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If you don't eat this, your life will be ruined.

2024.9.27

Not to be outdone by Hong Kong! The dim sum lunch at "Iezen Shichifuku Shuka" in Shinbashi, Tokyo is so blissful!

If you want to have dim sum for lunch, this is the best place in Japan! "Kazen Shichifuku Restaurant" is comparable to Hong Kong



When I asked foodie editor Basshi if he could have some delicious dim sum, he recommended Izen Shichifuku Shuya. What is the taste that Bassy praises as the best in Tokyo, no, the best in the whole country? 

 






Authentic dim sum restaurants have become more and more popular in Tokyo.,Eat in TokyoWantDim sum bessGI want to introduce 


In fact, the most important thing about dim sum is the tea drinking. The dim sum comes second. But, this is Japan, so let's focus on the food.

An older example is "Din Tai Fung" from Taiwan, and in recent years "Tim Ho Wan" from Hong Kong has landed in Japan. Tim Ho Wan has three stores in Tokyo, while Din Tai Fung has more than 20 stores in Japan, with 11 in Tokyo alone. 


A few years ago, I once heard a leading food figure in Hong Kong say, "It is the owner's strict palate that protects the taste of the restaurant," and, "If the owner is too reserved with the head chef, the food will go out of style." 





In that sense, what about Din Tai Fung and Tim Ho Wan? Sorry if I sound like I'm being arrogant, but to be honest, the taste of their dim sum is much worse than in their home countries. Even though they are made under the strict guidance of dim sum chefs in their home countries and the presidents of both restaurants regularly visit Japan to check on them.




If the food is not exposed to the scrutiny of the head chef in the kitchen every day, it will only decline. In fact, I personally feel that there is no other food in the world where the taste changes as drastically depending on who is cooking the pot as in Chinese food, even in the same restaurant.


So every time I go to either of those restaurants, I think, "The dim sum I eat in my home country is not like this." For example, at Din Tai Fung in Taipei, as soon as I put it in my mouth, I open my eyes wide and say, "Is this for real?" Simple steamed dumplings and xiaolongbao are so delicious that they shake my soul. I never have that experience in Japan.




So this time, I'll introduce a restaurant that I've been going to for over 35 years. For those who know it well, the conclusion will probably be, "That's not surprising at all."




"Izen Shichifuku Sake House", originally a famous restaurant



The dim sum here is comparable to that in Hong Kong (Hong Kong is far superior when it comes to tea). The restaurant is called "Fuk Lam Mon Fish Wing Seafood Restaurant". The restaurant was originally called "Fuk Lam Mon Fish Wing Seafood Restaurant" (commonly known as Fuk Lam Mon).



After the seven brothers of Fuk Lam Mon had a fight, the restaurant split into two: Fuk Lam Mon and Kazen Shichi Fuku. Fuk Lam Mon disappeared from Japan, and the only one left in Japan is Kazen Shichi Fuku Sake House, Tokyo Shinbashi Branch.


The original Fook Lam Mun restaurant is based in Hong Kong and is known as one of the best traditional Cantonese restaurants. In the past, there were five restaurants in Japan, two in Tokyo, and one each in Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka (that's too many).

Iezen Shichifuku Sakaya has moved from its commanding view in the Maru Building to the Daiichi Tokyo Hotel. "The head chef hasn't changed," said a staff member. This is the most important point.



Dim sum that surpasses the original Hong Kong?!



"Steamed shrimp dumplings" "Steamed shrimp dumplings"

"Steamed shrimp dumplings"




First, let's check out his skill with the "Steamed Shrimp Gyoza." The semi-transparent skin is chewy yet smooth, demonstrating his skill.



When I took a bite, the shrimp inside was naturally popping and sweet, and the taste of the shrimp and the bean paste was really rich. This, this, this is it. Just this one dish made me nod deeply and say, "After all, Izen Shichifuku is the best."





There are some items you shouldn't miss out on, such as the "Daikon Mochi" (rice cake with radish), which is a world apart from other stores.


Daikon mochi Daikon mochi

Be sure to order the "Daikon Mochi" - you won't regret it.




At other stores, the radish is flat, like mochi, with the radish all stuck together, but here the cross-section of the radish is a regular square, retaining its shape as long, thin strips.



The knife is extremely sharp. Of course, the outside and inside are browned and crispy, the inside is soft but still has the shape of a radish, and the potato starch used as a binder is sprinkled with small pieces of Jinhua ham, giving it a deep radish aroma and flavor.






It's so delicious that you won't find anything like it. Anyone who tries it for the first time will be amazed. It's a must-try.


The "Shark Fin Soup Dumplings" consist of dumplings wrapped in shredded shark fin and shrimp floating in piping hot, high-quality soup.



"Shark fin soup dumplings" "Shark fin soup dumplings"

The soup in the "Shark Fin Soup Dumplings" is irresistible!




First, sip the hot soup. This soup, carefully made from high-quality Jinhua ham, is the essence of Cantonese cuisine. Japanese people, who are accustomed to dashi stock, should be able to sense this.





It's a genuine soup that doesn't tingle like chemical seasonings. It's smooth and soft, but the depth of flavor is vast and boundless, and it permeates your mouth. Ah! And I let out a deep sigh.


Scoop up some dumplings with the soup. Eat the shark fin and shrimp that have soaked up the rich soup while panting. What a pleasure! I recommend adding a little red vinegar (they give you regular vinegar, so ask for red vinegar). It tightens the flavor and adds even more depth.


Other delicious dishes include fried rice cakes with chives, Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and spring rolls with shrimp.


Then, although it's not a dim sum dish but is classified as an appetizer, you must also try the "Pot Char Siu."



"Kamayaki Char Siu" "Kamayaki Char Siu"

"Kamayaki Char Siu"




It's almost the same as Hong Kong's Fook Lam Mun and Ka Chun Chi Fook. The honey is thick and the pork is very tender, and the flavor is incredibly deep. It's a dish that makes you feel the Chinese obsession with making pork as delicious as possible.





Unlike other restaurants, there is no smell of pork. You will feel happy as soon as you eat it.





Well, that's enough about the dim sum, I want to eat some vegetables.


It's good to eat seasonal Chinese vegetables (though they are grown in Japan). On this day, there was Chinese kailan, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, and asparagus.


All of the vegetables have a crunchy, crunchy texture. Chinese people value the texture of the stems more than the leaves. I ordered Chinese kailan in a soup with top broth. Of course, the stems were crunchy and delicious, but I think it would have been fine to simply stir fry them with salt.


The final dish is always a headache. Because everything is so delicious. If I had a cow's stomach, I would definitely order four dishes (laughs).



"Fried rice with dried octopus and chicken in dried abalone broth" "Fried rice with dried octopus and chicken in dried abalone broth"

"Chinese-style anchovy and chicken fried rice" is super light and fluffy,It's a supreme taste.




For example, the "Fried rice with dried octopus and chicken in dried abalone broth" is simply delicious. It's more like risotto than fried rice, but it's a concentrated flavor of many kinds of dried ingredients. If you haven't tried it, it's definitely something you should try.




Other good dishes include "Fujian-style Fried Rice with Thick Sauce" and "Japanese Beef Mince and Lettuce Fried Rice." I especially love "Clay Pot Rice" (rice cooked in a clay pot), a winter staple in Hong Kong. It's like a dream to be able to eat this all year round (laughs).


As for the noodles, both the soup and the stir-fried rice vermicelli are excellent.


After some hesitation, I decided on the standard "Chinese-style anchovy and chicken fried rice" and "soy sauce fried noodles with yellow chives."


The fried rice is incredibly light and flaky, with a salty taste that doesn't taste oily at all, but the real highlight is the combination of shredded fermented fish (xian yu), egg white and chicken, all of which combine to create a mesmerizing combination of flavours.


Although xiangyu is often described as Chinese-style kusaya, it doesn't have as special a taste as kusaya. It's about as strong as anchovies.


"Yakisoba with yellow chives and soy sauce" is so popular in Hong Kong that it is commonly known as "Hong Kong fried noodles." The only ingredients on the extremely thin egg noodles (jidan noodles) are yellow chives and bean sprouts. They are lightly stir-fried with sweet and salty Chinese soy sauce (lao chuo) and oyster sauce. It is hardly oily. This is a fried noodle dish that I love, but the ones at other restaurants are sticky and heavy, and it is difficult to find something as light and refreshing as this one in Japan.


By the way, the Chinese desserts are excellent, no matter which one you choose.


In particular, the black sesame and walnut shiratama dumplings are heavenly. If you have a dim sum lunch at this restaurant, you can be sure that you will be immersed in a deep, deep sense of happiness. The "weekday-only dim sum course" is also recommended.


Not only lunch, but dinner is also fantastic, with a lavish menu of dishes such as the restaurant's specialty crispy chicken, Peking duck (which is amazing, even though it's a Cantonese restaurant), steamed grouper, and shark fin.



Izen Shichifuku Sakeya Tokyo Shimbashi store Izen Shichifuku Sakeya Tokyo Shimbashi store

Izen Shichifuku Sakeya Tokyo Shimbashi store

Daiichi Hotel Tokyo 1F, 2-6-XNUMX Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

℡ 03-6273-3308

Business hours: 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00

Closed: Monday

 

 

Steamed shrimp dumplings (960 pieces) XNUMX yen

Daikon mochi (880 pieces) XNUMX yen

Shark fin soup dumplings (2130 piece) XNUMX yen

Grilled char siu 2540 yen

Chinese-style anchovy and chicken fried rice 3070 yen

Soy sauce fried noodles with yellow chives 1430 yen

Weekday only Dim Sum Course 5500 yen






What does "If you don't eat this, your life is ruined" mean?

When he hears something delicious, he rushes east and west to eat it all. Rumor has it that he might be the Brillat-Savarin of Reiwa, or even the return of Furukawa Roppa. Bassey is an editor with over 40 years of food-loving experience. A heart-wrenching gourmet essay.



Author profile

 

Bassey is a foodie who has been eating around for over 40 years. In addition to Japan, he regularly goes to Hong Kong to eat Chinese food at his own expense, and also travels to Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Seoul for delicious food. During his time as the editor-in-chief of a travel magazine, he visited many Michelin-rated restaurants around the world, especially in Europe, and later on in the World's Best 50 restaurants. We want everyone who loves food to try ``Crab Miso Bean Paste Noodles'' from ``Tenkorou'' (Hong Kong). Actually, I like the Chinese food at this restaurant the best in the world. Another example of the best Western food is "El Seger de Can Roca" from Girona, Spain, which was ranked number one on the World's Best 50 list. Ah, I want to go there again.

 



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