American Brunch Problem -> Solved

Restaurant: 57
Neighborhood: Roppongi
Style: American Brunch (on weekend mornings)
Website: http://www.fiftyseven.co.jp/

One of the few kinds of food (besides deep-dish pizza, sigh) that I actually miss in Japan is good American-style brunch: eggs, omelettes, pancakes, waffles, etc. I used to be addicted to Hobee's in the Bay Area and although Japan is full of good food there's nothing quite like that.

Fortunately, my friend Jin organized a meetup (via www.meetup.com) for brunch this morning, and although I'm always leery of going to Roppongi 57 turns out to be exactly the brunch place I've been looking for!

First of all, this restaurant is one of the most American-feeling places I've been in Japan. The ceilings are tall, the tables are widely spaced (definitely something that sets it apart from most Tokyo eateries) and there's actual open space on the floor. The staff, although mostly Japanese, reflects the Roppongi setting by being English-friendly. In another clear indication of the western-ness of the place, the chef came out after awhile and worked the room, introducing himself to everyone and inquiring after their meals.

Next up: the coffee. This place serves one of the best cups of coffee I've ever drank, period. Not particularly bitter, not particularly strong and yet not weak like so many Japanese restaurants; simply one of the best-balanced cups of coffee I've ever had the pleasure to pour down my throat. There's only one minor downside to 57's coffee: unlike a typical American brunch spot, it is not bottomless. That's probably just as well, I might have ended up overcaffeinated!

And, I wouldn't the posting about this place if it wasn't for the food. Because we were a large group, we were ordering off of a limited menu and it was still awesome. I got the French toast, which was definitely heavy and yet showed no trace of actual egg bits: the egg was fully absorbed into the bread before heating. The serving was what I would expect in Japan in terms of size (two triangles), but it more than made up for that by coming with two awesome condiments. One, as you would expect here, was real maple syrup. But actually the big winner of the whole meal was the second condiment, house-made applesauce with small chunks of apple and brimming with spices. My fellow diners reported that just being able to sit in the vicinity of the applesauce was a pleasure.

I didn't get to sample 57's brunch menu widely although the fruit smoothies were certainly tasty, so I need to go back. And, I gather they're actually primarily a dinner restaurant. But the french toast brunch was certainly a great way to start!