Outstanding food, impressive location

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant had, for a long time, been an obscure restaurant ran by head chef and owner Philip Shin, who served as a chef in the South Korean army before moving to Kenya. PHOTO | NATION

What you need to know:

  • Tokyo is situated along the quiet Kolloh Road, which joins James Gichuru and Muthangari Roads at the Shell petrol station. It is a massive property with high hedges, ample parking and rolling lawns.
  • Now, for a gastronomic sybarite like myself, a Japanese/Korean restaurant with an extensive menu covering everything from sushi to ramen, tempura, sashimi and all things pickled is nothing short of food heaven.
  • A delightful squeal escaped me when I tasted my entrée of thick wheat flour noodle in soy-based sauce. A staple of Japanese cuisine, my yaki udon was topped with shredded scallions, bamboo shoots and stir fried prawns to my specifications.

Restaurants where the proprietors enjoy more prominence than their establishments are rare in Nairobi.

We generally have very little desire to promote celebrity culture (outside of politics) in the way that other cities of the world do.

Tokyo Japanese Restaurant had, for a long time, been an obscure restaurant ran by head chef and owner Philip Shin, who served as a chef in the South Korean army before moving to Kenya, and is now part of a very small cadre of people with specialised certification in Japanese cuisine in Kenya.

Tokyo only started to achieve real fame when they moved from a rambling bungalow in Karen to Lavington and became an overnight sensation.

Tokyo is situated along the quiet Kolloh Road, which joins James Gichuru and Muthangari Roads at the Shell petrol station. It is a massive property with high hedges, ample parking and rolling lawns.

The indoor dining area boasts a traditional sushi bar, tatami rooms, a karaoke room, cocktail bar and isolated teppanyaki station.

PLEASANT SURPRISE

Outside on the massive, dimly-lit terrace, patrons can have romantic dinners and group functions under the canopy of ancient indigenous trees while enjoying soothing piped music whose source remains a mystery for many. Tokyo manages to combine seductive jazz bar atmosphere with gourmet restaurant embellishment, and it helps that the floor staff is very well trained.

Now, for a gastronomic sybarite like myself, a Japanese/Korean restaurant with an extensive menu covering everything from sushi to ramen, tempura, sashimi and all things pickled is nothing short of food heaven.

Not being a fan of rice and its hundred variations, sushi is never an option for me so I started with an appetiser of pan fried mushroom itane. This simple dish consists of thinly sliced button mushrooms sprinkled with sesame seeds in a garlic sauce, and it blew me away.

A delightful squeal escaped me when I tasted my entrée of thick wheat flour noodle in soy-based sauce. A staple of Japanese cuisine, my yaki udon was topped with shredded scallions, bamboo shoots and stir fried prawns to my specifications.

My pride was a little wounded when Mr Shin came by our table to say hello and did not seem to recognise me from all the years I went to his Westlands and Karen locations years back.

But when a man is running a food bazaar of that magnitude all the while appraising the aptitude of his workers, checking on his customers and churning out sumptuous meal after sumptuous meal, he can be excused for a little memory lapse. Tokyo Restaurant is a swirl of orgasmic treats and festive cheer and is good for tender couples, families, corporate and friend gatherings alike.