Reaching at Japan at around 9pm plus means that we (my sister and me) just need a quick dinner at any obvious choice and then retreat to our rooms to unpack, unwind and get ready for tomorrow.
So Hanagoyomi is the obvious choice since the restaurant is right beside the check-in counter of Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo. With a sense of adventure venturing into the unknown, we step into this elegant restaurant full of zen vibes.
And I am so pleasantly surprised by how good the food here is. The taste is light yet full of flavours, exactly how I like it. A nice dinner here makes me so hopeful of what’s to come during my food adventures in Japan. This is a very good start.
The service during dinner is so outstanding. She is so polite, professional and goes the extra mile to follow us to the lift to bid us farewell. I feel so pampered by this special gesture.
Claypot Rice with Seafood is a must-try. I love the contrast of textures between wok hei and starchy rice soaked with thickened broth and egg drop. This is full of light briny sweetness. First trying Japanese rice dish in this form and I love it.
The Tamago served is so jiggy and fluffy. The best part is that the taste is light yet full of subtle flavours. I'm so surprised by its taste that a seeningly simple tamago can actually taste different from all the ones I had in Singapore.
Good sashimi where the maguro has no hint of fishy smell, which is an indication that it is fresh.
Japanese Sake Cake is moist, light, fluffy with the light hint of bitter sweetness of sake. Lovely dessert.
And the morning buffet here is awesome, with good variety from shabu shabu, western style breakfast, Japanese traditional breakfast and various small dishes, like smoked duck, tamago, tempura prawn, etc.
I especially love pouring Grated Yam onto Japanese Koshihikari starchy rice, topped with a dab of Hanayogomi’s specialty shiso sauce and then wrapped in seaweed paper. The result is umami with different textures from the crispy seaweed, sticky and slippery grated yam to smooth fluffy rice.
The shabu shabu is great too since there is such a huge variety of fresh vegetables and mushrooms available for choosing. And some are not found anywhere in Singapore’s supermarkets. And the shabu shabu sauces provided are also unique and delicious.
This restaurant is definitely a must-visit if staying in the hotel or nearby.
Japan, 〒103-0028 Tokyo, Chuo City, Yaesu, 1 Chome−3−22 15階
