Summer at Union Square Tokyo
Summer 2007

Union Square Tokyo’s Preview Menu

Recently, I made a trip to Union Square Tokyo – our “cousin” restaurant in the heart of Tokyo’s Roppongi area – to check on the progress since its spring opening, and also to teach Chef Yoshi and his cooks new recipes for their summer menu. For its initial year, each new season will be a first, bringing with it much to teach and to learn.

Before I left, I had heard many comments from my Japanese friends here in New York about what to expect weather-wise in Tokyo in July. These remarks were usually accompanied by a heavenward rolling of the eyes, and a resigned, sad, little shaking of the head. The term “mushi-atsui” came up often, which translates as “humid-hot”. Though the “mushi” part of that phrase very accurately depicts how I felt for the entirety of my stay, the translation really doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Remember that day this past August here in NYC when the skies opened up and the city and its subways literally shut down?

Well that happened at least three or four times a week throughout the three weeks I was in Tokyo. (To the credit of that city’s infrastructure, nothing shut down, or even missed a beat!) Not since my trip to Mumbai (then Bombay) with Chef Floyd Cardoz of Tabla do I recall humidity like we experienced in Tokyo. I often found myself staring out of amazement and sympathy for the hordes of “salarymen” trudging to work in their identical black suits (collars buttoned and ties in place) when the heat and humidity were just staggering. It was interesting to read a recent New York Times article about a decree set forth by the Japanese government to raise consciousness about the over-use of natural resources. The mandate curtailed the use of air-conditioning in offices, and permitted salarymen to undo their ties and remove their jackets!

Once again, it was thrilling to cross the threshold of Union Square Tokyo and greet my restaurant “family”. The warm welcome I received was truly gratifying, and I was happy to note that there had been very little turnover in staff since the opening.

The restaurant felt more confident and sure-footed. The infant I left in late April was now a toddler, up and running around! In the kitchen, I noticed that Chef Yoshi had found even more ingenious ways to cram storage and work spaces into his cramped, little domain. When I had originally worked with the designers to lay out the kitchen space on paper, I never in my wildest imagination could have conjured up all the nooks and crannies Yoshi had carved out. While on the subject, I’m not sure if I’ve ever expressed my wonder and admiration for the way cooks in Tokyo are able to operate in such tight spaces. In this kitchen, one does not really “walk” anywhere. It’s more about side-stepping, sliding, wiggling, hopping over, and dodging. There were days when I’d be standing at the threshold of the kitchen, tying on my apron, and I’d imagine myself a human pinball about to be launched into a space packed with pitfalls and obstacles, where I’d spend the next 10-12 hours caroming off unyielding objects and very polite people. And that politeness and spatial awareness is the key to how well the kitchen is able to operate: I’ve never seen a flare-up or confrontation occur as a result of pressure from the tight quarters, and that makes things a lot easier to manage.

I quickly settled in and began working with Yoshi, his Sous-Chef Ryoichi, and the crew to teach the new summer recipes. The plan was to feature the new items in a week-long “preview”. This took the form of a prix-fixe 6-course tasting menu (offering two choices in each course), which would be the exclusive menu at dinner. After the preview period, the new items would be rolled into the more extensive summer menu. The great thing about this idea was that it enabled the cooks to become very familiar with the food by focusing on fewer dishes. It is a strategy we will continue to follow in the future. Click here to view the preview menu.