Tokuyoshi: A new talent has arrived in Milan
When I started writing this blog, it was with the intention of reviewing the sudden explosion of Asian fusion restaurant in Milan.
The Tokuyoshi restaurant hadn’t come into being back then. The restaurant takes its name after the chef, who had worked at “Osteria Francescana” (World Best Restaurant according to British Magazine “Restaurant” in 2016 & 2018) as the sous-chef for 10 years in Modena.
In 2016, he decided to open his restaurant and he chose Milan. In my opinion he could not have made a better choice since the city was already fond of the mix of Italian and Japanese cuisine, and his dishes are state of the art in this field at the moment.
The restaurant is situated, in Via San Calocero 3, a narrow street in the center of the city, but a bit off the beaten track.
Tokuyoshi is furnished in an elegant but not in an overly fussy style. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and casual. You can see all types of customers (“a wide clientele”), ranging from business executives to young couples.
Only one word can be used to describe the service: “memorable”. The whole team works perfectly coordinated in a way that reminded me a beautifully harmonised orchestra.
The director is Yoji Tokuyoshi, who is always there in person and cooks every day. Only watching them at work is worth the price of the meal.
If the service is memorable, the food is the best that I have ever tasted in Milan. I had a similar dreamy culinary experience only at the “Le Calandre” in Padova. I have already eaten at Tokuyoshi four times, and the first time I chose the tasting menu: “Italy meets Japan” that has the most vivid examples of the “contamination” between Italian and Japanese culinary traditions.
The tasting menu is made up of 7 courses where the most iconic ones arethe “Gyotaku Mackerel” and the rather brilliantly named dish “Another Eel bites the Dust”.
The Gyotaku Mackerel gives a full sensory experience:
First the smell, you can almost taste the flavour from the beautiful aroma. Second the sight, the fish is presented like a portrait painted in vegetable charcoal.
Last the taste, have I ever expected that a simple fish like the mackerel could give to my palate a such luxurious foodie experience.
The Gyotaku Mackerel has become my favourite seafood dish.
In conclusion, in my humble opinion, the Tokuyoshi restaurant is the best restaurant in Milan and the level of the best in the world.
It is a once in a life-time experience to indulge in what is on offer at Tokuyoshi.
