Tokuyama

Nishiazabu is known as a vibrant nightlife district where stressed out office workers let their hair down over a drink or ten. Flourishing among the izakaya and karaoke bars is a flourishing gourmet scene, of which this kaiseki restaurant is an important part. Since 1967, Tokuyama has been serving up exciting, seasonal Japanese cuisine in their basement establishment. They were among the first places in Tokyo to serve fugu (Japanese pufferfish) at the counter, which they continued to do every winter to this day. This gives diners the chance to try this quintessentially Japanese dish without the formality of a full fugu set meal. The presentation of the dishes — most of which are steamed or charcoal grilled — might seem simple, but the flavors are anything but. The dashi soup stock, an underpinning theme here, is carefully calculated and mixed to achieve a perfect taste combination. This serves as the base for dishes such as grilled fish with miso, hot pots, and deep-fried pufferfish. With 18 counter seats and a table of four, Tokuyama is on the larger side for kappo restaurants, meaning that it’s one of the most accessible entry points to fine Japanese dining in the capital.