Mystery Critic

Overall    Food    Service    Ambience    Value

First of all, I DID NOT go there because I'm a follower of GW Bush, who had yakitori there back in 2002 (see news here) so DON'T label Mr. Mystery Critic as a pro-war hawk!  It's just one of the things that drew my attention, and boy, this place certainly deserves attention at a very crowded restaurant scene in Tokyo, particularly around the Roppongi area.

FOOD

There's simply too much good food in Tokyo, so why this tourist trap??  Because everything they would bring in front of you is GOOD.  It's mostly traditonal Japanese with a minor fusion swist - but I would still categorize it as classic Japanese.  For Texans (like Mr. Prez), grilled skewers of beef, chicken and mushrooms are must-haves.  For diehard Japanese food fanatics, starter home-made tofu and soba (cold) noodles shouldn't be missed.  For don't-know-what-to-orders, just get everything from each category on the menu and you won't be too disappointed. 

If you like Sake and Shoju, let the bartender know and he will whip up some nasty cocktail for you, like a green tea - shoju mix.  Don't under-estimate these drinks - just because they don't smell like Vodka doesn't mean they won't knock you out after a few.

SERVICE

The service is the usual Japanese-style attentive and pleasant, but that would typically win a casual restaurant four smileies, not five.  So what gave them the extra smiley?  Alright, what do you notice if you click on the link above to Gonpachi.  ENGLISH.  That's right, from bartenders to waitresses, English is spoken here.  Even the cute little bus girls speak some English!  Ordering was easy, you actually get your beef medium rare, and no wrong cocktails served ("didn't I ask for shaken not stirred??" is not heard here).

AMBIENCE

If you can imagine a strange blend of American-style bar and Japanese tea house, that's what you get here.  Meticulously Japanese yet not so traditional - it defines the food but also the decor.  It's cool - very cool, yet the atmosphere is definitively hot too because of the yelling waiters and lively crowd.  That's right, no black suits here, just fun-seeking people from all around the world.

VALUE

Value is not one of their strenghts, even though it's by no means the most ridiculously priced joint I've seen in Tokto.  I mean, what do you expect in a restaurant half-filled with expats and non-Japanese but offering great Japanese food and drinks?  An American stomach will take about 8000 yens to fill up.  If you plan on having dessert in Roppongi, maybe you can get out half hungry under 5000 yen.

FINAL WORD

Nishi Azabu is near Roppongi Hill, which makes it an ideal place to take a break from that huge piece of steel and glass.  They also have a few other locations - so be sure to check out their website and find out which one is convenience for you.