Den, a Comical Culinary Experience

Den is a little Tokyo-based restaurant with a private dining room and just 8 covers. Arriving it feels like you’ve turned up at a friend’s place for dinner, with a convivial, intimate ambiance. The menus are defined beforehand but change regularly according to the whims of the chef as well as seasonal availability.

So far, so conventional. But Zaiyu Hasegawa is a chef with a great deal of humour. He cooks and serves dishes that are both unexpected and theatrical. One of his starters for example, is a savoury Monaka cake with foie gras served in plastic. For his classic Dentucky Fried Chicken, the dish arrives in a cardboard box, just like its fast food namesake, decorated with a photo of Hasegawa and his dog. 

The chef alternates between elaborate and elegant dishes served on regular plates, and far whackier presentations. For example, his salad composed of 25 different vegetables, all prepared in different ways including vanilla-marinated tomatoes. Inspired by pop culture and cuisine trends in equal measure, Den surprises as much as it satisfies.

Each year the British industry magazine Restaurant reveals its 50 best restaurants in the world, and Den has just been ranked number 17.