Asiance in Asia: Glamour and Glitz at the Ritz
When Asiance was invited by the Ritz Carlton, Tokyo for dinner at their new French restaurant, Azure 45, my taste buds were eager to experience French cuisine with a Japanese twist aka a fusion! The Ritz is located in the heart of a trendy and somewhat youthful neighborhood of Roppongi, has a Michelin-starred chef in Shintaro Miyazaki at the helm of Azure 45.
After a long day at work, and working my way through the impeccable but busy Tokyo metro, ravenous, I rode the elevator up to the 45th floor (hence the name Azure 45!) Walking across the busy lobby and a lobby bar, I was ushered to a cozy-chic reception area lined with bottles of French wine.
The maître de escorted me to my corner table with a view for the ages, Tokyo Tower and the Skytree by night and all of Roppongi, glistening against the backdrop of the dark skies! The dining area decor was in aesthetically muted shades of black, beige, and white, to let the food and the majestic Tokyo skyline take center stage.
The culinary experience commenced with a choice of French baguette or a fresh of the oven warm dinner roll, while the Head wait staff started the 5 course meal. Each course came with its own wine pairing, handpicked by the resident sommelier. The culinary experience par excellence commenced with a refreshing sweet pepper salad paired with some light champagne, followed by some grilled scallops. Then, came a smoky mushroom consommé churned from locally sourced wild mushrooms. Next came the sesame encrusted Salmon. And for the main course was succulent tenderloin. Rounding things off on a sweet note was some green tea creme brûlée and handcrafted petit fours. Azure 45 expertly picks locally sourced produce and turns them into culinary works of art.
The impeccable service, the utterly scrumptious meal, all while looking out an unreal view, summed up a perfect Friday evening. As I was ready to leave, I got to meet the Master himself, Shintaro Miyazaki, who wanted to check if the meal was satisfactory, my answer, simply put, unbelievably Delicioso!
If you plan on being in Tokyo or already are, Azure 45 takes you from a business meeting, to an intimate evening for two or for a party of many….
For more info:Azure 45
Ritz Carlton, Tokyo
Azure 45 accommodates dietary requirements such as vegetarian and gluten free upon prior notification. Reservations (especially over the weekends and holidays) and highly recommended.
Azure 45 is a symbiosis of Japanese perfection concatenated with Ritz Carlton’s elegance.