Aquavit

Posted by Dayna747 on April 24, 2009

Reaching a swanky cul-de-sac in trendy Kita Aoyama just minutes from Gaienmae station, walk through the glass sliding doors of Aquavit and you instantly feel the sophistication oozing through the modern Scandinavian design. On the left, a small chic lounge area with ‘egg’ chairs leads to a dim-lit bar sparkling with colorful liquor bottles used to make unique cocktails with their signature aquavit – a caraway flavored vodka that was made softer and easier to drink by the restaurant, who now sell their special concoction by the bottle. Experiment with the Aquapolitan featuring an orange-lemon flavored aquavit, a Lychee Martini with Lychee-Orange Blossom aquavit, or a Midtown Martini featuring cucumber aquavit. To the right is the main dining hall decked with warm medium wood, dark leather chairs, gray suede booths, and skylights on the tall ceiling which all lend to the cozy yet classy atmosphere.

The gourmet cuisine is mastered by chef and co-owner Marcus Samuelson, a Swedish-born culinary whiz with numerous accolades and celebrated by The Culinary Institute of America as one of ‘The Great Chefs of America’. Using traditional Scandinavian staples like smoked salmon, venison and potatoes keep the food true to its origins, but Samuelson ingeniously twists the flavors to give it a modern update. Heading the kitchen in Tokyo is Kazuhiko Tsurumi, whose culinary experience takes him from France to Hokkaido and back to Tokyo as the former sous chef of Il Mulino in Roppongi Hills.

For starters, there’s the robust gravlax dish of potatoes and thinly sliced smoked salmon topped with Samuelson’s famous espresso-mustard sauce. The four-herring assortment is a Swedish specialty; this one is served with your choice of vodka-lime or curry-apple sauce and ‘necessary accessories’ of Carlsberg and Aquavit. The lobster roll is an interesting treat with a lightly dressed lobster and pickled Asian pear salad, rolled in a thin pastry sheet and lined with trout roe and smoky bacon and a special mayonnaise-like dressing. Chase it with the shot provided, a ginger ale granita and a touch of aquavit. Strangely, it compliments it beautifully. For the main, savor the lean and tender venison loin that’s complimented by tart lingonberries and served with delicious gnocchi and spinach sides. Or how about the one-side sautéed salmon, a fresh and thickly cut fillet of light pink meat with a swirl of lemon sauce and roasted beets.

Desserts are little works of art; with the princess cake coming straight out of a fairy-tale with sponge cake, custard and raspberry jam in a lime green marzipan coating. Or you can opt for the Artic Circle, which is a goat-cheese parfait with cassis sorbet and passion fruit curd, or a rich chocolate custard cake with topped diced cherries and salty caramel ice cream. For cobbler lovers, the blueberry cobbler with a side of cold blueberry ice cream won’t disappoint.

Much like Japanese cuisine, Scandinavian cuisine done right has the simplicity of fresh ingredients combined with distinct flavors that compliment each other and are then displayed with artful precision. If you become a fan, you can always buy Samuelson’s book ‘Aquavit’ for recipes and inspiration in your own kitchen.

Tags: Aoyama, Aquavit, cuisine, eating out, Gainemae, Marcus Samuelson, restaurant, Scandinavian, Tokyo

Filed in Food & Drink