Taste authentic Beijing cuisine and enjoy Spanish baroque architecture at Tohkasaikan, a restaurant overlooking the Kamo River
Tohkasaikan is a Chinese restaurant specializing in Beijing-style cuisine in a Spanish baroque style building by the Kamo River. Before Tohkasaikan, a western-style restaurant Yao Masa was in the building Tohkasaikan currently is, but Yao Masa closed down because of business difficulties around the time of the Second World War. In 1945, Yao Masa’s owner’s friend, Yu Yongshan, a native of China’s Shandong province, took over the business, and made it Tohkasakan. Right after entering the restaurant, you get to see the high ceiling and elaborate pillars, and feel the gorgeous atmosphere. The lift of the restaurant is one of the oldest in Japan, and requires a staff member to operate it – the lift felt like it was out of a Ghibli movie! They have many private rooms, so you can enjoy the scenery of the Kamo River from the quietness of your own room. Moreover, every summer they have a “beer garden” type of event in the rooftop, where you get to enjoy both Chinese cuisine and beer at the same time – outside!
1Recommended
Red braised shark fin
/ ￥7000 (+tax)
The shark fin is one of the three high-grade products of Chinese cuisine. It has a soft elastic texture and it is rich in nutritional and cosmetic value. The conditioning method requires a slow, controlled fire, and the pre-treatment cannot afford to be sloppy and is extremely time-consuming. Serve with a rich, sweet and savory soup, it's a perfect one.
2Recommended
Sweet and sour pork
/ ￥1500 (+tax)
Sweet and sour pork is a popular basic dish in Chinese cuisine. First, the pork is fried until it is crispy. Then green pepper, wood ear mushrooms, onion, and bamboo shoot are added, and finally a lot of sweet and sour sauce is poured onto these ingredients. The dish has just the right amount of sweetness and sourness. It’s fresh, non-greasy, and appetite-enhancing.
3Let's Try!
Sea cucumber braised with shallots Shandong-style
/ ￥4500 (+tax)
Sea cucumber is actually not a plant, but a marine animal. And a luxury-item when it comes to Chinese cuisine. When using dried sea cucumbers, they need to be soaked for days before they can be eaten. The broth contains soy sauce and has a rich aroma, while the sea cucumber has a soft, smooth texture. The shallots help the flavors penetrate the sea cucumbers. This dish is very kung fu!
4Let's Try!
Shark Fin Soup With Crab
/ ￥2,500 (excl. tax)
Come to represent Chinese cuisine as a whole, shark fin soup features a magnificently light tasting fin taken right from the shark's back that has the most exquisite texture imaginable.
The addition of crab to the soup adds another layer of luxury to this already gorgeously splendid soup.
Add sesame oil to add a nice touch of aroma which will see you finish the soup before you know it.
Perfect for the winter, this soup punctures deep within to warm you from the core.
