Hyperlocal Tokyo

The food was delicious, but I initially requested a higher-priced dish. When they said it was only chicken, I asked to change it, but they said it wasn't possible. So I opted for the pasta set. I ordered dessert and a blood orange juice, and the bill came to almost 5,000 yen. It ended up being more expensive than I expected. It was good that I wasn't rushed out, but the service staff was not friendly at all and seemed quite unpleasant. The food was excellent.

I had the Sabatini lunch and a glass of white wine. The staff was on the phone when I first entered, and the way they made me wait felt like a local diner. The timing of the food and the roast beef appetizer and the main meat dish were all good, and the meat was tender, likely due to sous vide cooking. However, the onion served with the salmon appetizer was bitter and dry, and it felt like it had been pre-cut in bulk. Also, the bread was cold, and I was concerned about the elderly waiter who cut the bread for customers and took a couple of bites from the whole loaf. The way they placed the basket for luggage was also messy, and I think the overall lack of attention to detail in the service doesn't match the atmosphere of the restaurant.

This Italian restaurant is located on the 12th floor of Daimaru Tokyo. While it's part of the Tokyo branch located in Yurakucho (Ginza), it feels somewhat simplified due to being inside a department store. The prices are also quite reasonable. The food itself is, well, "normally delicious." It's not exceptionally good, but it's safe. What bothered me was the sticky tables. Glasses would stick to them, and you could clearly feel the sticky texture on your hand when you picked them up. Hmm... This is something you'd notice right away, even before the meal starts. It's a shame because it dampens the excitement for the rest of the experience. Another issue was the slow pace of the course serving. There was a 10-minute gap between each dish, leaving me feeling idle. I ended up tearing bread and sipping wine to pass the time. It wasn't a leisurely experience where you could savor the atmosphere, so it felt even longer. Also, we had an elderly person in our group, so we requested a sofa seat when making the reservation, but we were seated at a regular table. This was disappointing from the first impression. Overall, it felt like a restaurant that could use a little more attention to detail.

Tokyo Station is packed with people after the pandemic. Shinjuku and Shibuya are also crowded, but this station doesn't fall behind. And I'm sure this restaurant is also packed with customers. The staff working in the dining hall are mostly older people, and they all look quite tired. So, their way of speaking and walking doesn't match the price. The food itself, even for lunch, takes about 30 minutes to come out. The taste is a bit underwhelming considering the price. The cutlet, the way the meat is processed and the breading, the accompanying salad, the pasta everyone was eating, the cooking of the pasta, and of course the glass of wine, which is ridiculously expensive. I understand it's a tourist spot, but I hope they can do better.

I was so impressed with Sabatini in Ginza that I decided to try the one in Daimaru, but it was so bad I questioned if it was even part of the same chain. The restaurant seemed to be struggling. It wasn't very big, and despite having a decent number of staff, they were running around like headless chickens. There was no coordination, and we were completely forgotten about and left waiting for 45 minutes. The bread was also served cold. The food was delicious, but I think this is a restaurant that charges for the service as well, so I won't be going back to the Daimaru location.