Address: Coredo-Nihonbashi Annex, 1-6-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo | 東京都中央区日本橋１－６－１ コレド日本橋 ANNEX
Tel: (+81) 03.3517.5700
Web: http://www.santpau.jp/
Price: ¥8,000 pp (Menu Ejecutiu)
He says...
In addition to French, we also wanted to sample Tokyo's take on Spanish cuisine, and we settled on Sant Pau, being the highest ranked Spanish restaurant in Tokyo by both Michelin (2-star) and tabelog.
El brou d'inici | Starting broth | コースの前に温かいスープを
He says...
Very subtle and rich, and its flavor reminded me of Cantonese stock broth. I liked that it was warm and easy on the palate - a great way to start a meal.
Tel: (+81) 03.3517.5700
Web: http://www.santpau.jp/
Price: ¥8,000 pp (Menu Ejecutiu)
He says...
In addition to French, we also wanted to sample Tokyo's take on Spanish cuisine, and we settled on Sant Pau, being the highest ranked Spanish restaurant in Tokyo by both Michelin (2-star) and tabelog.
El brou d'inici | Starting broth | コースの前に温かいスープを
He says...
Very subtle and rich, and its flavor reminded me of Cantonese stock broth. I liked that it was warm and easy on the palate - a great way to start a meal.
Sorpresa d'aperitiu | The micr-menu | ミクロメニュー
Small and delightful ‘tapas’ | その月旬の4種類の小さなお料理
He says...
We had been very much looking forward to the tapas portion of the meal, but found what we were presented with to be quite different from what we had expected. The waitress had described the tapas course as being ‘small’, but I didn't know what it implied until the plates were delivered to our table. ‘Small’ really meant ‘bite-sized’, in a very literal sense - possibly even smaller than an amuse. That the dishes were tied together with a theme (for the month of December, the theme was ‘black’) added a touch of elegance; however, aside from the beautiful presentation of the dishes, I really failed to appreciate these dishes - everything was extremely subtle and I didn't find this pre-appetizer course to be exciting or inviting.
Black ravioli, cuttlefish and ink, mushroom
He says...
The ravioli was nicely cooked to al-dente, and the ink added a brininess to the pasta.
Small and delightful ‘tapas’ | その月旬の4種類の小さなお料理
He says...
We had been very much looking forward to the tapas portion of the meal, but found what we were presented with to be quite different from what we had expected. The waitress had described the tapas course as being ‘small’, but I didn't know what it implied until the plates were delivered to our table. ‘Small’ really meant ‘bite-sized’, in a very literal sense - possibly even smaller than an amuse. That the dishes were tied together with a theme (for the month of December, the theme was ‘black’) added a touch of elegance; however, aside from the beautiful presentation of the dishes, I really failed to appreciate these dishes - everything was extremely subtle and I didn't find this pre-appetizer course to be exciting or inviting.
Black ravioli, cuttlefish and ink, mushroom
He says...
The ravioli was nicely cooked to al-dente, and the ink added a brininess to the pasta.
Crispy black bread, ‘kuromatsu’, Kalamata olives, aubergine
He says...
The only dish that had some flavours: it was slightly too salty.
He says...
The only dish that had some flavours: it was slightly too salty.
Black chicken, black soybeans, dark beer sauce
She says...
I really enjoyed the sweetness of the soybeans - they really took center stage in this micro dish, being large and pearly round relative to the size of the plate.
She says...
I really enjoyed the sweetness of the soybeans - they really took center stage in this micro dish, being large and pearly round relative to the size of the plate.
Black sausage, bread with tomato
She says...
I found the sweetness of tomato here to be slightly overpowering...
She says...
I found the sweetness of tomato here to be slightly overpowering...
He says...
We were left feeling somewhat confused after the tapas course. I could definitely appreciate the elegance of the presentation and thought behind the common theme, but I deeply desired for something more substantial and exciting. After all, for me, food is first and foremost meant to be eaten.
Entrant | Starter | 前菜
Crayfish and monkfish dumpling with vegetable soup
He says...
The dumplings of ground fish fillet steeped in a citrus-y vegetable stock made for a very interesting flavor composition when enjoyed together. The peas, carrots and daikon added some welcome contrast in texture. A very delicious appetizer - again, I was reminded of Chinese sensibilities and must resort to the word ‘subtle’ to describe the overall dish.
She says...
I loved the acidity of tomato, fragrance of the lone flower petal and thin strands of parsley, sweetness of peas (despite my personal reservations), and surprisingly firm texture of ground fish, but found the carrots and daikon to be a slight distraction from the otherwise impressively pulled-together dish. By this point, I started to appreciate the subtle yet refreshing flavor profiles and elegant presentation of each dish and the fleeting, fragile impressions they left on the tongue - very much like beautiful Impressionist paintings...
We were left feeling somewhat confused after the tapas course. I could definitely appreciate the elegance of the presentation and thought behind the common theme, but I deeply desired for something more substantial and exciting. After all, for me, food is first and foremost meant to be eaten.
Entrant | Starter | 前菜
Crayfish and monkfish dumpling with vegetable soup
He says...
The dumplings of ground fish fillet steeped in a citrus-y vegetable stock made for a very interesting flavor composition when enjoyed together. The peas, carrots and daikon added some welcome contrast in texture. A very delicious appetizer - again, I was reminded of Chinese sensibilities and must resort to the word ‘subtle’ to describe the overall dish.
She says...
I loved the acidity of tomato, fragrance of the lone flower petal and thin strands of parsley, sweetness of peas (despite my personal reservations), and surprisingly firm texture of ground fish, but found the carrots and daikon to be a slight distraction from the otherwise impressively pulled-together dish. By this point, I started to appreciate the subtle yet refreshing flavor profiles and elegant presentation of each dish and the fleeting, fragile impressions they left on the tongue - very much like beautiful Impressionist paintings...
Peix | Fish | 魚料理
Seabream with black and green olive sauce
He says...
The fish course featured two pieces of seabream. The smaller piece I found somewhat over-cooked, being dry and quite chewy. On the contrary, the larger piece was cooked perfectly - soft, moist, and tender. I found the olive sauce to be slightly strange when paired with the otherwise subtle flavor of the fish. Sadly, the potato was the highlight of the dish for me, and the fresh tomatoes on top added a very Spanish feel.
She says...
Agree - the thinner piece of fish was quite dry, but the chef did achieve a nice sear on the outside. The thick piece, however, was deliciously moist and tender with the slight texture of sashimi at the center. I personally also did not prefer the olive sauce - perhaps a more broth-y sauce would have made for better pairing - although I did appreciate the depth of fragrance the chef managed to bring out in so few droplets of sauce. The potatoes were cooked extremely tender and made for an interesting pairing with the cool tomato and okahijiki (land seaweed). Loved the tomatoes served at this restaurant, adding a powerful punch of acidity with very little sweetness.
Seabream with black and green olive sauce
He says...
The fish course featured two pieces of seabream. The smaller piece I found somewhat over-cooked, being dry and quite chewy. On the contrary, the larger piece was cooked perfectly - soft, moist, and tender. I found the olive sauce to be slightly strange when paired with the otherwise subtle flavor of the fish. Sadly, the potato was the highlight of the dish for me, and the fresh tomatoes on top added a very Spanish feel.
She says...
Agree - the thinner piece of fish was quite dry, but the chef did achieve a nice sear on the outside. The thick piece, however, was deliciously moist and tender with the slight texture of sashimi at the center. I personally also did not prefer the olive sauce - perhaps a more broth-y sauce would have made for better pairing - although I did appreciate the depth of fragrance the chef managed to bring out in so few droplets of sauce. The potatoes were cooked extremely tender and made for an interesting pairing with the cool tomato and okahijiki (land seaweed). Loved the tomatoes served at this restaurant, adding a powerful punch of acidity with very little sweetness.
Carn | Meat | 肉料理
Iberian pork pluma with celeriac, sponge cake and kinkan
He says...
By far my favorite dish of the meal - the meat was very tender, and paired extremely well with the celeriac puree. The sponge cake, though sweet and tasty, did not seem to fit with the rest of dish.
She says...
The meat was truly the highlight on this plate - deliciously charred on the outside, but rare and juicy on the inside. When used in moderation, the celeriac puree softly rounds out the meat with some added sweetness. The sponge cake was soft and moist, the perfect backdrop for the tart citrus-y flavor of kinkan.
Iberian pork pluma with celeriac, sponge cake and kinkan
He says...
By far my favorite dish of the meal - the meat was very tender, and paired extremely well with the celeriac puree. The sponge cake, though sweet and tasty, did not seem to fit with the rest of dish.
She says...
The meat was truly the highlight on this plate - deliciously charred on the outside, but rare and juicy on the inside. When used in moderation, the celeriac puree softly rounds out the meat with some added sweetness. The sponge cake was soft and moist, the perfect backdrop for the tart citrus-y flavor of kinkan.
She says...
And this brought us to the end of our mains. The elegant, well-executed dishes all piqued my palate, but the meal up to this point felt like a series of appetizers that left me wanting a lot more...
Infusió refrescant | Refreshing infusion | リフレッシュティ
Pear ice cream with red wine sauce
She says...
Things started looking up again with the pre-dessert. This is ice cream's answer to poached pear! The ice cream maintained the grainy texture of ripe pear but was not too sweet, letting the sweetness of the red wine come through.
And this brought us to the end of our mains. The elegant, well-executed dishes all piqued my palate, but the meal up to this point felt like a series of appetizers that left me wanting a lot more...
Infusió refrescant | Refreshing infusion | リフレッシュティ
Pear ice cream with red wine sauce
She says...
Things started looking up again with the pre-dessert. This is ice cream's answer to poached pear! The ice cream maintained the grainy texture of ripe pear but was not too sweet, letting the sweetness of the red wine come through.
Postres | Dessert | デザート
Egg pudding, pineapple ice cream and raspberry sauce
She says...
This was a perfectly refreshing dessert, bringing together multi-dimensional layers of tastes and textures - soft pudding of egg yolk, refreshing pineapple, tart raspberry sauce (with glassy jelly), topped with rough crystals of sugar and the slightest hint of mint. Not to mention the beautifully impactful presentation! To die for.
Egg pudding, pineapple ice cream and raspberry sauce
She says...
This was a perfectly refreshing dessert, bringing together multi-dimensional layers of tastes and textures - soft pudding of egg yolk, refreshing pineapple, tart raspberry sauce (with glassy jelly), topped with rough crystals of sugar and the slightest hint of mint. Not to mention the beautifully impactful presentation! To die for.
Rich dark coffee, served on Andy Worhol plates...
Divertiments de pastisseria | Platters of assorted confectionery | パステレリーアからのお楽しみトレイ
(Left to right) financier, basil macaroon, raisin butter, curry chocolate crunch, banana mini ice cream, baileys cake, chocolate truffle
(Not pictured) pumpkin pie, licorice stick, ice cream lollipop
She says...
These cute and dainty sweets were an unexpected pleasant surprise, and our meal ended on a high note as we had fun sampling the myriad of flavors. The curry chocolate crunch was particularly interesting, with a spicy kick, but my favorite was the banana mini ice cream.
(Left to right) financier, basil macaroon, raisin butter, curry chocolate crunch, banana mini ice cream, baileys cake, chocolate truffle
(Not pictured) pumpkin pie, licorice stick, ice cream lollipop
She says...
These cute and dainty sweets were an unexpected pleasant surprise, and our meal ended on a high note as we had fun sampling the myriad of flavors. The curry chocolate crunch was particularly interesting, with a spicy kick, but my favorite was the banana mini ice cream.
He says...
Overall, I left feeling speechless and torn. Everything had been executed extremely well, but the subtlety of the dishes was quite honestly beyond my appreciation. Not one dish stood out as being substantial or exciting. I went in expecting bold Spanish flavours, but came out feeling stifled.
Overall, I left feeling speechless and torn. Everything had been executed extremely well, but the subtlety of the dishes was quite honestly beyond my appreciation. Not one dish stood out as being substantial or exciting. I went in expecting bold Spanish flavours, but came out feeling stifled.
No comments:
Post a Comment