What looks like a fortress from the outside is actually a beautiful compound that consists of nine dining and entertaining rooms. The Hanezawa Garden, located in Hiro-o 3-chome, was originally a private mansion of the President of the Manchuria Railroad, built in 1915. This tranquil garden has witnessed numerous weddings during the milder weather of spring and late fall, and in the summer, the sound of laughter and camaraderie can be heard emanating from the outdoor barbeque place.
The main Dining room, serving French-Japanese cuisine, has two wings, located across each other at the north and south axis. Completing the compound are the Salon, the Sushi Bar, the Cigar Room, the Bar. Tucked away from the buzzing noise of the main compound are two private rooms, called the Garden Room, which can seat up to 14 people, and the Hanezawa Second, with a maximum capacity for 6 guests.
Lunch at the main Dining offers three set menus, one more elaborate than the other, and priced reasonably at ¥1600, ¥2500, and ¥4000. The most elaborate one, consisting of a plate of appetizers, a first course (usually pasta), second course (a choice between meat or fish), dessert and coffee or tea, sounds a lot, but the portion is such that at the end of lunch, one does not necessarily feel that s/he had overeaten. The view of the carefully manicured garden makes one forget that s/he is in the middle of a bustling city.
Dinner is a completely different experience: while the natural sunlight enters the dining room and makes thing aglow, the lighting at dinner consists mainly of candles illuminating the tables. The dark wood and red paint accents bring warmth to the already cozy interior. The price of the entrée is surprisingly inexpensive for such a nice ambience: pasta dishes from ¥1200 and meat entrée from around ¥2000. One must come back more than once to enjoy the different facets of this serene environment.
They have a tastefully done and informative website at www.thehanezawagarden.com/eng/
[UPDATED NEWS: April 24, 2005]
On April 11, 2005 the Main Dining became a non-smoking area. The other areas such as the bar and the cigar bar (for obvious reasons) still allow smoking.
The Hanezawa Garden
3-12-15 Hiro-o
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0012
Tel: +81(03) 3400-2013
Fax: +81(03) 3400-2014
Main Dining: Mon-Sat: 11:30-13:30, 18:00-23:00
The Sushi Bar: Mon-Sat: 18:00-02:00
The Terrace Restaurant: 17:00-22:30 (April through mid-October)
Bar & Lounge: Mon-Sat: 18:00-02:00
Restaurants and Bar closed on Sunday and Holidays.
[UPDATED NEWS: December 20, 2005]
Sadly, the Hanezawa Garden has recently closed (December 17, 2005) due to aging facility. The architecture has been in existence since 1915. I have decided to keep this review here for sentimental reasons.
