Kozue, Tokyo

We were in Tokyo and as much as we loved and savored the street food every single day, it still seemed wrong to come to Tokyo and not sit down to a traditional Kaiseki Ryori meal. So, we finally, last minute in our usual fashion, settled upon a trip to the Park Hyatt's Kazue restaurant for what I think was Kaiseki Ryori, but am not too sure. The Park Hyatt was the setting of "Lost in Translation," Sofia Coppola's very accurate (if you're an American who's visited Japan, you know it was accurate) movie about two Americans who meet and develop a friendship in the middle of chaotic Tokyo. Anyway, back to the meal- we had a late dinner, and the restaurant was truly gorgeous- we sat next to a window overlooking Tokyo from 40 stories up, and took in the peaceful ambience. The food, on the other hand, was something else. I am sure it was all good, all fresh, but it was also, all very much Japanese, and perhaps too strong for even my own adventurous palate. I do not remember everything we ate- I know it was price fixed and the least expensive menu choice (this is an expensive joint), meaning that it did not include any fugu (blowfish). One of the more adventurous dishes was the sea cucumber innards. This was one of the more memorable dishes, mainly for it's hard and chewy texture. Perhaps next time I go back to the Park Hyatt it will be once I have finally acheived rock star success and can afford to stay there, or else it will be to visit the bar. Kazue is truly magnificent in its ambience and beauty, and more than likely in its food too, but not if you are searching for familiar flavors.