CENSU TOKYO — Restaurant in Tokyo

I want to stress that this is my personal experience and may have occurred because of unrealistic expectations from my side. On the other hand, I do want to share what was experienced.

I booked this place for my partner's birthday several weeks in advance. We both love food and are quite adventurous with our tastes. We ordered several things -- the yellowtail sashimi with the tomato ponzu was great, as was the Hainanese Chicken Paella, which takes 30-40 minutes to prepare. For drinks, we had their special sake and their in-house sansho beer -- both were fantastic as well. No complaints with the food aside from the fact that nothing really blew our minds. It was all extremely competent without being truly dazzling, to be quite honest.

However, what really soured the evening for us was an unfortunate seating arrangement coupled with a strangely defensive attitude from the staff. After being ushered in, we were taken to a long table where we saw two other couples seated across each other, and sandwiched in between them. This was a fairly wide table -- the kind you'd see in a cafeteria or dining hall -- and my partner is not an extremely loud person, so the moment we sat down, we knew this was not going to work. I was physically closer to the people seated to my left and right and could hear them much more clearly; my partner, at the other end, had to compete not only with their voices, but also the fairly loud music playing over the speakers (standard '00s to '20s pop and RnB).

One of the waiters, a young man who was bilingual (most of the staff appear to speak English), came over to us and we politely asked if we could sit side by side rather than across from each other -- this was immediately denied. We then asked if we could have the seats at the other end of the table -- this again was turned down as a large group was on its way, we were told. After the waiter left, the couple next to us, clearly having found this arrangement inconvenient as well, offered to swap seats so that we could both sit next to our respective partners. We agreed immediately and I swapped places with the lady seated next to my partner. All sorted -- or so we thought. Unfortunately, as the evening wore on and we ordered, it became quite apparent that the staff were not happy about this, as the table is too close to the wall and it is not possible for them to serve from the other side. The young man from earlier made it a point to specifically bring this up in a cheery-but-very-obviously sarcastic manner nearly every time he brought something to our table, highlighting how inconvenient it was to serve us. "Make sure you don't do this the next time you come," the waiter cheerfully scolded us, at one point.

I understand where he is coming from and have no wish to burden the staff at any restaurant, but I believe paying customers have a right to be accommodated especially when paying these kinds of prices. It is surely not unreasonable that couples who have come together would like to have a conversation. At JPY 10,000+ per head, surely customers can ask to NOT have a dining experience akin to a school cafeteria, especially if it is a special occasion (the third couple were on their anniversary).

Anyway, overall, as a high-concept izakaya that uniquely blends Japanese, French, and Chinese cooking, CENSU is definitely notable, even if the food is on the sweeter side for those who might enjoy spicier fare (perhaps we ordered the wrong things). Had we been seated at an actual table or even had a bit more space to ourselves on a common table, the experience would probably have been a lot better. Unfortunately, as things played out, coupled with the loud music and the attitude from the staff, after main course, we decided we'd had enough and ended up skipping dessert (even though I had asked for a birthday wish along with it). Sorry to say -- I don't think we will be...

🇯🇵 @censu_tokyo 📍 A culinary gem tuck away in Jingumae, Shibuya. An exquisite and innovative restaurant showcases seasonal ingredients and source the freshest local produce. Every dish was expertly prepared, and aesthetically presented. The restaurant hits the ideal combination of modern, and cozy, with young passionate chefs in action in the open kitchen behind the counter. Censu Tokyo is helmed by Chef Fumiyuki Kinsu. 🌟My mouth almost couldn’t contain the huge, plump succulent Oysters drizzled in appetising, tangy, Yuzu, and Sanbaizu clear dressing. 🌟Mix the Spinach into the thick, robust, sweet sesame purée. 🌟Deliciously luscious Clams bathe in heavenly Umeshu, and Whisky with hints of pepper. 🌟Zucchini flower tempura stuffed with scallop and prawns paired with cheesy truffle puree were incredibly moreish. 🌟Fresh delicate Sashimi Flounder enjoyed with crisp Daikon in light Earl Grey Sauce. 🌟 Caramel Butter Corn gave a rich warm hug in every crunch. 🌟Boiled Seafood (Clam, Shrimp, Scallop) Dumplings in lush, creamy clam chowder sauce. 🌟Grilled Chicken Wing Dumpling stuffed with beef and pork finished off with finger lickin teriyaki sauce. 🌟An elevated Onigiri with browned edges for that extra crunch and aroma, crowned with sweet, creamy Uni, mix and mash everything into the sweet yet umami Abalone dashi. 🌟End with a decadent Caramel Popcorn Ice cream. 🌟@censu_tokyo also offers its own exclusive sake which was smooth, delicious and easy to drink. A casual yet exclusive dining venue for a drink, or a catch up, with some delicious bites.

CENSU Tokyo 📍2 Chrome-12-9 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan ☎️ 03-64345883 ⏰ 6pm-11pm (Sunday close)

Insta...

This place is a gem! We had the Take omakase (¥12,800) which was sooo worth it. I was astonished by the amount of quality food they served, which they could have easily charged double the price. Oysters, king crab, wagyu, sashimi, uni, they had it all in the menu. Food is not your ordinary Japanese cuisine, but with a fusion twist to it which was fun, creative and well-balanced in taste to me. A lot effort has been put into the creation and execution of each dish, evidently seen through the hardworking men behind the counter whipping up the dishes passionately.

The atmosphere in the restaurant is relaxed with fun music in the background. Highly recommend the counter seats if it is your first time there. Service was attentive and welcoming. Thanks for celebrating our little couple time away from our kids in Singapore 😆Would highly recommend it to all the Singaporeans who love coming to Tokyo! Only downside for me was that there was too much food for me, or maybe I’m a small eater!

I will miss the taste of the caramel butter corn. I really enjoyed the desserts too. Would love to come back again to try other dishes next time we come to Tokyo again! Or, hope you guys can open a branch in Singapore...