Photos courtesy Metropolis Magazine ()
There’s an expectation for excellence when it comes to dining in Ginza, and the newly-opened Ginza Lamb House doesn’t disappoint. The Mumbai restaurant family, now totaling 17, has a long-standing reputation as being home to some of the best Indian cuisines across Tokyo, Saitama and Chiba. The first restaurant, which opened in 2005, is located in Kudanshita next to the Indian Embassy and regularly caters for prestigious guests such as official delegations.
While this is a major feather in owner Popi Kuroda’s cap, Kuroda tells Metropolis that it’s now Ginza Lamb House she is most excited about. The exclusive lamb-specialty menu — a rarity for Japan — puts this tender meat in the spotlight of both the restaurant’s lunch and dinner courses. Inspired by the flavors of Mumbai, harmonizing with Japanese dining and elevated to the glittering standards of Ginza, the Crystal Course serves a platter of different lamb cuts and vegetables for diners to grill yakiniku-style on a crystal platter.
The lamb is carefully selected and tenderized by the chefs in advance so that once it cooks on the crystal-plate grill the result is supremely tender, moist and flavorful bites of lamb. If you’ve ever had roast lamb and been disappointed by a dry sliver of meat served with a dollop of mint sauce, throw this memory out of your mind when you enter Ginza Lamb House. The lamb here is nothing like the oven-roast or the cast-iron grill method of cooking – the crystal method of grilling renders the lamb much juicier.
Fresh and varied sabjis, or side dishes, complement the feast, and diners can dip juicy bites of lamb into the selection of condiments and smoked salts. The combinations of herbs and spices take you right to the heart of North Indian cuisine, while the table-top cooking makes the restaurant’s atmosphere feel sociable, warm and relaxed. “Lamb-chan” the restaurant’s little sculpture mascot usually sits proudly in an alcove of the rich blue and golden walls, and warm lighting casts a sumptuous glow across the cozy space.
Once you’ve snapped up all the lamb on the crystal grill and polished off the vegetables, the servers bring in the shime-curry (ending dish curry). A perfectly-sized portion of lamb curry and fluffy pilau rice, this is a burst of harmonizing spices crowned with tender pieces of lamb and balanced with a tangy side serving of crunchy pickled vegetables.
Sure to satisfy even the biggest of appetites, if the dinner course has still left you craving for more, indulge in a refreshing portion of mango ice cream or sit back with a cup of chai tea to finish off the evening. Perfect for celebrations, parties and groups, the table-top cooking and drinks menu makes for an ideal night for socializing with friends or coworkers. The restaurant seats up to 28 people and can cater for private parties for groups of 15 guests upwards.
While many people in Japan have come to associate Indian restaurants as casual dining establishments, Ginza Lamb House is pleased to be refreshing the standard and setting the bar high — guests now flock here for filling work break lunches and celebratory evening occasions alike. Lunchtime has a more casual feeling, serving the same, much-loved selection of lunch sets that diners enjoy at all the Mumbai locations. The Butter Chicken Set, Black Pepper Chicken Set, BBQ ＆ Double Curry Set and Biryani Set are just some of the popular choices. Plus, there’s all-you-can-eat rice and naan on offer and the restaurants prepares nine different types of curry each day.
For those with dietary specifications, Ginza Lamb House is flexible and offers halal meat in addition to vegetarian and vegan options — please just contact the restaurant in advance to arrange non-meat options.
