I’ve been far more interested in food than most people ever since I was child. However, my attachment with it can’t be traced to any one individual, and simply seems to have been a part of my DNA from the time of my birth.

The very first word I was able to read was “suama,” a Japanese sweet, at age one year and ten months, in front of a Japanese confectionary, according to my mother who told me later. One time, I looked up my name according to The Four Pillars of Destiny astrology, which revealed my fate was linked with two Cookery God stars. Since the meaning of this star is ‘pleasure’ and ‘gourmet,’ I realized my inexhaustible passion for food makes perfect sense—it was written in the stars.

Born with an innate interest in food, I’ve made food my career. I have travelled both within Japan and abroad as an editor covering the food scene. At GINZA SIX the other day, I learned once again that the delicious memories etched into the soul of a foodie can be vividly revived even after many years have passed.

On this particular day, I went to GINZA SIX specifically to visit KAPO CHOURYUMON (6th floor), a restaurant, headed by Kapo En, that opened in September 2021. Having joined the kitchen at Fook Lam Moon in Ginza when he was 16, En served for many years as head chef. More recently, after Fook Lam Moon changed its name to Seventh Son Restaurant, he served as executive chef for the entire chain in Japan.

Fook Lam Moon is a highly acclaimed restaurant renowned for Cantonese cuisine, and it was on my second visit to Hong Kong, in 1995, that I took the plunge and resolved to visit this establishment. The shark fin I tasted that day was unlike anything I’d ever tasted before, I remember feeling. The Fook Lam Moon in Ginza, too, was synonymous with high-end Cantonese cuisine. I often longed to eat there but felt self-conscious about actually stepping in.

However, when I heard the chef responsible for those flavors was opening a new restaurant, I immediately made a reservation.

On my visit there, I took the elevator up to the sixth floor and proceeded toward the very back, where I found the entrance. I mentioned my reservation and walked in. The chic, spacious interior, partitioned by a Chinese lattice, featured comfortable sofas and tables. I recommend the sofas, since if seated on one you don’t have to worry about the gaze of customers at other tables and can enjoy your meal in peaceful isolation. You can also enjoy a view of Ginza’s streetscape from the window.

I opened the menu and talked tactics with my server; your first order is crucial. What first caught my eye is KAPPO Crispy Chicken (crispy deep-fried chicken) (half chicken 4,950 yen, whole chicken 9,900 yen; all prices listed include tax). In Hong Kong, the deep-fried whole chicken had been one of the most impressive dishes. The skin is thin and crispy, but the interior is juicy; both the fat and meat are flavorful. Closing my eyes, I could see the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong in those days. With this in mind, I ordered a half chicken.

After a short time, the shiny Crispy Chicken arrived at my table. This is the one! I thought, as I took a bite. The texture was just as described. I crunched down on the crispy skin, which broke apart, followed by succulent strands of meat joined to the panes of skin, with the fatty flavors gradually unfolding. Incidentally, the chicken itself was an aromatic breed from Ibaraki Prefecture with thin skin and fatty meat. Yes, this was what I’d hoped for . . . the authentic Hong Kong flavor!

So, what to order next? I knew I had to go for the shark fin, the same dish that had made such an impression on me some 30 years ago when taking the plunge for the first time.

A mere naïf at the time, I had only ever eaten a small piece of shark’s fin around 10 cm long served on top of noodles. But here it is. The shark fin I had in Hong Kong wasn’t braised. It was thick and fibrous like soba noodles, transparent and glittering in a golden soup. This is shark’s fin?!

I remember my surprise. Traditionally, I learned at that time, shark’s fin is eaten with plenty of shantan broth, to enjoy the flavors of the soup.

The Supreme Boiled Shark Fin in Shantan Broth (17,600 yen) presented gave off that same golden aura. A sip of this golden soup reveals layers of refreshing but complex umami flavors.

This soup! Diffused into the shark’s fin, it proved surprisingly transparent, with a characteristic and highly refined flavor. The ingredients were the usual—chicken, pork, and Jinhua ham. But the clear flavorful soup was like none other. I asked Chef Kapo to divulge the secret. “What matters is an eye for the ingredients,” he explained. “This is important not just for soup, but for all dishes.”

Chewing shark’s fin in an exquisite soup was an experience of bliss. The luxury of eating shark’s fin in volumes, as if it were noodles, was nothing short of rapturous.

And after that, to close, I went with the Dried Squid and Chicken Fried Rice with Dried Abalone Broth (2,600 yen), which conjured vivid memories of Fook Lam Moon. The fried rice is made with chicken, kettle-roasted pork, and rehydrated dried squid and finished with the addition of reconstituted abalone broth, which retains the texture of the non-sticky rice grains while the unique juicy texture resulting from the flavorful broth slides nicely into your stomach, even if you’re almost full. Incidentally, Fook Lam Moon uses dried octopus, but Kapo chose to make his fried rice with dried squid.

“I thought dried squid would make really good broth that would go well with fried rice,” he said with a cheerful gleam in his eye. “I learned the basics of soup, how to rehydrate dried foods and select ingredients during my time at Fook Lam Moon. Drawing on this knowledge, I want to try something interesting, something I wanted to do. I want a challenge.”

My conversation with Chef Kapo left me thoroughly charmed. If his aura spoke, it would say: “I want to make wonderful food! I want you to eat wonderful food!” My fascination with this chef and a lunch set with siu mei (roasted meat) on rice had me laying plans to come back.

This meal, which brought back memories of a trip to Hong Kong 30 years ago, jogged the memory of a dessert I recall from even further back. Realizing I could have it right here at GINZA SIX, I went to THE GRAND GINZA (13F). The delicacy I found myself directed to was strawberry mille-feuille, which carries on the traditional flavors of Maxim’s de Paris.

I may have failed to mention that I worked part-time when I was a student at the cake shop of Maxim’s de Paris. This was located on a basement floor of the Tokyu Department Store in Shibuya. At the time I worked there, I had no idea of Maxim’s de Paris standing as a legendary restaurant, a gathering place for those who loved authentic French food since its establishment in Ginza in 1966.

During my time there, many businessmen and people I assumed were secretaries would come to buy small gifts and souvenirs. I didn’t know the shop I was working at had such a reputation, but I did know I was absolutely crazy for the rich and delicious mille-feuille.

It was an expensive dessert for a student. Even so, I would be inspired from time to time to buy one for my family and bring it home. I remember looking forward to partaking in it with everyone.

The strawberry mille-feuille sold in limited quantities at THE GRAND GINZA (half size 3,240 yen, full size 6,480 yen, one piece 1,460 yen) is based on the recipe at Maxim’s from the times I remember so well. Layers of custard and pie are formed into a clean-cut rectangle decorated with almonds on the sides and topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Unexpectedly, as I sat at the table enjoying a cake that brings back so many affectionate memories, I found myself moved close to tears.

The Maxim’s in Ginza and its cake shop in Shibuya are both gone now. Who knew the day would come when I could enjoy those same great flavors here! I took a bite in which flavors mingled with memories. And it actually had a more ‘grown-up’ flavor, less of a merely childish delight, than I remember.

When I inquired, I learned that the recipe was supervised by Maxim’s de Paris’ first-generation pâtissier. Matched to the profile of the restaurant’s patrons, Cointreau is used more liberally in the custard cream than in the original recipe. Now, as an adult, I find myself more partial to this version.

The pie and cream are assembled to make the cake when an order comes in. This timing results in a very pleasurable crunchiness. The cake is a fairly voluminous confection, but the cream and pie are light. You’ll clear your plate faster than you might expect. The recommendation is to have it with TWG’s strawberry-flavored 1837 Black Tea. The brilliant aroma of this tea is a perfect match for mille-feuille.

This mille-feuille often sells out—it’s very popular. Don’t forget to call and reserve yours before you go.

Having relived this delicious memory, I found myself wanting to buy something delectable to take to my parent’s house. I decided to buy a gift at another shop I have fond memories of, which is why I ended up at Arnaud Larher Paris (B2F), which opened in May 2021.

I first encountered this pastry shop in Paris to cover a story for the magazine I wrote for at the time. I’d heard of a shop associated with Arnaud Larher, recipient of a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) award as one of the country’s finest craftpeople. Based on that, I had imagined some majestic establishment. In fact, a little to my disappointment, his shop in Montmartre looked like any other residential pastry shop.

But, peering into the showcase, I was astonished at the intricate, beautiful pastries on display. My eyes remained fixed on the Toulouse Lautrec, a chocolate cake and one of the shop’s specialties. When you bite into this lovely gleaming cake, you encounter chocolate mousse and wonderful aromas. The taste is breathtakingly refined. And a version of this is also present in the showcase at the GINZA SIX shop (small 760 yen, whole 4,560 yen). I couldn’t believe I could purchase the same cake in Japan!

On this day, along with the Toulouse Lautrec, I bought a charming Cake aux Fruits (2,100 yen). Liberally dotted with dried fruits and nuts, this cake, even a small slice, is more than satisfying. This long-lasting cake also makes the perfect gift, wrapped in an adorable clear package.

The shop’s chocolates, shipped in directly from France by air, also come highly recommended. I’m especially fond of the Coffret Fumé. The chocolate, made with smoked cocoa ganache, is great on its own, but a waft of its aroma goes very well with liquors, like whisky. It’d work well as a gift for a man, too. I do buy them for myself sometimes—but if I eat just one, I know I’ll want one more, and then another, which makes me cautious!

I left GINZA SIX with a satiated palate, souvenirs for my family in hand, and in a wonderful mood.

GINZA SIX provides new stimulation and nostalgic encounters with traditional tastes that have been inherited for many years. Hong Kong, Paris, Tokyo, from my student years to the present, I’ve traveled great distances beyond space-time without ever leaving Ginza. And alongside the path of sweet flavors, I rekindled sweet memories of food long dormant within.

Something else my trip down memory lane at GINZA SIX reminded me of is that my insatiable curiosity for food has not changed since the time I read my first word at the age of one. From cradle to grave I expect to be a foodie.

Text: Misa Yamaji　Photos: Michika Mochizuki　Edit: Yuka Okada(81)