The group was stuck on an extremely bad weather. The
incessant rain pulled us back on our great plans to explore Tokyo—it was our
first day. As we sipped our freshly-made green tea, the rainwater dripping
through the glass windows calmed us. Shunbou Restaurant in Grand Hyatt Tokyo
had this zen feel to it. With wood, stone, and natural plants inside, it felt
like we're one with nature. Our supposed one-hour lunch ended up on an
afternoon lounge as we got to try an authentic Japanese lunch bento box.
It was an early autumn trip that was planned by my favorite
travel buddies. They found a promo fare for a roundtrip Manila to Tokyo flight
in which they immediately booked, without me knowing it.
So after a successful Japan Travel Visa Application for Philippine Passport Holders, the arduous task of planning the trip came after.
And of course, that didn't happen as we always gravitate towards exploring the
unknown that a Tokyo Travel Guide for First-Timers wouldn't be needed anymore. Well, it was just me who was a first-timer so I was sure that these
guys would show me around their favored spots in the city.
Staying at Wired Hotel Asakusa, we journeyed through the
underground world of Tokyo with the help of our Unlimited Subway Pass from the ever-reliable Klook App that we
availed beforehand. We got off at Roppongi station wherein we were greeted by
endless drizzle as we emerged.
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| Authentic Japanese Meal on our first day in Tokyo |
A few steps away from our stop was our rendezvous for that
afternoon, Grand Hyatt Tokyo. I can still vividly recall our Grand Hyatt Taipei
experience. It was the same time and weather as last year as we wandered around
Taiwan for the first time.
We could've just bought a bento meal from a convenience store
but we all agreed on having a legit Japanese lunch on our very first day hence,
we braved the stormy weather to one of the best Japanese restaurants in Tokyo.
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| Shunbou Restaurant at Grand Hyatt Tokyo |
Located at Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Shunbou Restaurant serves authentic Japanese cuisine highlighting
local seasonal ingredients. Diners can enjoy a wide array of seasonal dishes on
a beautiful Aji-ishi Japanese granite
stone counter and tables at the main dining room.
Passing through an open-aired garden corridor, we were welcomed by a staff at the door and were ushered to our assigned seats.
Passing through an open-aired garden corridor, we were welcomed by a staff at the door and were ushered to our assigned seats.
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| Communing with the five elements of nature |
Neutral colors of brown, grey and ivory filled the room as well as
touches of green from the natural plants. Textured stones, wood and metal were
used for the walls, tables and other furnishings. The elements of nature
merged into one common ground; wood (furniture), water (rain), metal
(furniture), earth (pots) and stone (furnishings, walls), and fire (literally from
the kitchen). The aesthetic and overall feel of Shunbou Restaurant was soothing
enough.
We glanced through the lunch menu and were all glued on the
Bento Box Set or Lunch Box Shunsai. We were then guided by the gracious lady
server on the best eats at the restaurant.
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| The best tofu ever! |
Stories of travel and whatnots filled our table. We were too
occupied on chichatting that we didn't even notice the endless rain outside.
The group was perfectly confined on a peaceful spot.
We were first offered with a freshly-made ginger tea and a
tofu dish for appetizer. I super love the tofu because it literally melted in
my mouth, it was the freshest tofu I've ever had. The almond added the right
crunch to it as well. I was already satiated, and it was just the appetizer.
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| Lunch Box Shunsai |
Our Lunch Box Shunsai arrived and we all
gasped on its cutesy packaging. The bento box was divided into three
compartments; Upper box (appetizers, sashimi), Middle box (charcoal grilled
daily dish), and Lower box (simmered dish, deep-fried dish). It also came with
steamed rice, miso soup, pickled vegetable and a dessert. All of these for
JPY5,300.
Another house specialty was the Matsutake Mushroom Rice.
I'm not a fan of mushrooms as it's the only thing I don't eat but my buddies
were raving about it. These premium mushrooms are seasonal and a favorite by the locals during autumn. The fresh sake was also perfect with the meal.
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| Shiitake Mushroom Rice |
It was an effortless relaxation we had on our very first day.
The ambiance was perfect enough as well as the service they offer. The staff
weren't at all pushy. The food was superb with the subtlety of all the flavors.
Nothing was overpowering anything. It was the Japanese dining experience I
wasn't expecting, and the way it should be.
Shunbou Restaurant at Grand Hyatt Tokyo (check discounted rates here)
6th floor Grand Hyatt Tokyo,
6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, Japan 106-0032
Contact Number: (+81) 3.4333.8786
Email Address: shunbou@hyatt.com
Opening hours: Lunch | 11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner | 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Tokyo.
Check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Tokyo.
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