Cookpad Inc., Shirokanedai クックパッド、白金台

Tokyoeater and I recently attended a cook-up at the HQ of Cookpad Inc., to celebrate and give feedback on their recently launched international site.

Although most Japanese are aware of Cookpad, for my foreign reader (hi mum) the Cookpad site is a place where Joe Public can upload his recipes – complete with hastily snapped photos – and share cooking techniques with all who care to listen.

The beauty of site is that it's not always beautiful. Or rather, the content is not. It’s real, raw and often unpolished. The quality of cooking, culinary creativity and photographic proficiency can at times leave much to be desired. As such Cookpad offers a real taste of everyday cooking by everyday people.

To date the new international site is a little bare, but will blossom and perhaps even become as popular as the Japanese iteration.

Anyway, back to the cook-up!

A diverse group of strangers were invited to share an evening of wine and cooking in Cookpad’s spacious multi-user kitchen. Each had been asked to bring a “secret” ingredient, and yet had no idea what they’d be cooking on the night.

As it turned out, after being put into teams, we were supplied with the basic ingredients (and instructions) for gyōza (Chinese dumplings). Each team was to create a batch of standard dumplings and another batch incorporating the secret ingredients brought be participating “chefs.”

Fun was had and a mess made. Although the quality of cooking varied widely, overall it was a good effort. My team’s “Italian gyōza,” however, were far too soggy.

When all were done in the kitchen the gyōza were sampled and a winner decided upon. The glory went to none other than our own Tokyoeater for his ketchup and curry powder infused dumplings. Bravo!

http://cookpad.com/

http://cookpad.it/

Harajuku Gyōza Rō, Jingumae 原宿餃子楼、神宮前

Recently the old side street off Omotesando in which Harajuku Gyōza Rō resides (next to Kaffir Lime) has become much changed. Back in the day my dining partners from the old country and I wasted inordinate amounts of time in the bars and tabehōdai shabu-shabu joints that once lined the opposite side of the street. Alas, they are no more. Replaced with “enterprise spaces” of glass and steel – still vacant – for some time now.

After a hiatus of several years, a recent visit to Gyōza Rō, was somewhat disappointing.

My dining partner and I queued for twenty minutes or so, as is customary. Once seated we become duly excited, took in the bold, brash menu, downed a couple of beers and enjoyed watching the bustle and steam in the open kitchen around which we were seated.

By the time our lunch arrived – sui and fried gyōza stuffed with Chinese chives and garlic, rice (poor) and soup (uninspired) – our expectations had been raised to such levels that, truth be told, the ensuing disappointment (the dumplings being neither bold nor brash) should have been expected.

The draft beer was as usual, but these days anything over ¥400 seems like robbery. The food was cheap, “no frills” and tasty, but if memory serves (which it most likely does not) has suffered a serious decline in terms of volume over the years. The dumplings' filling was less robust and meaty than I remember.

It's still worth a visit, and a place to show visitors. Ultimately, however, the gyōza here are not a patch on those prepared at Ueno’s Shoryū 2, and to one for years spoiled with homemade dumplings, barely worth reporting.

03-3406-4743

Seikōen, Shinbashi 正香園、新橋

Seikōen is a chain of Chinese restaurants scattered across traditional salaryman haunts such as Nihonbashi, Tokyo/ Yaesu, Tamachi and Kōjimachi.

They offer a broad menu of “classic” dishes on a canvas of simple, worn interiors and an even more basic concept of service.

The evening of my visit to one of the Shinbashi establishments was marked by rain, and chill winds from the north. 

As such Seikōen – despite its obvious shortcomings – seemed more welcoming than it really is. At least, that is, until my dining partners and I “enjoyed” the friendly service.

And exploding beer glasses…

Luckily, the company of such Tokyo luminaries as Xinlong89 and Tokyoheadhunter, among others, rendered the meal itself secondary to the company.

Respect to Xinlong89 for the deal received – ¥3,000 for three hours of all we could eat and drink. Shame the "spicy" dishes were not really that spicy.

Although, truth be told, the staff seemed somewhat put out at the gusto with which we sought to enjoy the privilege.

Better than a family restaurant? Certainly.

Quality Chinese cuisine? Not on your nelly!

The gyōza - of all things - were actually enjoyable. 

It is what is... Cheap, cheerful (despite the décor) and filling.

The fried rice, perhaps inevitably, went down rather well. 

As did the spring rolls. 

Tel: 03-3593-1658

Web: seikouen-cn.com 

Cardenas Chinois, Hiroo 広尾

Another night, another nomihodai deal. This time served up a ten minutes stroll down Meiji Dori from Ebisu station at Hiroo’s Cardenas Chinois. Having been recommended to visit by a couple of esteemed colleagues with formidable knowledge of Tokyo dining, I felt assured of a decent meal, and couldn’t wait to get stuck into what had been described as an extremely generous nomihodai selection of drinks.

The décor was fairly pleasant; modern, dark, warm wood and yellowish low level lighting. On the evening of my visit customers were thin on the ground, no doubt because most folk were busy with O-hanami. Upon being seated, the young besuited waiter promptly explained the food and drink menus. The food menu offered an amuse followed by a selection of fusion dishes to choose from for the appetiser 1, appetiser 2, main dish, and desert served with coffee. The drink menu provided a selection of vodka, gin and rum based cocktails, (pedestrian) wines red and white, sparkling wine, beer, and others beverages that now escape me, from which my dining partner and I were free to order at will for a couple of hours.

So, four courses and unlimited drinks for ¥4,500. Things could have been worse. The time limit on the nomihodai function can be extended by 30 minutes for ¥500, should you feel so inclined.

After swigging two or three glasses of the sparkling wine, we then proceeded to work through one of the reds. My glass was, happily, replenished the moment it became empty. Indeed, throughout the course of the evening the waiter was more than happy to swiftly take (and serve) our drink orders.

An amuse of carrot puree with dry bread, drizzled with olive oil, set the meal off. For the first appetiser I had small slices of duck, while my dining partner tucked into a good-sized heap of Chinese chicken salad. Both were tasty enough, and the salad was actually rather filling. The duck, however, left me wishing for more. Never a nice feeling.

These were followed by pasta. A thimble full. Tasty as it was, it barely provided two mouthfuls. If, like me, you are of the opinion that pasta should only ever be served in 500g portions (or multiples thereof), you’ll understand how frustrating trying to eke out this part of the meal was.

The main course, although still not big enough for my liking, went some way to making up for the miserly serving of pasta. My nicely seared, pink, succulent Auzzie steak was delicious. Unfortunately the mashed potato that accompanied it was nothing short of foul. I’d bet good money that it started the evening as a packet of ready mix. My dining partner had opted for the seafood risotto. Again, a bit on the small side, but tasty, especially the little shrimp.

Tiring of the wine, we proceeded to make short work of half a dozen G&Ts, which somehow went rather well with the cheesecake and chocolate cake, served with a few pieces of fruit and cream (foam), we had selected for desert.

For the price, especially considering the unlimited access to the booze, one can’t really complain. The meal was enjoyable, being cooked and presented well enough, with plenty of choice on the menu. My main gripe is that everything was just a little too much on the small side.

Atmosphere, air (non-smoking) and service were both fine, especially when the surrounding tables filled up a bit. Reasonable mix of clientele, perhaps weighted toward dating couples. Overall, an enjoyable evening’s drinking with dainty culinary highlights.

Tel: 03-5447-1287

Web: http://www.cardenas.co.jp/chinois/

Hakuhou, Yokohama China Town 白鳳、横浜中華街

Yokohama’s China Town increasingly seems nothing more than a theme park. Great fun for a tourist on their first visit, but having seen it once they will have seen it all. There is, however, a good reason to make return visits - food. Hundreds of Chinese eateries ranging from simple noodle or dumpling vendors, a plethora of nikuman shops, to more elaborate, ostentatious restaurants. Weekends and holidays witness crowded streets as visitors sample the delicacies on offer in China Town, one of the few places in which the Japanese seem happy to eat in the street.

On a recent visit, after having tried some nikuman from a street vendor I found myself still hungry and wandering the side streets trying to decode on a restaurant from among the bewildering array of establishments offering a variety of set lunch courses. Previous experience had taught me to trust in the good taste of others. If a place has a crowd, especially a Chinese crowd, and, even better, a long queue outside too, then it’s probably worth trying. A relatively small restaurant, clean and simple interior with Chinese prints and paintings adorning the walls and traditional music playing in the background, Hakuhou was busy, but not with Chinese 

In addition to the main menu a selection of cheap lunch sets were available ranging from 900 to 980 yen. My dining partner and I went for the B and C sets, both for 980 yen. Both were certainly excellent value for money, with good portions, especially the huge serving of boiled rice, and were reasonably tasty, if not outstanding. The chicken soup was perhaps a little bland, and the large plate of prawns (Set C) in sweet and sour sauce too sweet. Having been deterred by the vibrant orange of the prawn dish I had, thankfully, ordered the shredded pork (Set B) with green pepper, carrot and onion. Tasty

enough for the price but, again, hardly inspiring. The gyōza were rather thin. The meal ended with the usual gelatinous desert.

So, to recap, a set lunch consists of soup, rice, main dish, gyōza and desert all for less than 1,000 yen. The food is not bad, it is what it is. Drinks, we had beer and tea, are slightly over-priced. Service is polite enough and fairly prompt, although we waited for our second plate of gyōza too long, the atmosphere relaxed and the place itself clean. Overall, a decent enough basic lunch at budget prices.

Tel: 045-226-3355