Tokyo Food Page
★Tsunahachi Rin/
Shinjuku: Tempura
▼3352-5652
▽Data
This is an upscale
branch of one of
Tokyo's more suc-
cessful tempura
restaurants; the
first shop opened in
1924 and there are
now more than 30
locations. And while
even the average
Tsunahachi branch
serves high-quality
tempura, Rin set
themselves apart
with their enter-
tainingly elaborate
presentation and
their beautifully
appointed interior.
Rin's lavish atten-
tion to detail
starts with the
condiments, of which
there are many. The
basic set includes
the expected grated
daikon and tsuyu
dipping sauce, plus
an additional mound
of ume-flavored
grated daikon that's
eaten without sauce.
Then there's a tiny
serving dish with
four different types
of salt: greenish
clumps of parsley-
flavored salt,
coarse rock salt,
and two colorful
powdered salts fla-
vored with yuzu (a
citrus fruit) and
wakame seaweed.
During the meal each
course comes with
additional condi-
ments, along with
detailed instruc-
tions for their use.
For example the raw
vegetable plate
(avocado, lotus root
and tomato during a
recent visit) comes
with a tangy sesame
dressing, a gourmet
vinegar and oil, and
yet another special
salt, this one con-
taining finely pow-
dered shrimp shells.
Needless to say, the
artfully arranged
vegetables them-
selves were picture
perfect, ready to
appear in the pages
of a food magazine.
There are a few
dinner menus to
choose from, start-
ing at Y3500 (for 9
pieces of tempura
plus odds and ends).
There's also a good-
sized a la carte
sampling of seasonal
dishes - both fried
and fresh. The prix-
fixe meals are cer-
tainly the easier
way to go, but we
were glad that we
supplemented ours
with some of the
more tempting sea-
sonal items - the
tempura-fried bamboo
shoots, udo (a fra-
grant, fleshy moun-
tain vegetable) and
green asparagus were
some of the high
points of our meal.
(Other highlights
included tiny sweet-
fish balanced on
little legs fash-
ioned from tempura
batter; very tender
eel; and a fantastic
kinako-flavored
pudding.)
The drinks menu
continues Rin's
theme of studied
perfectionism -
besides the usual
chilled sake there's
an even wider choice
of warm sake. "How
warm?" you ask?
Well, for each par-
ticular sake the
menu specifies one
of four different
temperatures, calcu-
lated to best bring
out its full fla-
vors. We opted for
simplicity (and more
immediate gratifica-
tion) with a cold
serving of Uragasu-
mi, which was poured
from an old-fash-
ioned iron pot. We
thought the subtle
flavors went well
with the fish and
seafood items, al-
though some people
might prefer the
earthier textures of
the Tsukasabotan
(also served cold).
Beer and wine are
other options.
The counter is the
best place to sit if
possible - it's
wider than average
(so it's not at all
cramped), and sit-
ting there allows
you to watch every
step in the pains-
taking preparation
of your meal. And of
course your tempura
will be piping hot
when it arrives.
Tsunahachi Rin is
part of the archi-
tecturally adventur-
ous Shunkan complex
just above Shinjuku
station (and just a
few blocks from the
rustic main branch),
and the imaginative
decor provides a
stunning setting for
their great food.
▼Photo (small)
▼Photo (large)
▼Map for AU phones
▼Map for DoCoMo
◎Shinjuku 3-38-1,
Lumine EST Shinjuku
7F. ◎Open 11am-11pm
daily.
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