Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki - Kaiseki
The ask was high: Could I find a traditional Japanese restaurant that was family friendly, reasonably priced, had great food, nice ambiance, and convenient location? I was thrilled when I discovered Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki, a Japanese kaiseki place (with private rooms!) with a location right in the heart of Shinjuku.
Shinjuku Gyoen
Our plan was to visit Shinjuku Gyoen (my favorite cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo), so this restaurant's location was perfect, a convenient 7-minute walk away.
The first cherry blossoms we saw in Tokyo was when we came out of the subway in Shinjuku on the way to this restaurant!
Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki is a Japanese kaiseki restaurant that focuses on nature and the seasons. They blend traditional and modern Japanese food concepts together into their kaiseki meals. Seasonality is key, and ingredients can come and go depending on what's available right now. During the springtime, there was a huge emphasis on flower.
The restaurant offers a variety of set menus. We pre-ordered the mid-level Kaiseki Hundred Flowers lunch set meal for JPY4400 (USD$28) per person. This seemed like a phenomenal deal, considering their dinners go upwards of JPY220,000 and more.
Private Rooms
Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki was particularly great for us because we had a slightly larger party (6 people), including two kids. Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki offered the option of multiple private rooms, which you can book. This is a great option if you have children, want a quiet space to talk, or just want to have some more private space to relax.
Booking the private room cost an additional charge of JPY5500 (US35), which I thought was reasonable considering the benefits of having such a room.
A few caveats to note: the cancellation policy is quite strict here. I had to pay for the entire meal up front. If I canceled within 3 days, I would lose my entire deposit. I guess they've been burned by enough tourists canceling at the last minute. Additionally, my hotel would not let me book anything within 6 hours of my arrival time (I guess people's delayed flights have caused other issues).
Thankfully, after we successfully arrived in Tokyo at 7AM (red-eye flight from Hong Kong!), our hotel allowed us to move our lunch booking a bit earlier.
Kaiseki Hundred Flowers Lunch
The artistry of this meal blew me away. Each small bite had its own theme and flavor profile. Below are the descriptions just for the items on this first tray of "bites:"delicacies"DelicaciesTaro and foie gras grilled with miso sauceMozuku seaweed steeped in vinegary dashi stockCarrot Sweet Bean JellySalmon marinated in koji yeast with boiled spring cabbages, plum bubblesSimmered green Japanese butterbur served with shaved dried bonito "Itogaki"Pureed new onions soup, prosciuttoGrilled first bonito of the season, salt-pickled bonito guts with soy sauce, radish sprouts, myoga ginger
Warm Dish
Chawanmushi with Black Truffle, Spring Chicken, Ciboulette
Sashimi
Seasonal white fish from the Kochi Prefecture with freshly ground wasabi, shiso leaf, and grated daikon.
Miso soup with mixed miso；Two kinds of sliced japanese pickles
Main Course
Grilled dish: Grilled silver carp in "Yuan" style, Shibazuke pickles with grated radish Fried dish: Mixed tempura with sakura shrimpsWarm dish: Steamed cherry bass with rice powder, wasabi starch sauceSimmered dish: Carrot, asparagus, new potatoAdditional side dish: Grilled chicken with plantain lilies, lemonRice dish：Junjo Premium Hitomebore rice of Iwate
Dessert
Custard pudding with Sanuki Wasanbon (a type of Japanese brown sugar made from sugar cane)
General Thoughts about Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru Ki
Overall, the food was pleasant, the service was excellent, and we really enjoyed a relaxing, unhurried lunch in our private room. The meal felt like a steal, likely bumped by the strong dollar and weak yen.
It was raining outside, so we really appreciated having the ability to enjoy being indoors, eating beautiful seasonal food while catching up with old friends. The kids loved it too, and commented multiple times on how much they loved the food.
For us, the timing could not have been better. The rain stopped, and the sun came out right after lunch! We quickly pack up all of our stuff and walked over to Shijuku Gyoen.
Shinjuku Gyoen
What a fantastic first day in Tokyo!
Shinjuku Gyoen
Shinjuku Hoshi No Naru KiRainbow Village (Building) 9th Floor3-5-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0022
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