We had been recommended Calm Terrace by several friends who knew chef Makoto Sakurazawa and manager Tony Ishizaki from Tableaux (Sakurazawa also worked at Citabria). Their current venture is located on the ground floor of a wedge-shaped building with windows that reach up to the ceiling high above. The room is subtly lit and decorated in a pallet of subdued grays, enlivened by the bustle of the semi-open kitchen and the city lights blinking through the slatted windows.
Back to the drinks: We opted for the novel white wine sangria that combined grape juice, champagne and kaffir lime leaves (¥850), which we found zingy and refreshing. Our companion went for the fresh peach martini (¥950), which was “interesting, but not killer,” from someone who likes his drinks drier than a Saudi flip-flop. From the small list of mostly New World wines we selected a bottle of Turnbull Sauvignon Blanc (¥5,300)—crisp and unobtrusive. The special cocktails and “for drivers” list of non-alcoholic drinks also caught our attention.
The fusion menu is engrossing—between us we wanted to try everything—making the wait for our food hard to endure. Our orders came swooping in simultaneously, typical of the unfailingly attentive Ishizaki and his team. Our companion was underwhelmed by his starter of seafood fritti in a Parmesan and almond crust (¥1,400), but enjoyed our marinated beetroot with moussed Gorgonzola sauce (¥850), each beet wrapped in sweet slivers of prosciutto.
The “giant pork chop” with mash and pickles (¥2,300) was all that it promised—its succulence as impressive as its girth. Having knifed our companion’s dinner, it was only fair to hand over a slice of our tender duck, grilled with eggplant crisps and dressed with grated daikon and wasabi fond de veau sauce (¥2,500). Among the desserts, the round, white cheesecake (¥950) was most memorable—perfectly formed and creamy in texture, but delicate in taste.
Our stomachs were satisfied, our souls settled, and our interest piqued; believe us when we say it won’t be long until the city spins us back to Calm Terrace again.