Mimi and I took a recent visit from a friend as an opportunity to check out Gonpachi in Roppongi, Tokyo. This is the restaurant that purportedly inspired the set for the House of Blue Leaves in Kill Bill. Always interested in interior design, I was curious to see it. While the details are quite different than the set itself, I can see where certain ideas may have been drawn from. Despite the differences, I still enjoyed the multi tiered layout that offered different atmospheres for patrons to choose from. Getting a booth on the second floor overlooking the action through strings of lanterns was definitely nice. The food was reminiscent of finding a decent izekaya, with a few oddities mixed in (foie gras and pizza). The only dish that really stood out was the “Gindara” (Miso glazed black cod). We ended up ordering three since the other portions were relatively small.
The interior was pretty cool with multiple levels for different dining experiences. Private booths up top and the bar and general seating below. There is supposed to be an open deck on the 3rd floor but we didn’t explore up there.
Yuzu honey tea. Hard to mess this one up.
Jeannie was in town for a couple days. Her old friend Joy met us for the evening.
Sashimi platter came out first. I’d definitely go somewhere else if sushi is on your mind.
Tofu salad with whitebait and plum dressing.
Miso glazed black cod. This was actually really good and came in a large portion size compared to everything else.
Yakitori, from the bottom up: 1 – Kuroge beef and shishito peppers. 2 – Foie Gras with strawberry and some sort of balsamic. 3 – Seared tuna.
Unagi meshi. I wish there were more unagi in this clay pot rice.
Really strange Gonpachi pizza we tried out of curiosity. It was like a mashed gyoza and cheese on a thin crust.
Tororo seiro soba noodles. Tastes pretty much the same as other places with a much higher price.
Pumpkin and coconut flavored zenzai with mochis and icecream hidden inside. It had a really nice refreshing taste.
Mimi, Jeannie and Joy taking one last look at the view from upstairs.
Cherry blossoms are starting to bloom all over town. These are in the front garden and the backdrop right as you exit the 2nd floor of Gonpachi.
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