TASTE TOKYO’S FINE DINING SCENE

04/06/2023

Japanese cuisine was the star of Sal DiBenedetto’s time in Japan. Seeking out fine-dining experiences was of particular interest, leading the foodie to premium locations known for their creative presentations of Japanese classics.

Seeking to experience the best of Japanese hospitality, Sal booked stays at some of Tokyo’s finest establishments.

“I stayed at two incredible hotels in Tokyo. The first was The Edition in Toranomon and then I also stayed at The Four Seasons in Marunouchi. Both of those were top-of-the-line experiences — with The Edition being a bit more sexy, chic, and edgy.”

“At The Edition, you have the Jade Room. It’s Michelin-starred and offers a tasting menu. You can do a wine pairing of all Japanese wines, which I thought was really great to experience because I’m a big wine guy, so being able to kind of like taste reds and whites from all around Japan and pairing it with food was a very cool experience.”

“The Four Seasons was essentially the pinnacle of Tokyo hospitality. You know, it doesn’t get better than that, five stars across the board. They have a restaurant called EST, which is a Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s a blending of French and Japanese cuisine with a truly great chef. They also have Virtue, a bar with absolutely incredible views of Tokyo and is considered to be one of the world’s 50 best bars.”

At Tokyo’s Hakkoku, Sal tasted fugu, or puffer fish. Dangerous if not prepared correctly — but Sal experienced the freshly-made sushi as decadent.

“Golden Gai, which are these little streets with all different types of bars. They’re all very intimate, with little countertops. There’s just room for the bartender and maybe five people, so you have to squish into them. I went during the day and was able to get into one of the bars. I wound up hanging out with some locals and they recommended their favorite ramen place. They walked us to the spot and we had a really fantastic ramen experience.”

“Japan reopened my eyes to global culture. I hadn’t traveled outside of the Western Hemisphere since before the pandemic, so it was really interesting to go so far overseas and see the world. It reinspired me to travel, see new things, and experience new cultures.”

Seeking to experience the best of Japanese hospitality, Sal booked stays at some of Tokyo’s finest establishments.

At Tokyo’s Hakkoku, Sal tasted fugu, or puffer fish. Dangerous if not prepared correctly — but Sal experienced the freshly-made sushi as decadent.