Today, we visited the much-talked-about restaurant “Tensai” that just opened on the first floor of Shinjuku Washington Hotel in August 2024 where you can enjoy a sumptuous buffet featuring Wagyu beef and premium seafood, with Wagyu beef, crab, and authentic Chinese cuisine prepared by a top chef as the main attractions! The restaurant offers a buffet with a variety of dishes. The price is a luxurious 9,800 yen/$67USD per person (tax included), which includes 120 minutes of all-you-can-eat buffet including drinks and alcoholic beverages.
Excitement from the moment you enter the restaurant
Upon entering the restaurant, we felt a special atmosphere with a relaxed, modern Japanese feel. Each person was seated with one pot set up, and scissors and utensils for cooking pots were neatly laid out. Anticipation for the sumptuous meal that was about to begin was high. The restaurant had not been open long and was very busy with many customers enjoying themselves.
We started with the crabs.
I quickly went to the buffet table, and the first thing that caught my eye was the crab! There was a lineup of snow crabs and king crabs, and the fresh crabs with plenty of meat were available for all-you-can-eat. The crab meat is fresh, sweet and tasty, and makes you happy. It is best to shell the crab carefully using special crab scissors and enjoy it without putting it in the pot.
Next, choose from a wide variety of seafood to enjoy in a hot pot. Squid, octopus, scallops, and many others are available, and all of them are fresh themselves. Before adding to the pot, momiji grated daikon and green onion are prepared as condiments to further enhance the flavors. Once the ingredients were cooked, we started with the abalone. It was hot, tender, and moist. The meat is plump and bouncy in the mouth.
Gorgeous Seafood and Shabu-Shabu
We also tried shabu-shabu, ordering A5-ranked wagyu beef. There are four types of Wagyu beef available, and we tried the Wagyu beef shoulder loin and sirloin, which are especially recommended. The Wagyu beef shoulder loin has a rich flavor and the sirloin is so tender that it melts in your mouth the moment you take a bite. It can be enjoyed with sesame sauce or ponzu (Japanese sauce made from ponzu citrus juice), and you can eat as much as you like.
Enjoy the luxury of sashimi as well!
One of the charms of this restaurant is that you can enjoy all-you-can-eat sashimi. Four types of sashimi are available, including tuna, salmon, and yellowtail, all of which are fresh and delicately flavored. Enjoying them alternately with wagyu beef or seafood hot pot will refresh your taste buds and increase your appetite even more.
A full lineup of drinks
The drink corner offers more than 50 types of drinks and alcoholic beverages for unlimited consumption. Beer, of course, is available in chilled glasses and bottled beer, as well as a wide variety of other alcoholic beverages. For those who do not like alcohol, there is also a full lineup of soft drinks and coffee to suit all tastes.
Enjoy Chinese cuisine prepared by top chefs
Of special note are the authentic Chinese dishes prepared under the supervision of Chef Kam Man Fook. The Chinese plates include succulent dim sum, flavorful stir-fries, and soups, all of which are exquisite. This buffet, where you can enjoy both Chinese and Japanese cuisine at the same time, will make you feel happier the more you eat.
Finish with vegetables and desserts
The vegetable corner, an indispensable part of nabe, is also abundant and colorful, offering a well-balanced meal. As we head into the colder season, nabe is the perfect way to warm up your body. And to finish off the meal, head to the dessert corner. There is a wide selection of fruits, cakes, ice cream, and other sweet treats, and we were very satisfied with our time until the very end.
Summary of Tensai’s charms
At Tensai, you can spend a luxurious time enjoying dishes made with plenty of Wagyu beef and premium seafood, and you can have as many refills as you like. The price of 9,800 yen (including tax) for all-you-can-eat Chinese dishes and sashimi, plus all-you-can-drink, seemed like a very good deal. This restaurant, which can be enjoyed by one person or a large group, is worth a visit if you are looking for a luxurious dining experience in Shinjuku. All in all, it was a very satisfying experience and I would definitely visit again.
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