Tofuya Ukai Explained

Tofuya Ukai
Established:2005
Current-Owner:Ukai group
Head-Chef:Takeshi Kikuchi[1]
Food-Type:Japanese,tofu
Street-Address:4-4-13 Shiba-koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo
City:Minato, Tokyo
Postcode:105-0011
Country:Japan
Coordinates:35.6574°N 139.7454°W35.65742835048912, 139.74538535296645
Reservations:Required

Tofuya Ukai is a luxury tofu restaurant in Minato, Tokyo, located near Tokyo Tower. It is part of the Ukai group chain of restaurants.

Building and ambience

The restaurant is inspired from the Edo period and includes a traditional Japanese garden with Japanese maple trees (Momiji), a waterfall and a carp pond.[2] Tofuya Ukai occupies the premises of a 200-year-old former sake brewery transplanted from Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture, and still keeps the sake brewing vats.[3] Waitresses wear hakamas and guests seat on tatamis.[4] The restaurant has 55 private rooms furnished in traditional zashiki-style with tatami mats, screens and windows with translucent paper, and leg wells under the table called horigotatsu.

According to architect Makoto Yamaguchi, Tofuya Ukai has Tokyo Tower as its shakkei, which means borrowed scenery or neighboring textures.[5]

Tofuya Ukai is a high-end restaurant, priced accordingly. On 19 April 2017 Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Japan's Princess Hisako of Takamado had dinner in the restaurant.[6]

Food

Dishes are served in the refined kaiseki stye, full course traditional Japanese cuisine. Fresh tofu is delivered daily from its own workshop in the Okutama mountains, made from Hokkaido beans.[7] Ukai offers a variety of seasonal tasting menus, including meat-based and vegetarian courses.[8] The signature dish is warm tofu served in a dashi-seasoned soy milk.[9]

Reception

According to Condé Nast Traveler, Tofuya Ukai is: "A shrine to all things tofu, often rendered in ways you never imagined. A lunch here is delicious but lengthy—be prepared to spend at least three hours. The location—a traditional house with private tatami-floored rooms overlooking a carp pond—is as beautiful as the food".[10] According to Butterfield & Robinson's The Slow Road Luxury Travel Blog, Tofuya Ukai is among Tokyo's best restaurants.[11] The Lonely Planet guide describes Tofuya Ukai as "One of Tokyo's most gracious restaurants".[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Yue . Ma . 2019-07-12 . Explorative spirit is the secret to Japanese cuisine . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812131215/https://www.shine.cn/feature/taste/1907128310/ . 2024-08-12 . 2024-08-12 . Shine News . en.
  2. Web site: Peters . Joe . 2012-09-23 . Tofuya Ukai - Minato, Tokyo . https://web.archive.org/web/20240814155859/https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/tofuya-ukai/2585 . 2024-08-14 . 2024-08-14 . JapanTravel . en.
  3. Web site: Swinnerton . Robbie . 2007-06-15 . Tofuya Ukai: Below the Tower a Garden of Edo . https://web.archive.org/web/20240811223521/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2007/06/15/food/tofuya-ukai-below-the-tower-a-garden-of-edo/ . 2024-08-11 . 2024-08-11 . The Japan Times . en.
  4. Book: Péchiodat, Fany . Soul of Tokyo . Péchiodat . Amandine . Bancerek . Iwonka . Jonglez . 2019 . 978-2-36195-322-5 . Mathé . Clémence . 49 . es . Peyrelongue . Patricia.
  5. Web site: Yamaguchi . Makoto . Kumon . Kentaro . 27 October 2021 . Duo's Journey: Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai . https://web.archive.org/web/20240816125151/https://www.shakkei.jp/en/duosjourney/destination/tokyo_shiba-ukai.html . 2024-08-16 . 2024-08-16 . Shakkei: Neighbouring Textures.
  6. Web site: 2017-04-19 . Princess Victoria attended a dinner at Tofuya Ukai Restaurant . https://web.archive.org/web/20240816124252/https://www.newmyroyals.com/2017/04/princess-victoria-attended-dinner-at.html . 2024-08-16 . 2024-08-16 . Newmyroyals.
  7. Web site: Miles . Jade . 2020-03-28 . Refined Kaiseki and Stunning Gardens at Tofuya Ukai . https://web.archive.org/web/20230203010754/https://japanjourneys.jp/tokyo/dining/restaurants/tofuya-ukai/ . 2023-02-03 . 2024-08-11 . Japan Journeys . en-AU.
  8. Web site: Betts . Nano . 2017-12-22 . Tofuya Ukai: A Dining Oasis Underneath Tokyo Tower . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812132111/https://savvytokyo.com/tofuya-ukai-dining-oasis-underneath-tokyo-tower/ . 2024-08-12 . 2024-08-12 . Savvy Tokyo . en-US.
  9. Web site: Che . Jennifer . 2018-09-05 . Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai - Tofu Kaiseki at the foot of Tokyo Tower . https://web.archive.org/web/20240814160959/https://tinyurbankitchen.com/tokyo-shiba-tofuya-ukai-kaiseki-tokyo-tower/ . 2024-08-14 . 2024-08-14 . Tiny Urban Kitchen . en-US.
  10. Web site: Tofuya Ukai . https://web.archive.org/web/20240811223949/https://www.cntraveler.com/restaurants/tokyo/tofuya-ukai-tokyo . 2024-08-11 . 2024-08-11 . Condé Nast Traveler . en-US.
  11. Web site: Kako . Orsolya . 2013-12-03 . Insider's Guide: 6 of Tokyo's Best Restaurants . https://web.archive.org/web/20240811230655/https://www.butterfield.com/get-inspired/tokyo-restaurants . 2024-08-11 . 2024-08-11 . The Slow Road Luxury Travel Blog . en.
  12. Book: Milner, Rebecca . Lonely Planet's Best of Tokyo . O'Malley . Thomas . Richmond . Simon . Lonely Planet . 2019 . 9781787015494 . 3rd . 138.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Tofuya Ukai".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.