Standing proudly on Komazawa Dori between Shibuya and Ebisu is a modern European-style building with clean-cut concrete walls and a glass entrance showcasing a sample of the trim interior. This is Dish, one of renowned restaurant designer Akira Kado's most praised institutions. In keeping with his other creations' sober and stylish spirits, one look at Dish promised us a cosmopolitan yet intimate evening. We were enticed.
On the second-floor main dining room, we found ourselves absorbed in muted darkness with soft jazz tickling our ears. We were led to an ebony table nearest the veranda and were promptly given hot hand towels and a sleek, black-encased drink menu. The menu was extensive, but the fine print encouraged us to ask for anything we couldn't find-Ten, another Kado design, is the bar in the basement. We ordered sakurai potato shochu (¥700), which came accompanied by two dishes of complimentary appetizers.
Nanban-style Pacific saucy escabeche (¥750), served with the sweetened vinegar marinade, was succulent, and the bones edible. Ripened avocadoes with tuna (¥1,200) were presented in yukke fashion: the tuna and avocadoes centered on the plate, topped with tobiko, buckwheat morsels, and jellied soy sauce froth. The melt-in-your-mouth gelatin and the gummy buckwheat delightfully enhanced both the flavor and texture of the dish. Aomori garlic tempura (¥750) and assorted mushroom tempura (¥750) were arranged with seasonal momiji (maple) leaves adding bursts of color to the platter. The garlic cloves were accented with the fragrant sudachi citrus and a pinch of salt and black pepper. The mushroom tempura was oily, but the grated daikon (radish) dipping sauce balanced it out acceptably.
We agreed that our entrée, cow tongue stewed in hacchou miso (¥2,500), was everything this popular dish should be: tender, flavorful tongue in a rich red wine-based sauce. We finished off our meal with fresh fish rice bowls and miso soup (¥1,500). Just as plump as the tuna we had earlier, the raw fish and the sushi rice proved to be an irresistible combination.
Satiated, we lingered in the quiet dining room with café au lait (¥600) and black bean kinako (soy flour) ice cream (¥500). Only a murmuring couple and a small group of friendly adults were our fellow diners, and when we did find ourselves back on Komazawa Dori, we were gleeful with our first-rate finding.