I went to lunch at Kozue, the Japanese restaurant at the Park Hyatt Tokyo.

The restaurant is made up of rich amber wood walls, floors, and tables. The tableware is all unique. The restaurant has a breathtaking view out towards Mt. Fuji from its 40th floor perch.

The menu, much more affordable at lunch than dinner, offers both individual choices (to which you can add rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles) and set course meals (beginning at JPY3900 at lunch and I believe JPY12000 at dinner, our meal was JPY6200).

Our first course consisted of several items: Kelp Flavored Snapper and Fresh Seaweed with Vinaigrette Soy Sauce; Marinated Tofu, Konnyaku and Deep Fried Puffy Bread; Simmered Short-neck Clam, Yachiazami and Fuki Greens; Conger Eel and Seri Greens with Sesame Sauce. Everything was delicious, especially the Eel and the Snapper.

Our main course was Grilled Yonezawa Sirloin and Seasonal Veggies Wrapped with Hoba Leaf. The meat and veggies were actually inside the leaf, sliced in 1/2 inch thick and 4 inch long pieces. The meat was really good, more fatty than I’m used to, but that added amazing flavor. This type of meat is even more prized then Kobe beef, which is quite a delicacy in American Asian-fusion restaurants.

This course was served with a little pot containing hot, smoldering branches with a wire top. The meat is served rare and guests can cook it further to taste by placing the leaf bundle on the clay pot for a few minutes.

This was followed by tempura.

And then dessert.

A really wonderful meal, outstanding quality and authentic Japanese yet accessible even to Westerners unfamiliar with the cuisine (being inside the Park Hyatt more or less ensures that).