The simple taste invites you to new horizons
This Chinese restaurant attracted attention as soon as it opened in February 2017, and at the end of the year it was awarded two Michelin stars for the first time. Located in a detached house in a residential area of Minami-Azabu, it is frequented by foodies.
Photographs by Yu Mitamura
The gorgeous main dish arrives towards the start of the second half of the course. As you take it in your hand and bite, you'll be greeted by a smooth, rich soup and a filling with a variety of textures. Inside the Nanbu chicken wing are various parts of whole-cooked soft-shelled turtle and rice cakes, and on top is deep-fried Fukaya leeks, cleverly using ingredients unique to Japan. The surface is coated in caramel in high-temperature oil, giving it a crispy, fragrant flavor that's addictive.
While the cuisine is undoubtedly Chinese, at times one may have the illusion of eating Japanese food. This is largely due to chef Kawada Tomoya's background and attitude towards ingredients. After 10 years of dedicated training in Chinese cuisine at Azabu Choko, he went on to Japanese Cuisine Ryugin. Cooking in Japan, he felt a strong need to understand Japanese ingredients and cuisine. There, he learned the delicate handling of ingredients and charcoal grilling techniques not available in Chinese cuisine, which he now puts to good use in the kitchen of Chazenka. His dishes, created with the motto "true flavor lies in the subtle," are simple and quiet, yet packed with memorable flavors. The "Kawo Chicken Wings" is a dish that tastes like chicken wings sleeping in a nest of leeks. "This dish is my own interpretation of the 'Kihou Tang' (turtle and young chicken soup) I ate in Sichuan in my twenties. When I ate it there, I was more impressed by its nourishing and strengthening properties than its deliciousness," he said, showing me a magnificent book on Chinese cuisine. In it, there is a photograph of a whole chicken and turtle sitting on a large plate, and although they look nothing alike, the glossy chicken wings in front of me are undoubtedly inspired by this.
For over 15 years, Chef Kawata has frequently traveled to China in search of authentic cuisine, ingredients, tea, and tableware. By combining his own sensibilities with the classic dishes and authentic flavors he has personally experienced, he elevates the cuisine at Chazenka. It's not just beautiful. It's not just delicious. That's why it resonates with the diners' hearts. We can't wait to see the dishes he continues to create, dishes that only he can create. True to his words, "Serving food at the optimum temperature brings out the aroma and creates a three-dimensional flavor," even in a luxurious space, the chef's thoughts are conveyed as if you were sitting across the counter. This is due to the wonderful teamwork of the staff, all looking in the same direction. A meal at Chazenka leaves you feeling fulfilled, and the blissful afterglow lingers long after you leave the restaurant.
Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1982. While attending vocational school, he knocked on the door of "Azabu Choko" and joined the company upon graduation. At the age of 26, he became sous chef and trained there for a total of 10 years. He then went to "Japanese Cuisine Ryugin". He participated in the launch of the Taiwanese restaurant "Shoun Ryugin" and became sous chef. After returning to Japan, he went through a period of preparation before being appointed head chef of "Chazenka".
4-7-5 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo ☎ 050-3188-8819
Irregular holidays, mainly Sundays and Mondays 17:00-23:00 (last orders 21:00)
Saturdays only: 12:00-15:00 (Last order 13:00), 18:00-23:00 (Last order 21:00)
Lunch course (approximately 10 dishes) 12,000 yen
Dinner course (approximately 15 dishes) 20,000 to 23,000 yen
Pairings are from 9500 yen for alcohol, 8500 yen for mixed drinks,
Tea from 6500 yen (tax and service charge not included)
