Yuta_0911
■Access: 4 minutes walk from Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
■First visit
■Purpose: Dinner with friends
■Overview: Beautiful restaurant known for its innovative Thai-based cuisine, spearheaded by the gourmet expert Mr. Bia. Originally opened in Ginza, it relocated to Roppongi in 2022. It's a popular spot among food enthusiasts where you can encounter unknown deliciousness in a refined setting.
■Menu: Only one course available, the chef's special course (26,500 yen). You can enjoy a full course of new Thai cuisine made with luxurious ingredients. We also opted for the wine pairing (14,000 yen) along with the course. The dishes we enjoyed are as follows:
- Hair crab, foie gras, corn
- Alfonsino, clams, mantis shrimp, matsutake mushrooms
- Goby fish, Sichuan pepper, star anise, Japanese pepper
- Sea cucumber, Thai herbal medicine
- Black abalone, osmanthus
- Conger eel, matsutake mushrooms, Pla Nung Manao sauce
- Wagyu beef, caviar, Nam Tok sauce
- Tuna, summer truffle
- Two types of curry (world's best curry, green curry)
- Kanom Piek Poon
- Freshly made ice cream, truffle
- Wine pairing with 9 different wines
■Impressions: I've been curious about the beautiful restaurant, Meikai, since it opened in Ginza, as it has been highly praised by food enthusiasts. Thanks to a friend's reservation and invitation, I finally had the opportunity to visit. I had the preconception that Thai cuisine might be divisive due to its bold spices, but I was pleasantly surprised by the mind-blowing dining experience that completely overturned that notion. The dish that left the biggest impression on me that day was the Nam Tok. It featured a hamburger made with Wagyu beef fillet and sirloin, topped generously with caviar, and paired with Nam Tok, a Thai herb salad. The robust umami of the Wagyu beef, the luxurious saltiness and aroma of the caviar, and the refreshing touch of the Nam Tok created a perfect balance. Rather than forcing Thai cuisine elements, they were skillfully integrated to achieve the optimal deliciousness, resulting in outstanding dishes. The wine pairing was also excellent, offering a variety of rare wines that complemented the dishes well. It was a flawless lineup that created a synergistic effect without overshadowing the impactful dishes. I look forward to visiting again as the seasons change. Thank you for the wonderful meal.
■Rating at the time of visit: 4.07