Tokyo Underground

Warning : for Explicit Language and unadulterated Food Porn

It's not too often one gets to take a peak into the high-life of the Tokyo underground. But I was fortunate enough to be invited to a private club in the Akasaka district of Tokyo for a night of epic gastronomic adventure. I should actually rephrase that... It was more of a night of bourgeois lifestyle.

I was instructed to meet my contact at the corner of a very public tourist attraction... then escorted into the tiny alley ways of the adjacent residential neighborhood.
Once 2-3 minutes into the maze like alleyway, I spotted a little lantern atop of a railing. We proceeded to walk down 2 flights of stairs and into a mysterious dark lair where the sweet scent of cuban cigars lingered over the open bar kitchen.
I was immediately greeted by a beautiful hostess and seated at the chef's corner. My contact, whom I will call "Mr. S" is a man in his early 40s and clearly enjoys the finer things in life.
Our chef, whom I will call "Mr. K" is a 20 year veteran of the kitchen and has served men such as President Clinton and Chef Joel Robuchon.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited for the night to unfold.
Yah, you may hear about these experiences from friends of friends... and if you're lucky, Bourdain or some other dude on TV will get to film it, but I was living it! That's a score for the Dudesonfoods!

My host and I started with some small dishes to wet the palate. Pan seared crisped smoked cheese, a variety of shiozuke (cured seafoods), raw oyster shooters, then bam! Shirako!
I've had shirako (cod milt) a few times before and it's always been "good". This was out of the world AWESOME!


It was milky, eggy, and garnished with scallions and smoked sesame seeds. The ponzu sauce was stronger than usual (which I appreciated), and over all, an amazingly balanced and delicious dish.
You don't get this caliber of shirako even at top restaurants in Tokyo. I was very impressed with this dish.


Then we moved to some quick nigiri sushi.
A flight of 3 different nigiris came out. 2 were white fish cured in MaKonbu leaves to impart not only the flavor of the sea, but also the transferal of umami to the protein. Spectacular.
The third was a piece of toro that came from the Sea of Japan.
The sinews were carefully removed, leaving only the best "melt in your mouth" piece of fish you will ever have prepared.
Another joyous milestone of the 4 hour meal.


Then came the wagyu short-rib skewers grilled over Japanese Binchotan. The short ribs were cleverly cut so that the customer would also be able to enjoy the tender tendons of the wagyu beef.
What can I say... A5 grade Sendai wagyu short ribs, grilled over 1400 degrees of not only thermal but infrared heat, smoked by it's own oils and served right in front of you. Doesn't get better than that.
Magnifico!!!


Now here's where it gets interesting.
I've heard of intermezzos during an opera, and maybe a 7th inning stretch during a ballgame... but FUCKEN Cuban Cigars to relax and digest so that you can eat more later ?!
This was completely not expected, but graciously welcomed.


Mr. K is also known for his extensive collection of fine aged cuban cigars.
We asked what his most prized possession was, and he said it was a 90 year old aged cigar that probably would make a grown man cum in his pants. This was just outrageous. 90 years! 90 years!

That night, we puffed on some Partagas Cubano Serie D No. 4 that were clearly aged more than 2 years.
This was a moment that not too many people share. First of all, as an American, to get your hands on Cubans is one thing... Then for it to be a reserve label is another. Then on top of that, for it to be specially aged in a humidor that probably costs more than most people's cars is just over the top amazing.
I have never had such a smooth cigar in my life. It made me think what I've been smoking all this time. And to just say it was smooth wouldn't be doing it justice. This cigar was not only smooth, but slightly sweet. You're lips were left with the feeling you just kissed a 20 year old girl.
The draw was perfect, and the smoke had hints of dark vanilla and young oak.
Needless to say, I was feeling pretty damn good during our little intermezzo.
Oh, and did I mention this was paired with a single malt scotch that had a hint of homemade yuzu confiture. The citric essence enhanced the sweetness of the smoke, while the smokey nature of the scotch was the perfect platform for this once in a lifetime robusto.


So our 7th inning stretch came to an end and our next dish came out.
It was a play on an old Japanese dish called Oyakodon.
But instead of chicken, Mr. K used ground up wagyu meat and made it into a meatloaf souffle. It was fluffy with big flavor.

After this quick rice dish, a wagyu beef tongue stew came next.
Mr. K said he slowly stewed the tongue for days in one pot and made a separate vegetable based brown sauce to serve. You could taste the essence of a good mirepoix in the brown sauce.


And finally, the coup de grâce was a Truffled Foie Gras Risotto Omelette. Quite possibly my favorite risotto dish of all time.
This was Mr. K's signature dish and not only Billy Clinton, but also Joel Robuchon are fans of this dish.
Now I've had my fare share of Foie Gras and Truffles in my time, but this was one of those simple dishes that epitomizes what a great dish is.
The dish itself is greater than the sum of each ingredient.
Harmony, Balance, and Power.... These 3 elements were elevated to a higher level.

I know not too many people get to dine like this and it's a tremendous honor to have dined at Mr. K's counter.
So last but not least... I thank and salute Mr. K and Mr. S for one of the most memorable meals of my life. Bravo.

Sante et Bon Vivant!!!