EAT > Abysse, Ebisu Tokyo (19/20)
Abysse in Ebisu is that rare fine-dining room where Tokyo’s elegance, French technique, and Japan’s coastal abundance converge in a single, quietly dramatic arc. Anchored by seafood and the seasons, chef Kotaro Meguro’s cooking feels both deeply considered and instinctive,…
EAT > Sushi Mizukami, Chiyoda, Tokyo (18/20)
Sushi Mizukami in Ichibancho is a study in quiet precision: an intimate, nine-seat counter where Edomae tradition, long-honed technique and a distinctly Kyoto-like sense of calm converge in one of Tokyo’s most focused sushi experiences. Helmed by Chef Michinobu Mizukami,…
EAT > Akasaka Sushi Ito, Minato Tokyo (16/20)
Akasaka Sushi Ito in Minato’s back streets delivers a quietly confident, classically framed sushi experience — refined without being showy, and deeply rooted in Tokyo’s old-school Edomae traditions. This is the sort of place where counter craft, calm service and…
EAT > Beaux Séjour, Naeba Niigata (15/20)
Beaux Séjour at Naeba Prince Hotel delivers a surprisingly polished, gently old‑world French dining experience at the base of one of Japan’s classic ski mountains, with a New Year’s menu that leans into nostalgia, craft and alpine comfort in equal…
EAT > Uonuma Cuisine Murangozzo, Yuzawa (16/20)
Uonuma Cuisine Murangozzo is one of Yuzawa’s essential tables, a quietly ambitious dining room where hyper-local Uonuma produce, thoughtful technique, and deep hospitality come together just moments from the shinkansen tracks. This is the place to understand what “snow country gastronomy” really means, plate by plate.
AMBIENCE >
Stepping into Murangozzo on the second floor of HATAGO Isen, there is an immediate sense of calm: warm timber, soft lighting, and a measured hush that feels a world away from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, despite being only a short walk across the road from the platforms. The room is modern ryokan rather than rustic farmhouse—clean lines, pale woods, and unfussy table settings that keep the focus on the procession of dishes and the view out to Yuzawa’s snow-blanketed streets in winter.
There is a gentle choreography to the service that speaks to both inn and restaurant traditions: shoes off at the entrance,…
STAY > Yukinohana, Yuzawa Niigata (17/20)
Yukemuri no Yado Yukinohana in Yuzawa is a polished modern ryokan that blends classic snow-country warmth with contemporary comfort, just a few minutes’ walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station and some of Niigata’s easiest ski access. It feels purpose-built for weekend ski escapes and onsen-heavy winter breaks, with thoughtful touches—free private baths, night ramen, tatami-lined corridors—that make short stays feel quietly indulgent rather than merely convenient.
AMBIENCE >
Yukinohana sits a short stroll from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, its low-rise façade and lantern-lit entry feeling more mountain inn than big-box resort, despite being part of the larger Kyoritsu (Dormy) group of hotels. Step inside and the mood shifts to hushed, tatami-lined comfort — with tatami flooring throughout, timber accents and soft lighting which gives the public spaces a calm, almost nostalgic snow-country rhythm that encourages shoes off, shoulders-down unwinding from the moment you arrive.
The lobby and lounges lean into a quietly contemporary ryokan…
SKI > Ishiuchi Maruyama, Yuzawa Japan
Ishiuchi Maruyama is one of Niigata’s classic big-hill resorts: long, rolling fall-line runs, serious night skiing and a slick new lift and terrace scene that make it feel more polished…
STAY > ANA Crowne Plaza Resort, Appi Kogen (14/20)
ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen delivers a classic, ski‑in/ski‑out mountain resort experience in the heart of APPI, pairing slope‑side convenience with big‑resort facilities, generous hot springs and a broad…
STAY > Naeba Prince Hotel, Naeba Yuzawa (14/20)
Naeba Prince Hotel is a sprawling, slightly surreal ski-in/ski-out classic: aging concrete, endless corridors and a surprisingly polished Club Floor experience that finally gives Naeba a more premium edge and…
SKI > Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Japan
Naeba Ski Resort is a big, buzzy Japanese snow playground that wraps a classic 1970s ski hotel, serious race heritage and family-friendly terrain into one easy weekend escape from Tokyo.…
SKI > RESORTS
Ishiuchi Maruyama is one of Niigata’s classic big-hill resorts: long, rolling fall-line runs, serious night skiing and a slick new lift and terrace scene that make it feel more polished than its old-school roots suggest. It is also one of the easiest major mountains to reach from Tokyo, which means…
Naeba Ski Resort is a big, buzzy Japanese snow playground that wraps a classic 1970s ski hotel, serious race heritage and family-friendly terrain into one easy weekend escape from Tokyo.
ARRIVAL >
Reaching Naeba is wonderfully straightforward from the capital, with a 75–80 minute Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa…
STAY >
DRINK > BARS
DRINK > Great Dane Brewing, Akiu, Sendai (15/20)
Set against Akiu’s pine-lined hills and onsen steam, Great Dane Brewing brings Midwestern brewpub heart to one of Tohoku’s most storied hot spring valleys—a Wisconsin-born, Sendai-brewed outpost where craft beer, wide-open views and a low-key road-trip energy converge. It feels less like a side-trip from the city and more like…
DRINK > Conte, Sydney (17/20)
Conte in Sydney’s CBD is grand, an unapologetically Italian, ode to the Negroni. Part bar, part ristorante, and all about drama, detail and la dolce vita energy. With more than 30 (and climbing toward 40) Negroni riffs, serious Italian wines and a full dining menu, it feels less like a…
DRINK > Gracie Melbourne, Hardware Lane (15/20)
Hardware Lane is a place that many Melburnians stay away from (largely given a bad reputation by the touts that stand outside the largely formulaic but popular tourist restaurants that fill most of the laneway). Gracie Melbourne is a stylish little venue in a part of the city…
DRINK > Brettos, Athens (17/20)
The oldest distillery in Athens, in the middle of the Plaka, selling cold drinks and snacks. What’s not to like? .
AMBIENCE >
Operating since 1909, Brettos has had time to produce and collect lots of bottles. Two walls are lined with coloured glass bottles, a kaleidoscope of colour and alcohol…
DRINK > Caves de l’Abbaye, Beaune, Burgundy (18/20)
Step from Beaune’s winding, cobbled heart into Caves de l’Abbaye, and you’re greeted by the cool hush of a centuries-old cellar—a true Burgundy hideaway shaped from vaulted stone. Beneath low arches, the glow is candle-soft, shadows flicker against wine-streaked walls, and every table feels like a private alcove ready for…
DRINK > Her, Melbourne (16/20)
Step through the pink neon glow on Lonsdale and you’re in Her, a vertical wonderland where chic Melburnians come to trade the city’s grit for a splash of glossy, Euro-tinted sparkle. Four floors, each with its own mood—Her’s always got room for something (or someone) new.
AMBIENCE >
Her’s ground…
DRINK > WINEWine & Spirit Reviews
WINE > Domaine de Bellene Nuit Saint Georges, Vielles Vignes, 2022 (17/20)
There are wines that whisper history, and then there are bottles that speak in confident, measured tones—Domaine de Bellene’s Nuits Saint Georges Vieilles Vignes 2022 is unmistakably the latter. From the first pour, its deep ruby hue glimmers with an old-vine intensity, setting the stage for a wine that embodies…
WINE > Valli Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago NZ (2021)
There are Pinots that gently introduce themselves, and then there are Pinots that make the room go quiet for a moment: Valli’s Bannockburn sits firmly among the latter. Bannockburn, the original Central Otago subregion for Pinot Noir, is famed for clay-schist soils and sun drenched, cool-climate vines—and winemaker Grant Taylor’s…
WINE > Quealy Musk Creek Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula Australia
APPEARANCE & AROMA >
A luminous garnet in the glass, Musk Creek Pinot Noir immediately impresses with its clarity and vibrancy. The nose is beguiling—florals, wild strawberry, and a touch of rose petal, underpinned by exotic spice (think Sichuan pepper) and forest floor. There’s a sense of autumn leaves…
WINE > La Maison Romane, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2018(91/100 points)
La Maison Romane's 2018 Hautes-Côtes de Nuits is a captivating expression of Pinot Noir that showcases the unique winemaking philosophy of founder Oronce de Beler. This biodynamic wine offers a delightful balance of elegance and rustic charm.
APPEARANCE & AROMA >
Medium ruby color with good clarity. Vibrant…
WINE > Hoddles Creek 1er, Yarra Valley Pinot Noir (95/100 points)
Hoddles Creek Estate has once again demonstrated their mastery of cool-climate winemaking with their 1er Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. This exceptional wine showcases the unique terroir of the Upper Yarra Valley and the skillful craftsmanship of winemaker Franco D’Anna and the Hoddles Creek team.
Appearance and Aroma > …
