东京 | Tokyo: Sensory Overload!

There is so much we can learn from everything that’s already been written about Tokyo’s culinary DNA. Still, nothing comes close to experiencing it first hand. Tokyo is a city in constant motion, ever-evolving, changing and adapting to the dynamic and demanding palates of its inhabitants and visitors.

Over the course of a weekend, we at THE HYVE® were able to take inspiration from distinctly unique experiences. Our journey kicked off perfectly with a refreshing glass of "welcome" sake in the traditions of a typical Japanese guess house, ryokan, at Hoshinoya Tokyo. Our host complimented the delicate, sparkling glass of sake with thin rice crackers, marinated radishes and a caramelizingly sweet, fermented miso paste.

As the cherry blossoms start to bloom, THE HYVE® ventured deep into the gastronomic heart of Tokyo to expand our palettes, refine our craft and find inspiration for the 2018 season, mixing classic, fine dining with back alley, host kitchens.

Our first dinner was at Usukifugu Yamadaya in Tokyo's chic Roppongi Hills district. Chef Yoshio Kusakabe directed a faultlessly symphonic performance by the star of the show: the fugu. In the most impressive fashion, THE HYVE® experienced a truly comprehensive and exhilerating exploration of the famed, venomous creature. Chef Kusakabe opened the performance with a delicate display of fine knife skills with fugu sashimi, served with fresh Japanese chives, chili paste, fresh yuzu and monkfish liver pâté. To followup, we tasted succulent yet simply grilled fugu filet and tender fried fugu tempura. The meal then ventured into another traditional Japanese culinary technique: shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ) in which raw meat is cooked rapidly in stock infused with kombu at a gentle, rolling boil. To finish off, we were treated to rice porridge complimented with flavorful, congealed fugu stock. Perfection.

THE HYVE® had our final dinner in the back alleys of the bustling Shinjuku district. On the menu: yakitori which literally means chicken cooked on skewers. The term has evolved to encapsulate the entirely distinct style of cooking fresh foods on a wooden skewer over hot coal. Shinjuku is know for its blatant and enticing assault on the senses: visual, auditory, olfactory... and we hopped into the first yakitori kitchen that had some empty seats, which was not an easy feat. Dinner was served in omakase style as is the convention in this area. Omakase is the concept of dining in which the diner is served dishes entirely at the discretion of the chef, to ensure optimal freshness and seasonality. We were treated to chicken meatballs, juicy pork belly and aromatic baby leeks. Simple and delicious.

The perfect cap off to this Tokyo trip was but of course the 2017 Tokyo Marathon! We successfully navigated 42.195 kilometers across the big city, passing through Shinjuku, Ginza, the Imperial Palaces, Shibuya and many more. Until next time, Tokyo!