The restaurant with a Ninja

By on February 26, 2017

読売新聞

Got a special occasion coming up? Maybe it’s the little one’s birthday, Mum and Dad’s anniversary or someone’s doing great at school. Whatever the reason (and maybe you don’t need an excuse), how does dining with ninjas sound? 

Well, if it sounds like tacky tourist gimmick, fear not; themed restaurant NINJA in Akasaka finds the perfect balance of elegance and good old fashioned fun. The food is delectable, the surroundings are unique and best of all (and who could have doubted) the ninjas who work part-time as waiters can speak English on request. Ninja power! 

I don’t want to give too much away as this truly is a worthwhile Tokyo dining experience, but don’t imagine that it is easy to find the restaurant, or that once you do it will be easy to get to your table for that matter. The former can easily be resolved by a bit of research on Google Maps; the latter will involve your ninja-waiter or waitress guiding you along the dark corridors, across a trap bridge or two, whilst all the while helping to defend you from enemy ninjas along the way. Quite an exhilarating start! Throughout the meal, your very own ninja will provide you with mind-boggling magic tricks as you await the next course. Perfect entertainment for both children and adults alike! 

Now a word of warning: the place does not come cheap, and this is, as far I could find, its only major drawback. Options range from a six course set (portions are small) at ¥5,555 to the more extravagant ¥30,000 with 15 choices of course and a range of options in between. 

Fortunately, the food is both well-presented and extremely tasty, and unlike some other themed restaurants, the quality of the food is not compromised for entertainment’s sake. With chefs from France, Italy, China, Japan and even an on-site patissiere, the results are truly “fusion” – think raw tomato sushi – and made the meal onto my top three meals in Japan. And watch out for the subtle ninja references in some of the dishes. 

English menu is available. Highly recommended Vegetarian option. Reservation advised. 

The restaurant is a short walk from Asakusa Mitsuke station. 

NINJA AKASAKA    Akasaka Tokyu Plaza Bldg. 1F, 2-14-3 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo www.ninjaakasaka.com   Tel. 03-5157-3936   Open Mon-Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 5pm-11pm

 

 

About Laura Pepper