HOSHINONARUKI

Our tour group was brought to this restaurant to try a traditional Japanes 14 course luncheon in a private room. The menu was great for all our group other than me and they all raved about and photographed every course. With my allergies and intolerances I was reduced to about three courses from th...e menu and the chef did a wonderful job of preparing alternative dishes for me which the staff handled with aplomb. Coffee was the last course and I was surprised at how nice it tasted given my predeliction for espresso coffee.

Visited September 2019

It is a Japanese restaurant but is modern style of food. The chef has twisted the Japanese food in a more fusion way. Generaly the food is nice. However, they have to book a set course rather than individual dishes.

Visited June 2019

Hotel concierge made the dinner reservation for us on a short notice. Our first impression when we stepped off the elevator was not classical but more modern. The menu consisted of 3 Kaiseki course menus. We chose the middle price (10,000 yens) course menu. The dishes were more fusion than the t...raditional. The dishes were OK, not excellent. Definitely did not meet my expectation. I think one in Aomori was the best. We chose sakes on the menus, choosing different sakes from different region and different grade. They sold in 180 ml or 360 ml carafe. It was good to be able to taste different sakes, at least. I don't think I will go back. Once was enough!

Visited December 2016

Amazingly high quality Kaiseki style Japanese course menu in a private room. Apparently they offer many private spaces and thus it's good for business dinner; but also private dining with your special friends. Servers accommodate you with an anticipation not aggressively but naturally, which makes y...ou feel comfortable. A wide variety of drinks would satisfy broader range of guests' preference. Tonight, I was there as a guest; but I am sure I would use the restaurant to entertain my clients.

Visited October 2016

We were exploring along the restaurant possibilities in Shibuya when we wondered along Aoyama Dori into Ayoama and noticed the Childrens National Hotel where we stayed once and remembered there were some interesting place to eat here (i.e. Anderson's Bakery for best Danish in Tokyo, etc.) and notice...d a New Japanese cuisine restaurant in the La Porte Ayoama shopping mall (4F) - Hoshino Naruki (星のなる木). Hoshino Naruki (Tree of Stars) is an interesting Japanese restaurant in that it is both a venue for large parties/gathering (wedding receptions) as well as serves as an intimate restaurant. As such, it primarily serves the Japanese community, but Yamashita's English is very good and when she is not there, others have taken enough English to get by (more than our Japanese capabilities). In relation to our other reviews, Hoshino Naruki is similar in concept to Holdfast Dinning in Portland, Oregon, but with Hoshino Naruki focused on fine modern Japanese cuisine, presented in its basic, pure form that allows each focused ingredient to be the star. There are 3 Prix fix menus (no vegetarian option) or a la carte, and an English menu is available. We choose the Once in a Lifetime Prix fix menu (7000 yen/person) one night and the Lesson from the Past menu (10000 yen/person) the other night. The 15000 yen Prix fix menu seemed very Japanese with some 'interesting' or challenging courses for the Western palate - next time. The prix fix menus included Appetizer set; Starter set; Boil Bowl; Sashimi set; Entrée (i.e. cod three ways); Side dish; Grille dish (i.e. pork loin); Rice course (with dark red soybean soup); and Dessert (custard pudding with Wasanbob); and coffee or tea. Of course, there is a full bar menu as well that includes sake, We have included photographs of both menus we tried (English versions) as the meal takes a while to work through due to the many courses. It is noted that the starter set was a lot of little bits of a single ingredient as the star. The sashimi set was very good, the cod 3 ways was an adventure in taste extremes for the same protein. The rice course was very interesting as they used special rice from Nambu and it was accompanied with a variety of different "toppings" that you could try with each bit (they left the iron pot of rice on the table so you could serve yourself if you wanted more). The rice course was also accompanied by a dark red soybean soup that was the best 'miso' soup we have ever had. Dessert was a killer as the custard was done perfectly and the Wasanbon (sauce of fine Japanese sugar and sweet white miso paste) - best ever. Also, the service is excellent with the servers there when you needed them to be, checking your progress on each set, making sure your drinks/water are full, and trying to explain the composition of each set (and chef's recommendation on specific eating order). So we would (did) go back here as the food quality/quantity and the price (<$60 US at current exchange rate) was excellent.

Visited March 2015