Chugokusai Zen Raku Bou

Well-loved by locals, Chugokusai Zen Raku Bou is an establishment that has cemented its place in the neighborhood of Kagurazaka — for good reason. While Kagurazaka has a reputation for charming but expensive eateries, this restaurant stands out by offering mouthwatering delicious Chinese dishes at affordable prices. This earned it a Bib Gourmand award in 2016, after just three years of operations. Chugokusai Zen Raku Bou gives visitors the choice between an a la carte menu and — the more popular option — an omakase course menu. Interestingly, those who opt for the omakase course menu can also specify their budget range, giving the chef the liberty to tailor the menu to offer more expensive or cheaper options accordingly. “A balanced diet, a healthy body”: this is the motto of Zen Raku Bou’s owner-chef Hanzawa Tomoya. Cutting back on fats and oils while making heavy use of fresh vegetables in his menu offerings, he even goes so far as to incorporate chlorella algae — a nutrient-rich superfood gaining popularity in contemporary cuisine — into the dough of the restaurant’s signature noodles, giving them a characteristic green tinge. Chef Tomoya’s agnostic approach to the school of cuisine — not basing his fare entirely on Sichuan, Taiwanese, Cantonese or any of the other dozens of Chinese culinary traditions, but taking inspiration from each of them — lets Zen Raku Bou occupy a space in the culinary canon that is entirely its own. Michelin Guide: 2016 - Bib Gourmand