A Restaurant in Tokyo

The Tokyo Restaurant lives up to its proudly generic name

Tokyo Tower is a tower in Tokyo. Tokyo Dome is a dome in Tokyo. Tokyo Disneyland is Disneyland in Tokyo. These names are never ridiculed or disparaged, so maybe my knee-jerk jibes at The Tokyo Restaurant were unfair. It is, after all, a restaurant in Tokyo.

Besides, an eatery's name has nothing to do with what goes on in its kitchen and, ultimately, your mouth. So what if they won't win any creativity contests for their moniker?

After being seated by an amiable, English-speaking server, I devoted my attentions to the restaurant's decor and ambience, selling points deservedly touted by the management: classy but not intimidating, atmospheric but not shadowy, spacious but cozy, sophisticated but not stuffy, cosmopolitan but not clich�d. Plus one of the biggest pepper mills I've ever seen -- like a Doric column. So far, so good.

Our meal, arranged by affable general manager Naonori Ando, began with cevinche of tuna with pickled ginger and bell peppers on rice bread crostini. "Tangy" and "well-balanced" were adjectives that leapt to mind. In the wrong hands, ginger can create much deviltry; here, it made a divine appearance, complementing, not overpowering.

Next was the chicken chili taco appetizer. Colorful, with tomato-cilantro salsa, avocado and a side salad sporting a zing similar to the crostini, it was tasty but nothing earth-shatteringly new. Let's face it: A taco is pretty much a taco the world 'round. Nevertheless, the kitchen was batting a thousand.

A great take on maki-zushi followed. Not for the hashi-impaired, the substantial rolls were stuffed with fried baby shrimp and topped with shredded nori and more shrimp. If you're of the Try-Anything-Once school of sushi-eating, this mild, cleverly textured special is something you'd do well to order.

Spaghettini with baby shrimp, vegetables and Thai cashew curry sauce came next. With the first bite, the ingredients' flavors differentiated for an instant then combined again to reveal a mild curry essence that was not overpowered by any single component. (Note of commendation: The Tokyo Restaurant really knows how to cook vegetables. Perfect every time.)

The basmati rice and mango chutney that accompanied the Sri Lankan lobster curry were nice touches. The former is indicative of Indian and Pakistani cooking, the latter a twist on those genres' ubiquitous condiment; both worked perfectly with the chunks of lobster in green sauce. The tidy presentation was a welcome bonus, as curry dishes often leave a lot to be desired in the aesthetics department.

The meal proper concluded with a delicious roasted lamb with Cajun spiced potatoes and onions, and bleu cheese aioli (garlic mayonnaise). Most of the silver-dollar cuts were very pink, very juicy. If you don't like your lamb rare, best to avoid this dish or request it cooked to taste.

Dessert was a little of everything, from Blue Hawaii sherbet to a hazelnut chocolate mousse cake to original Tokyo Restaurant cookies. It was also a little disappointing. After consistently memorable appetizers and entrees, dessert didn't provide the all-important evening-ending oomph.

In conclusion, indulge a platitude: The Tokyo Restaurant is good. If you can get past its bland marquee, you're sure to enjoy the tasty food and calm atmosphere, which, to its credit, included dining-friendly jazz. Prices range from about Y1,000 to about Y3,000 per dish, and a short but appropriate wine list will mollify most imbibers. Though the relaxed vibe of the service is perhaps at odds with the undercurrent of culinary solemnity and artistry that prevails at such eateries in Japan, The Tokyo Restaurant is ideal for a date or a special gathering of friends. Next time you're considering a nice dinner out, put it on your short-list.