DEN (Tokyo) - Single Table Experience, return visit
Updated: May 19
What a pleasure to be back at DEN to experience the soul-satisfying cooking of Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa, and spectacular hospitality by his wife Emi Hasegawa, and team.
Of course, the star of the show is Puchi Jr., who gets some plushie treats when I visit.
You can read about my visits to Den Kushi Flori, their sister restaurant, and a restaurant I enthusiastically recommend:
Tonight's monaka started off with foie gras and orange, a beautiful fresh citrus burst combined with the creamy foie, and the wafer crunch of the shell.
Which leads us to a warming chawanmushi on a winter night.
Tonight's Dentucky Fried Chicken was stuffed with ume. It really is one of the world's most fun dishes to try (my fourth time). The fragrant plum working it's way from the insider out to the crispy skin.
Snapper and black garlic gave way to a punch of flavour before the most delicious stewed beef cheek and leek.... so gelatinous and sweet in flavour.
Yet another famous DEN dish, with the carrot coin, is the salad, a variety of texture with today's bounty. The vinaigrette elevating the brightness of the greens.
Tonight's donabe was bamboo, except for me, and those in private dining. Even though I hadn't been to DEN for years, they remembered I had the bamboo rice on on my last visit. This was an extremely thoughtful touch, and and an example of best-in-class service.
My cod rice was silky smooth, and hands down, the best donabe I've ever had. I don't know if there was any shirako in there, but I can't imagine a more perfect preparation of an ingredient.
We end with some red bean, kiwi and buckwheat ice cream. A refreshing bite, with tart notes, end to the meal.
DEN has become famous over the years for being, well, DEN. Yet, it's never become overblown, or full of itself. It still takes enormous pride in its approach to hospitality and cooking... humble, yet deeply sincere. You leave feeling a part of something greater. Maybe that's why so many have signed the concrete walls over the years!
The Single Table pays in full for all meals it posts about.