JINBO MINAMI AOYAMA — Restaurant in Tokyo

If you’ve ever doubted that big things come in small packages, Chef Jiang Bo at Jinbo is here to school you—with the finesse of a chef who’s paid his dues in Italy and the precision of a man who treats vegetables like rare gems. His little kitchen is a powerhouse, churning out seasonal magic thanks to top-tier Japanese farms and his own smoky, cured-meat wizardry.

The Tranquility of Spring sampler course began with three delicate plates—each a love letter to the season. There was sea urchin jelly (because why not?), but the real stars were the basil sprig tomatoe, Spanish mackerel croquette, and Caprese beans dish so good I was transfixed. Know if the following dishes disappointed and I will let the photos do the talking. But the scallop ravioli - Absolute perfection Handcrafted with the delicacy of a sushi master, the buttery orange pasta cradled sweet scallop and new potato, all swimming in a smoky broth that should probably be bottled and sold as liquid sensory attacks. Dessert was a Spring strawberry affair - bright, tangy, and paired with sour cream and balsamic like they were destined to meet. And the citrus cheesecake? Let’s just say if happiness had a flavor, this would be it. Chef JinBo’s culinary creativity is next-level, and I’ll gladly return every season to see what delicious sorcery he conjures up next. A tiny restaurant with a giant soul—and even...

NOV 2024

Visited here with a reservation for dinner and had a memorable dining experience. The degustation menu had about 10 courses with an option to choose a main dish between roasted pigeon from France and a local fish dish. There is a high emphasize on utilizing seasonal ingredients, especially the local vegetables sourced from farms that chef Jimbo have personally explored and picked out. Service was outstanding; the staffs and the manager was very friendly and attentive and chef Jimbo personally came and served most of the dishes and explained the ingredients used in English to the best of his abilities which was greatly appreciated. Really liked how they showcased the local ingredients used for the different parts of the course as well as the presentation of each dish. And most importantly all the food was delicious; some of the standouts were the pumpkin amuse, sweet shrimp and sea urchin capellini, the chef's signature bagna cauda dish containing 30+ different vegetables which was unbelievably tasty, the roasted pigeon, and another chef's signature Mont...

My wife and I had a lunch date at Jinbo Minami Aoyama, and we strongly recommend! The restaurant opened a few weeks ago so we went in without any expectation. We were pleasantly surprised!

Like the drink menu, the décor is simple, yet tasteful. The service was welcoming and impeccable. And wow, the dishes were beautifully plated, original, and tasted delicious.

Each dish was carefully prepared, perfectly cooked using seasonal ingredients, with a great harmony of flavours. My wife and I loved each of them.

We will visit...