Let yourself be captivated by the allure of demi-glace sauce in beef stew.
Beef stew is like French beef simmered in red wine. It's a hearty meat dish. This time, I visited some of Tokyo's most famous restaurants. They are "Ponta Honke," "Restaurant Koumiya," and "Taimeiken."
People sometimes crave tender, fall-apart beef and a sweet, rich, brown demi-glace sauce. The French term "demi-glace" sounds better than the English "demi-glace," which means "reduced by half."
All three restaurants featured this time have already appeared in this series with different menus, meaning they are all renowned Western-style restaurants.
No. Number 1 is definitely "Ponta Main Store".
This is one of Tokyo's best fried food restaurants. Their cutlets are probably the best in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Their sillago, squid, scallops, and oysters are all exceptionally good, but their "beef tongue stew" and "beef stew" are known as off-menu items.
The beef tongue stew is a unique dish that takes three weeks to prepare, and it's not always available. The beef stew is made with the same level of care. They apparently use high-quality Japanese Black Wagyu beef.
The beef is incredibly tender! That's a given, but what's truly amazing is the demi-glace sauce. It's so good you'll want to shout, "This is the best in Tokyo!" (But be warned, it's also extremely expensive).
Beef stew from "Ponta"
This sauce is incredibly rich, the most concentrated of the three. The intensity and density of the flavor are on a different level. It melts smoothly on the tongue, giving you the experience of being led into a profound abyss. It's served with potatoes and thick shiitake mushrooms, which are also perfectly balanced.
The ideal way to order is for a group of four to come in, eat about four different kinds of fried food, and then move on to the beef stew.
After fully savoring the delights of the fried food, the meal culminates in a grand finale with a rich demi-glace sauce. The correct way to enjoy it is to pour every last drop of sauce over the white rice, just like Hayashi rice.
I wonder if there could be a dinner that could bring me more happiness than this.
The imposing entrance of "Ponta"
Ponta Main Store
3-23-3, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 050-5492-8353
Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00-14:00, 16:30-20:20
Sundays and public holidays: 11:00-14:00, 16:00-20:20
Regular holiday: Monday
Beef stew 7150 yen
Everything about this shop is wonderful.
The happiness of eating at "Restaurant Koumiya"
It's a place that always leaves you feeling refreshed, and overall, it's the best Western-style restaurant in Tokyo.
Just being greeted by waiters in black suits and bow ties, and seeing Bernard Buffet's lithographs against the white walls, makes you feel like, "Oh, I've come to Koumiya again!"
The best thing about this restaurant is that it's open all day with no lunch break. If you avoid the busy lunch and dinner times when reservations are in high demand, you can always enjoy their finest dishes.
Omelet rice, minced meat cutlet, pork sauté, pork cutlet, gratin, Neapolitan spaghetti... every dish is top-notch and delicious. On top of that, the service from the waitstaff (ladies) in black suits is incredibly attentive.
I first visited this place over 40 years ago, when I was still a student. I was captivated by the astonishing taste, and I've been a fan ever since.
The beef stew is also excellent, of course. The beef, simmered for half a day, is so tender that it falls apart easily, and naturally, it has absorbed plenty of the demi-glace sauce. This sauce is fantastic. The flavor is deep, but it might be considered on the lighter side.
Beef stew from "Komiya"
The accompanying glazed carrots were not only sweet but also had a rich flavor. The broccoli was firm, and the potato gratin was a nice supporting player. The glossy white rice was magnificent; its deliciousness doubled the flavor of the beef stew.
I didn't order them this time, but they also have combinations like minced meat cutlet and beef stew, or minced meat cutlet and tongue stew. Aren't those extremely tempting menu items?
Entrance to the restaurant "Koumiya"
restaurant komiya
Negishi 3-18-18, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3873-2116
Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, public holidays, the day before a public holiday, and the day after a public holiday: 11:30 AM - 21:00 PM
Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Beef stew 4200 yen
Minced meat cutlet and beef stew platter
4000 yen
Minced meat cutlet and beef tongue stew platter
4600 yen
You can really feel how fun Western food is.
It's "Taimeiken".
This restaurant is also famous for its beef stew. It's the restaurant of Chef Shigeki, who is tanned dark from going to a tanning salon. At first glance, some might think it's a frivolous place, but it's a restaurant that takes its cooking very seriously.
The restaurant is divided into two floors. The first floor has a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere. On the second floor, Chef Shigeki showcases his skills, but the prices are a bit higher and it's more upscale. This time, I opted for the first floor.
They have everything from omurice, Neapolitan spaghetti, and curry rice to ramen, and everything is delicious. Their dandelion omurice (in the style of Juzo Itami), where they split open an omelet on top of chicken rice, is also famous.
If you visit for lunch, it's already full within 30 minutes of opening. Everyone seems to be having a great time. Everyone remembers to order the "Coleslaw (Tenkaippin)." It used to be 50 yen for a long time, but even after raising the price, they've kept it at 100 yen.
Now, as for the beef stew, it has a classic appearance, and its composition is exactly the same as that of Koumiya. The only difference is that the potatoes here are fried.
The demi-glace sauce is the most acidic of the three restaurants. However, it also has a good balance of sweetness and bitterness, creating a deep and captivating flavor. The meat is, of course, incredibly tender.
Beef stew from "Taimeiken"
This is purely a matter of comparison, but the glazed carrots were a bit hard in the core and not very sweet. The french fries were also perhaps a little overcooked. These are the areas where it falls just short compared to the perfect Koumiya (sorry if I sound arrogant).
I'm an idiot, so instead of the usual rice that comes with it, I ordered omurice with ketchup. This way, I could enjoy the omurice twice as much, eating it with ketchup or with demi-glace sauce. I recommend it.
Entrance to "Taimeiken"
Taimeiken
1-8-6 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3271-2463
(1F)
Tuesday-Saturday: 11:00-21:00, Sunday/Holiday: 11:00-20:00
(2F)
11: 30 to 15: 00, 17: 00 to 21: 00
Closed: (1F) Mondays, (2F) Sundays and Mondays
Beef stew (with rice) 3500 yen
Omelet rice 2100 yen
Although I've only introduced three places this time,Brick house(Ginza) andShunkoteiI would also recommend "(Mejiro)" as a restaurant on par with "Taimeiken".
What does "If you don't eat this, your life is ruined" mean?
When he hears something delicious, he rushes east and west to eat it all. Rumor has it that he might be the Brillat-Savarin of Reiwa, or even the return of Furukawa Roppa. Bassey is an editor with over 40 years of food-loving experience. A heart-wrenching gourmet essay.
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Bassey is a foodie who has been eating around for over 40 years. In addition to Japan, he regularly goes to Hong Kong to eat Chinese food at his own expense, and also travels to Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul for delicious food. During his time as the editor-in-chief of a travel magazine, he visited many Michelin-rated restaurants around the world, especially in Europe, and later on in the World's Best 50 restaurants. We want everyone who loves food to try ``Crab Miso Bean Paste Noodles'' from ``Tenkorou'' (Hong Kong). Actually, I like the Chinese food at this restaurant the best in the world. Another example of the best Western food is "El Seger de Can Roca" from Girona, Spain, which was ranked number one on the World's Best 50 list. Ah, I want to go there again.
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If you don't eat this, your life will be ruined.
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