Totoratei : A Cornucopia of Flavours in Tokyo

It is not often that I look forward to writing an article as much as this one, as this was indeed special. So special , that I deliberately destroy my usual titling template as just saying "Dinner @ Totoratei" will not do this place justice. I was introduced to this place by the Youtube channel Tabieats and almost immediately had the urge to just go there and have a meal. In fact, this was the only restaurant that I placed in my checklist of things I need to do for my return to Tokyo. 

Front of the house

Manned by husband and wife duo of Eiji and Tomoko Kubo, Totoratei is a quaint residential restaurant that specialised in something more global. The Kubos serve special dishes that highlight different cuisines and cultures. This is not only in their food but their drinks as well, which wines and spirits obtained from many different countries. 

Just a small part of what they have to offer

In view of introducing new cuisines to their patrons, the couple also travels every few months to different parts of the world to learn the food culture of their destination. They will then incorporate new dishes into their specials menu, that compliments their main grand menu. This time, the country of focus is Mozambique. And what I had was the chicken peanuts curry as my starter, the caril de amendoim (カリル デ アメンドイン). 

　

First dish for the night

The sauce of the chicken curry was very familiar to me. It has a flavour profile very similar to satay sauce, but much more refined and delicate. Imagine the best peanut butter you had in your life. And then make it into a soup. But that description does not really do this justice, as there are other flavour compounds that gave an aromatic back chanelling after you placed it in your mouth. It has some spicy kick, but not something strong like you get from chilli heat. So the mild smoothness allow you to enjoy this easily.

A worth while close up

The chicken absorbed the sauce well, giving it an earthy and woody element, something you get from nuts. However, the sauce was the main star and the chicken was more of a vessel that help carry the elements in it. It was so good that I took down the entire bowl with ease, and had the sauce like a soup. A nutty, earthy, warming wallop of a soup. 

Chillies!

Being a Malaysian after all, the chicken was served with a side of pickled chillies which I un-bashfully have with every single bite. The acidic and spicy edge adds more depth to the flavour of the overall dish. Just way too good.

Delicious

My main that I have comes from their grand menu, which is the backbone of this fine establishment. I picked one of their popular dishes, that is their Arabic spiced chicken (チキンのアラビア焼き). With a red layer of chillies, one might think that it would be a capsaicinoid explosion. But just like the peanut dish earlier, this was utterly delicious and very easy to eat. 

Perfection.

The chilli layer was smooth and smoky with some heat, but not very strong. There was a strong roasted-like smell though, which I really like. The chicken was grilled to perfection, with a crispy skin sandwiched between the meat and the chutney-like chilli topping. And the aroma of the spices that flavoured this chicken dish was simply intoxicating, with hues from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern herbs and spices which inspired this dish inviting you to dig in. 

Time for something sweet. 

To finish things off, one must have dessert. The restaurant serves 3 different desserts of the day and I had the espresso cream pudding. And if you love coffee like I do, this is a must order. This dessert was absolutely decadent.  The pudding was delicate and smooth. The flavour was somehow very intense, with the flavour of coffee shooting straight in and yet it felt great as this sweet delight was well balanced. 

Cleaned out!

The elements of this sweet delight lingers on in your throat as well, with the aroma of coffee still making its presence felt after you consumed every amazing spoonful. And like all Japanese desserts, sweetness is a secondary element. And as such, you do not get a glucose flood like you normally do in other places. This coffee cornucopia in a cup is worth the visit alone.

Amarula Gold, how can you be this good? 

As mentioned above, their array of spirits are quite global too and I was introduced by Eiji-san a grapa drink all the way from South Africa: the Amarula Gold, which he himself personally brought into the country. Very rare and absolutely delicious, this fine venom is made of marula fruits that can only be cultivated in African soil. 

Straight and simple. Just gorgeous.

The flavour was deep and astounding, with hints of fruitiness and sweetness and a slight kick similar to bourbon. The fruity compounds are like nothing like I have tasted before and it is hard to put it into words. Although I do feel that it as a slight resemblance to cinnamon or aniseed. It was so good in that I had 2 shots of it. And boy were they good. 

A shot of the bar, before it started to get busy. 

Last but not least, the best part of this dining experience is the people here. The Kubos are very friendly and hospitable. Eiji-san is very knowledgeable and speaks fluent English, so he was able to help translate parts of conversations when  I had with patrons when I sat by the bar. And when she is not busy behind the kitchen chef Tomoko-san will come in and join the conversation too. The bar to me, is to this day, the best place to sit and eat in any Japanese dining establishment. You get to mingle with the chef and also see your food being cooked before you. It is also a great place to make new friends with other patrons. An initial plan just to drop by for dinner became a night long experience as I was having such great fun talking to Eiji-san and the other customers who were keen in practicing English with me and me with my Japanese. 

Thank you for the great meal. 御馳走様でした

Totoratei is not usually a spot foreigners would simply go to as it does not serve the usual suspects like sushi or ramen. But if you are intending to travel to Tokyo do make the trip down there. The food is amazing, the service is great and the overall experience is something worth remembering. It is very easy to find the place as its just a few minutes away from the Nogata Station of the Seibu Shinjuku Line. And if you intend to visit Totoratei, their address is as follows:

5-31-7 Nogata, Nakano, Tokyo 

More details are on their business card. 

PS: Dear Eiji-san and Tomoko-san, 

If you are reading this, thanks again for letting me dine at your fine establishment. If you are ever visiting Malaysia again do let me know!