Drama On A Plate

The drama and flourish of Japanese food was never so evocative as played out at Tokyo’s 81 and Narisawa.

- Koël Purie Rinchet

81, Chef Takeshi Nagashima

The double doors in front of us open with a flourish, Chef Takeshi Nagashima, handsome enough to play the star, walks out into the empty space, takes a bow and we find ourselves applauding even before we’ve tasted a morsel. Behind him, an open kitchen and a pretty looking DJ are revealed. The fact that he is trained at the renowned El Bulli is almost incidental. A top-notch restaurant in this culinary capital of Tokyo can no longer be just about food—it needs drama, lighting, music, nearly extinct ingredients and the chef to be nothing less than a performing artist. 81 as this restaurant is called does not fall short on any of these counts.