This cosy restaurant in Setagaya serves Cantonese cuisine with a refined Japanese flair – think course-by-course dishes that emphasise clean, distinct flavours. Zuisetsu is known for its seafood preparations, and a dinner here can cost anywhere between ¥7,000 and ¥10,000. So go for lunch instead, where a noodle dish will only set you back ¥1,200 – better yet, opt for a set lunch, which starts from a very affordable ¥1,620.
On our visit, our ‘mini course lunch’ consisted of an appetiser, Zeisetsu’s house-made steamed sticky tofu, wonton and glass noodles in spicy oil dressing, a choice between two main courses, a half-sized noodle dish, and a dessert. All this for a mere ¥2,160. The dandanmen was particularly memorable; it featured strips of cured pork, which added depth and sweetness to the fragrant noodles. There’s a deft hand here in showcasing Cantonese flavours, and it leaves us wanting to try the more elaborate dinner menu.