Arguably the restaurant with the best view in Tokyo, the New York Grill at Park Hyatt Tokyo is welcoming chef James Kent from the US for a guest chef dinner series. Chef Kent has a host of accolades, the most recent being his two contemporary cuisine restaurants in New York City – Crown Shy and Saga – being awarded one and two Michelin stars respectively. Prior to venturing out on his own, chef Kent led Eleven Madison Park to obtain not just three Michelin stars but also a coveted spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
For this special dinner, chef Kent has devised a five-course menu informed by the signature flavours of his two restaurants in New York City, but reimagined with local Japanese produce and ingredients which he has sourced from Toyosu Market. The inspiration from the latter is clearly present in the light and refreshing first course, which features four small dishes served in a kaiseki-style bento box. Tuna is the hero here, appearing in various forms and preparations: on a toast together with uni, diced and mixed with kiwi and pickled chili, and wrapped in shiso leaf along with pickled Shinano apple.
The second course centres around a generous portion of beautifully mellow and creamy Kaviari Kristal caviar that have been aged for weeks. The pairing with crème fraîche, sweet persimmon relish and salty Iberico ham is simple but inspired, and it certainly whets your appetite for the richer flavours to come.
The third course of king crab and braised mushrooms in brown butter Japanese clam bisque is a beautiful balance of lightness and complex flavours. The main course, on the other hand, serves up a rich, flavourful and perfectly executed plate of grilled Akita beef sirloin, braised wagyu beef tongue, sweet roasted potatoes, Fuji apple and black garlic butterscotch.
To end, there's the mikan orange vanilla sorbet with coconut cheesecake, toasted meringue and honeycomb, which is a fancy take on the classic American ice cream bar Creamsicle.
The cohesive menu is playful in flavour and texture, with dishes that feature a well-rounded mix of sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bright acidity. It is a joy to eat.
The five-course dinner is priced at ¥30,800 per person (excluding service charge).