Sonoji

Tempura innovation is the name of the game at this Nihonbashi restaurant. Owner and chef Toshiyuki Suzuki comes from a family of soba-makers who run a restaurant in his Shizuoka hometown. After graduating from culinary school he worked at the family soba shop for 7 years before flying the nest to pursue his love of tempura in Tokyo. His Michelin-starred store enjoys echoes of Suzuki-san’s upbringing in the world class soba, made with buckwheat from his home prefecture, which he serves to accompany his fried goods — an innovative serving style on the tempura scene. As much as possible, he likes to source his ingredients from Shizuoka to bring the natural grandeur of this territory — home to Mt. Fuji — to every plate. This means seafood from Suruga Bay, carrots grown by Shizuoka’s farmers, venison from its forests, and tamatori mushrooms from its mountain foothills.