creations at the Andaz. His simple and authentic European provincial cuisine is such a pure expression of quality ingredients that I’d say it’s the Western style equivalent to the best Japanese "kaiseki" cuisine. The absolute goodness of the food to be had there, aside from being an occasion to check out the hottest hotel in Tokyo right now, should put the Tavern right on top of your list of restaurants to go to.

The Tavern is on the 51st lobby floor of the hotel, and is a gorgeous space that wonderfully balances elegant and laid-back. There are cozy booth seats by the dynamic open kitchen, while tables by the floor-to-ceiling windows have killer views of the twinkling city at night. The iconic persimmon-colored leather seating is reminiscent of red Japanese lacquer ware, and over-sized bonsai trees add another element of local Japanese flair to the stylish space.

The dinner menu reads like a glorious list of the bounties of the sea, mountains and field. The staff recommended sharing dishes to enjoy the country-style cooking in authentic, rustic fashion, but the beautifully prepared dishes work equally well as individual plates. Split some, have some on your own; I found the expert handling of such flexible ordering to be a great reflection of the Andaz philosophy of “personal style” and “unscripted service.”

I already mentioned how good their salad with burratina was, but let me just add that the vinegar drizzled on the cheese was a brand called Gegenbauer, which I learned from the chef himself, is the Rolls-Royce of vinegars that’s made in his home country of Austria. The lobster salad, pumpkin, mache, truffle that my dinner mate had was also beautiful, with plump, succulent chunks of lobster nestled among such glistening, tender greens that you’d think they’d just picked it. Seasoning is very light and natural; it’s food that speaks to the soul and that your whole body will enjoy.

Following the salads, we had some intensely flavored lobster bisque with sea urchin, and a light fish course of grilled hairtail. Then, came the meat; Miyazaki beef chateaubriand with confit garlic, wasabi apple sauce and chanterelles. I don’t think I even have to say anything about this one. Just look at the photo. Then, imagine having it with potato gnocchi covered with truffles, also pictured. I think I’ve made my point.

The feast ended with some sorbet, and bitter chocolate mousse, caramelized avocado, olive oil, sea salt. The bold combination of the lightly cooked avocado and chocolate mousse, served with the thinnest toasts of French bread, was almost a whole other sweet feast on its own (it’s supposed to serve 2-4 people) but hard to stop dipping into; so rich but so clean-tasting and delicious.

Creating the structure of your dinner with the advice of the attentive staff like I did does seem to be the best way to get the full enjoyment of the flexible service style of the Andaz, but if you’re not in the mood to fuss around, there’s a 5 or 4 course set menu, which can also be had with wine pairing. You still might want to check if the course includes the burrata though, and if it doesn’t, ask for it. I’m sure they’ll happily handle your request.

Andaz Tavern 51st floor of the Andaz Tokyo 1-23-4, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Tel: 03-6830-7739

OPENING HOURS Breakfast 6:30 – 10:30 Lunch 11:30 – 15:00 Dinner 18:00 – 22:00

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