Maeda-san presides over his five fork restaurant
Last night we had the good fortune to get a last minute seating (hooray for cancellations!) at Ristorante Amoroso, a swank, Italian restaurant around the corner from Kagurazaka. We’ve been told “It’s the best meal you’ll eat this week/this year/ever” but such praise seemed overblown.
But it was the best meal I’ve eaten all year - probably the best meal I’ve ever enjoyed in Tokyo. Here was our menu - all chef’s choice, made fresh in front of us by Maeda-sensei with a fair bit of tasting, frowning and adjusting as he went.
Serrano ham and dried persimmon
Kyoto carrot mousse with sea salt and olive oil
Hand smoked chicken, and liver pate
Stewed tripe with tomato
Cream of seafood soup seasoned with ginger
Homemade tagliatelle with tomato, crab and anise
Pan seared Iberico pork with porcini, mashed potatoes and turnip
Chocolate-rosemary mousse topped with salt and olive oil
Each course was more stunning than the last. Maeda-san has a true talent for marrying contrasting textures and flavors into a dining experience.
He’s a sommelier, too. He paired all the dishes with exactly the right wines - a simple champagne with the starters followed by a raisin-y Valpolicella, a glass of white for the soup, another completely different red, and a French version of grappa. No wonder my head is feeling quite a bit precious today.
