Named after from the Latin word of ‘cultivated land’,
Arva brings the heart of Italian cuisine to Aman Tokyo from its artisanal gastronomy
heritage with a distinct Japanese flair and a bespoke twist. mylifestylenews
writes.
For those who know and appreciate fine Italian gastronomy where the freshest of ingredients are used combined with the contemporary culinary technique by bringing only the best to the table for your enjoyment, Arva at Aman Tokyo’s vision is to use a chef’s instinctive understanding of flavor and creativity of necessity to prepare bold and heart-warming dishes to its diners and connoisseurs alike.
Arva is a new a new dining concept conceived by two Executive
Chefs Stefano Artosin and Andrea Torre. Now open at Aman Tokyo and headed by
Japanese Executive Chef Masakazu Hiraki, the story continues with Arva’s Italian spirit in
inventive Italian cooking techniques by utilizing simple, locally-sourced
ingredients infused with a sense of destination in harmony.
Staying true to its Italian heritage, Arva at Aman Tokyo incorporates
the finest local ingredients from different prefectures in Japan through
established relationships with local farmers, fishermen, market traders that uniquely
specialize in seasonal and sustainable freshest produce from its cultural and
geographical setting. These niche suppliers had gained recognition from around for what they do best from their produce and Chef Hiraki and his culinary teams
concoct dishes solely from what is available in the richly varied landscapes
around them by bringing the local flavors in keeping with Aman’s philosophy of
seamless integration. Produce such as Sagamihara eggs and Yamanashi Nakamura
Farm guinea fowl are some of the produce regularly used among the finest.
Set in a sleek design rooted in ritual to a perfect
balance of urban dynamism and cultural sensibility on top of the Ometachi
Tower, Arva is located on the lobby floor on the 33rd level of the hotel with
views over Tokyo and such an understated dining room that abuts the lobby, so
it is not exactly enclosed, but can easily be seen through the lobby. Subsequently, any sounds from the lobby punctuate your dining experience. The contemporary and harmonious minimalistic design and
décor at Arva creates a sophisticated and welcoming ambiance.The sense of space
and breadth of venues are the social hub and serene escape as well as an
inspiration addition to the Tokyo skyline.
It has a direction of the west side of Tokyo skyline
where Shinjuku high rises are seen clearly from the Giant floor to ceiling
windows as well as the Imperial Royal garden which gives a good oasis contrast
to the parallel city scrapers. When the sky is crystal clear, Fuji San appears
at its finest and with the lobby lounge adjacent to Arva is popular by the
locals and guests flock in during happy hour to watch the perfect sunset while
sipping the house signature cocktails.
We were welcomed with a glass of Gosset Grand reserve Champagne, which was paired with an Amuse Bouche of Pea Bread with a mousse of ricotta and speck (cured ham) and this was delicate, but definitely piqued our palate for a taste of what was to follow. The host, Niccolo Brachelente, is an Italian native that warmly welcomes you in softly spoken tones. The tabletops are simply set, allowing the food to shine. We opted for a wine pairing set menu to see what magic Niccolo could create to highlight the flavors of each course with a few more dishes to get more of a sense about the menu.
<Insalata Di Radicchio>
The radicchio tardivo is flown in fresh from Italy and grape juice is used as a dressing (a salad only composed of root vegetables) and topped with parmigiano reggiano and vincotto. This was delicious and enlivened the palate with some acidity, so the perfect start to our lunch.
<Bigoli>
This chicken ragout wheat pasta dish with porcini is not a regular pasta dish that you are used to having. The Chicken came from the Yamanashi Hootoshi prefecture in Japan and within 24 month old. The wheat pasta was cooked to ‘al dente’ perfection and topped with shaved parmesan cheese. The whole dish was bursting with flavor and perfectly paired with an Italian Traminer white wine from Friuli, offering a sharp and spicy note to the palate which was the perfect foil for this dish.
<Agnolotti>
A ravioli with cheese, pecorino romano and cracked pepper. This is a simple vegetarian dish that was utterly delicious and could not be faulted. It was perfectly paired with a refreshing southern Italian Sauvignon Blanc.
<Dentice>
A fillet of sautéed red sea bream served with Chinese cabbage, mussel and saffron sauce. Lightly grilled on the skin and the fish was easily cut through. A light and palatable texture well balanced by the rich saffron sauce and the sweetness of the seasonal cabbage as well as the freshness of the sea from the juicy mussels.
<Piccione>
Roasted pigeon breast with stuffed Awaji onion with sauce composed of cooking juices from the pigeon and an accompanying ragout of pigeon, onion and cheese. Bellissimo! An outstanding and memorable dish and was best paired with a 2014 Vosne Romanee pinot noir and surprised us with its spice notes and depth of flavor making it the wine of the lunch.
<Maiale Caramellato>
The Niigata pork belly served with Kitaakari mashed potato from Hokkaido and romaine lettuce with caramelized balsamic is simply delicious. Another superb dish that erred on the side of less is more, as this is a rich dish. This also paired beautifully with the 2014 Vosne Romanee pinot noir.
<Grigliata Di Wagyu T Bone>
Grilled Kagoshima wagyu T bone with salt flakes and roasted root vegetables. A special knife was placed with each diner for this dish, but the meat is so tender that no special knife was needed. This is a memorable dish and this redefined for us how Wagyu can be. This was paired with a Super Tuscan, Rocca di Montemassi which was another superb wine that was perfectly chosen for this beef.
A generous and good quality selection of wine pairing.
<Basil Sherbet>
An unbelievable distillation of basil leaves that is absolutely divine, not to mention a stunning choice for a plate cleanser and was one of the stars of the lunch for its intensity of flavor. It was temping to ask for an encore as it was that good!
<Torta Di Yuzu>
This tart has that wonderful intensity of the yuzu fruit as its main ingredient, which is then accompanied with seared meringue, strawberries and yoghurt ice cream. Can’t fault this! It was a perfect finish to our lunch and another stunning palate cleanser after all the rich meats.
Service was spot on and we felt privileged to have been looked after so intently, but in an understated manner. Niccolo was kind enough to give us so much information about the provenance of each ingredient where it mattered. His generosity in his wine pairings was beyond of expectations and we were blown away by such warmth and stunningly delicious food. We always believe that Italian food speaks volumes when it is approached with simplicity to let each ingredient speak and this was handled to perfection by the culinary team who had a knack of knowing what ingredients and produce to be used and paired to what extent presentation should be taken, so nothing was overwhelming nor too fussy, but seemingly perfectly judged.
The quality of Japanese produce and food is overwhelming and while one should immerse oneself in all things Japanese, you do need to have a palate change every so often. By paying tribute to Italy’s rich culinary heritage, Arva at Aman Tokyo takes you on a culinary experience that celebrates the shared enjoyment of uncomplicated yet bold flavors in a warm and classy welcoming atmosphere. This restaurant should be on every itinerary and Arva is truly a hidden gem in the Tokyo dining scene.
Tried
& Tested:
Location:
4/5
Design
& Decor: 4.5/5
Food
& Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value
For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 5/5
Highlights:
Artisanal Culinary
The Otemachi Tower,
1-5-6 Otemachi,
Chitoda-ku Tokyo
Japan
Tel: +81 3 5224 3339
Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision
in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement
and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
