Tomorrow is officially the first day of the Chinese lunar New Year and just the thought of it makes me crave some Chinese food. Luckily, there is a plethora of Chinese restaurants in Tokyo, which is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to choosing a place to eat.
A few months back, when the state of emergency was not keeping me home, I went to Baiwan Jukairo in Akasaka with former colleagues. It was definitely fancier than the average neighborhood Chinese eatery, but not over-the-top, and it left a very good impression on me.
The Atmosphere
This secluded restaurant is located at walking distance from Akasaka-mitsuke, Nagatacho, Akasaka and Tameike-sanno station, which makes it very accessible. The decor was simple and the wooden furniture created a very relaxing atmosphere.
The Food
The menu has changed since my visit. When I went, we chose the cheapest course, which turned out to be a delightful 8 dish set menu. Now, Baiwan Jukairo offers dinner courses ranging from 7,000 to 12,000 yen. They also have free flow drink plans starting at 2,000 yen.
Starter plate
The starter plate was nice and light. I absolutely loved the spicy yodare chicken.
Xiao long bao & Dim sum
Then came my favorite Chinese dish of all time: xiao long bao. I am just obsessed with it and I could have easily eaten half a dozen of them! The soup was nice and flavorful, but some extra ginger on the side would have been perfect.
Next, we were served some Pekin duck. I had not eaten any for years so I could not have been happier!
The meat was tender and the skin was nice and crispy. It came with 2 crêpes to wrap it in and a few flavorings to enjoy it with.
2 kinds of soup
The course also came with 2 types of soup. The first was a light yet flavorful broth served with some goat meat. The second one was a gelatinous soup with cabbage and a very tasty fish ball.
Chinese spare ribs
Then we were served a sparerib with subtly flavored greens.
Won ton soup
I loved the wonton soup. It was nicely flavored and the noodles added some substance to the meal.
Soy bean pudding
We finished with a very nice and refreshing soy bean pudding.
Overall
I had a great time at Baiwan Jukairo. If you want to level up your regular Chinese dining experience, it is definitely a nice place. I really liked the decor of the restaurant with its natural furniture and sober colors.
I am not a Chinese cuisine expert so I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the food, but I think it is a legitimate and rather authentic Chinese restaurant. From what I recall, the Pekin duck tasted just like the one I had in Beijing, and the xiao long bao was close to what I ate in China.
My only complaint is about the size of the portions. Everything came in rather small servings, but the quality was there. If you aren’t a light eater, the cheapest course may not be enough for you!
All the prices included in this article are excluding taxes (10%).
Baiwan Jukairo Akasaka
Opening hours:
Open everyday for lunch from 11:30 to 15:00 and for dinner from 17:30 to 23:30 on weekdays and 21:30 on weekends (may be subjected to change due to the Coronavirus)
Website (Japanese only): click here
Address: 4 Chome-2-8 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052
Telephone: 03-3585-4657
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