車谷
The restaurant is located on the 2nd basement floor of the Hibiya Central Building next to Hibiya City, Tokyo. I remember it being in the basement of the building across Hibiya Street over a decade ago. This time, I used it for a meal with an old friend who worked nearby. We arrived at the restaurant around 6 pm. Upon entering, we were greeted by three waitresses at the entrance. The interior of the restaurant, designed in a tea ceremony style, gives off a calm and sophisticated vibe, like a hidden retreat for adults. The room we were led to was a spacious tatami room with a sunken kotatsu table and a tokonoma alcove. It was a luxurious experience for the two of us. The room had separate armrests on the zabuton cushions, making us feel like lords. The lower half of the room's sliding doors were made of glass, allowing us to see the movement in the corridor while maintaining privacy. This design was clearly intended for business entertainment purposes. We ordered the sukiyaki course that my friend had requested when making the reservation. To celebrate our reunion, we toasted with a half-and-half draft beer. The meal started with a small appetizer of boiled komatsuna greens, which was delicious with a rich broth. As we chatted, the next dishes arrived: a seaweed and white fish vinegar dish, and a simmered dish assortment with vegetables, bamboo shoots, shrimp, and squid. We opted for sake to accompany the meal. Considering the cold weather, we thought about having hot sake, but the waitress recommended cold sake as they had a wider selection. We chose a premium junmai ginjo sake called "Kokuryu" from Fukui. It was served in a clear tokkuri and had a fruity taste similar to a daiginjo. It paired well with the sashimi. The waitresses observed the progress of our meal through the glass part of the sliding doors and entered the room at the perfect timing. Their professional service was impeccable. With our appetites settled, the sukiyaki pot was brought to the table, along with beef, tofu, shirataki noodles, and vegetables in a small box. The main sukiyaki dish began, with the waitress cooking the ingredients in front of us and serving them in a small dish with beaten egg. The meat was tender and melted in our mouths. We savored the flavor of the fat while sipping on the spicy "Oroku" junmai sake from Shimane, ensuring it didn't overpower the sukiyaki. It was heavenly. The dish was so delicious that we ordered an extra serving of beef. We enjoyed pouring the Oroku sake generously and were completely satisfied. For the final course, we had rice, red miso soup, and a dessert of red bean paste and vanilla ice cream. It was a feast. Sukiyaki Kaiseki Maya [9 courses] Appetizer Seasonal vegetables Sashimi Premium beef Rice Red miso soup Pickles Dessert