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<\/p>\nI remember my first visit to Den in Tokyo\u2014it was still at the old location in Jimbocho, before the move to\u00a0Jingumae.<\/p>\n
From earning two Michelin stars, losing one, regaining two, to watching its fluctuating rankings on the World\u2019s 50 Best list, I\u2019ve witnessed Den go through many stages over the years. But honestly, none of those rankings really matter. To me, it has always been a restaurant where the food is genuinely delicious and brings a deep sense of comfort from within.<\/p>\n
Every time before I dine at Den, their smiling faces always come to mind\u2014Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa and his wife\u00a0Emi, with their warm, welcoming expressions, and their adorable dog Puchi. After the meal, I leave carrying these same warm memories. It\u2019s a simple kind of happiness, one that needs no fancy words to describe.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa<\/p>\n
What makes Den special isn't showiness, but the sincerity and purity of the food itself. That, in today\u2019s age, feels especially precious. Nowadays, many restaurants fill the waiting time with all sorts of amuse-bouches. If they\u2019re not freshly prepared, these small bites can feel distracting and take up space in the stomach of someone who came genuinely hungry. I much prefer jumping straight into the main event\u2014no unnecessary frills, just dishes that go straight to the heart.Our meal in early April began with a\u00a0monaka\u2014but not the sweet kind. This one was a\u00a0Foie Gras Monaka.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Foie Gras Monaka<\/p>\n
Traditionally a dessert, here\u00a0in between\u00a0the crisp wafer shell was silky foie gras marinated in miso to enhance its umami and reduce its\u00a0fattiness. It was paired with sticky-sweet dried persimmon and smoked daikon radish. The result was a perfect blend of sweet and savory, chewy and crunchy. The highlight was the\u00a0timing\u2014the monaka was served sealed, requiring you to\u00a0tear it\u00a0yourself, ensuring the ultimate crispness. The fillings change each time, and Chef never tells you in advance. You\u2019re meant to guess. This playful mystery adds warmth and fun right from the start.<\/p>\n
Next was a dish of deep-fried scallop and fish paste with rapeseed blossoms. Chopped scallops were mixed with fish paste, breaded, and fried to golden. Paired with seasonal vegetables and a thickened dashi-based sauce, it was light and refreshing\u2014a dish that carried the fresh spirit of spring.<\/p>\n
Then came Den\u2019s signature dish:\u00a0Den Fried Chicken (DFC).\u00a0\u201cIn traditional\u00a0kaiseki, there\u2019s a small rice dish called\u00a0oshinogi\u00a0meant to fill the stomach a bit. We decided to de-bone chicken wings and stuff them with sticky rice,\u201d said Zaiyu\u00a0San.\u00a0Their goal was to make kaiseki feel more approachable, and thus, DFC was born. The boneless chicken wing, stuffed with glutinous rice, is deep-fried until the skin is golden and crisp, served in a custom takeout-style box\u2014full of humor and delight. The filling changes with the seasons; this time, it was a combination of sticky rice, dried plum, shiso, and black sesame. The chicken juices soaked into the rice, while the tartness of the plum cut through the richness of the fried skin. Though piping hot, it was irresistible. And just like the seasons, every visit brings a new version to look forward to.<\/p>\n
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DFC<\/p>\n
Following that was\u00a0suma\u00a0katsuo (skipjack tuna)\u00a0sashimi lightly marinated in soy sauce. Caught fresh in the morning, the sashimi was tender and melted in the mouth. It was served with a slightly sweet sauce made from seaweed and dashi, plus wasabi. The\u00a0special\u00a0acidity\u00a0of the fish\u00a0was beautifully highlighted. Next was\u00a0sakura\u00a0trout with deep-fried Brussels sprouts. The trout\u2019s skin was seared to a perfect crisp while the meat remained juicy and tender. The fried\u00a0brussels\u00a0sprouts added a rich, caramelized crunch, enhancing the texture.<\/p>\n
Then came Den\u2019s iconic\u201cThe Garden\u201d salad\u00a0\u2014a representation of the field.\u00a0Made from over twenty types of seasonal vegetables sourced from farms near Mount Fuji and Chiba, each ingredient was prepared differently to highlight its flavor and texture. Thinly sliced asparagus, pickled burdock, deep-fried zucchini, saut\u00e9ed potatoes, sweet carrots, vibrant peas\u2014all simply seasoned with kombu salt to bring out the natural sweetness of spring produce. Though it looks simple, it holds incredible complexity. Just like a real field, no two seasons are ever the same.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/DSCF3396-scaled.jpg\")
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The Garden Salad<\/p>\n
Finally, we arrived at the highly anticipated\u00a0kamameshi (rice pot)\u00a0course. Den\u2019s\u00a0rice dishes are\u00a0renowned, especially for its precise seasoning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first version featured\u00a0bamboo shoots and\u00a0flowers of\u00a0sansho\u00a0pepper\u00a0(hanasansho), using Nikomaru rice from Shizuoka. The grains were plump and distinct, chewy yet soft, with each bite\u00a0revealing layers of sweetness. The delicate aroma of the sansho\u00a0pepepr\u00a0flowers intertwined with the crisp bamboo shoots\u2014pure spring in a bowl. This was our first taste of sansho\u00a0pepper\u00a0flowers this year, and we felt incredibly lucky to be there at the perfect moment.<\/p>\n
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Rice with\u00a0bamboo shoots and\u00a0flowers of\u00a0sansho\u00a0pepper<\/p>\n
The second version was\u00a0beef shoulder\u00a0rice, and this dish held special meaning for me. In 2022, post-pandemic, I wrote them a letter hoping to experience it again. This spring, not only did they remember, but they also brought it back just for me\u2014along with my favorite sake,\u00a0Jikon.\u00a0The whole beef shoulder was first rested in bonito dashi, then marinated for several days in mirin and sake, seared, then roasted until the exterior was caramelized. Before serving, it was sliced into thick, steak-like pieces. The\u00a0rice soaks up all the meat juice and fat,\u00a0making every grain glisten. The beef was tender inside, its sweetness balanced by the zing of wasabi. Pure happiness. I had to eat three bowls to feel satisfied.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/640-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Beef Shoulder Rice<\/p>\n
Dessert was a\u00a0Citrus Bavarois.\u00a0Made from milk and cream, it was smooth and airy, topped with juicy segments of citrus and a jelly made from six different herbs and gin. The bright fruit and herbal finish made for a refreshingly gentle end to the meal.<\/p>\n
Zaiyu-san, while serious in the kitchen, looks at his guests with genuine warmth. Maintaining Den\u2019s unique atmosphere isn\u2019t easy in an era of long tasting menus. Den doesn\u2019t try to\u00a0fill your time or your stomach with extras\u2014it gives you just what you need.<\/p>\n
Den\u2019s menu has never been artificially extended to justify its price. Yet, curiously, nearly every dish has become a classic in its own right. \u201cClassic\u201d here doesn\u2019t mean static\u2014though the forms may appear the same, the content always changes with the seasons. The recipes, details, and flavors are subtly tweaked every time.\u00a0In this age, what we need most might be exactly this kind of balance\u2014where every dish is just enough, not too much, not too little.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tastytrip.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/9899F831-4C08-45E5-AFEE-496EBF4718B5-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
From left to right: Wife of Chef Zaiyu - Emi\u3001Author\u3001Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa<\/p>\n
Every visit to Den feels like a warm reunion. And I already look forward to returning in another season.<\/p>\n
Author: Jocelyn \u534e\u59d0\u3001Patty Chuang<\/p>\n
Photos:\u00a0Jocelyn \u534e\u59d0\/Patty Chuang<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I remember my first visit to Den in Tokyo\u2014it was still at the old location in Jimbocho, before the move to\u00a0Jingumae.From earning two Michelin stars, losing one, regaining two, to watching its fluctuating rankings on the World\u2019s 50 Best list, I\u2019ve witnessed Den go through many stages over the years.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-food"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n