Cogito - I'm Game!

One wonders, Gentle Reader, what happens to Lost Boys when they grow up. Your Humble Correspondent often feels drawn to "Nibs" because he grew up to work in an office, although there are those who would plump for "Slightly".

Chef Jitsuhiro Yamada seems to me to be a Lost Boy, although he quite definitely seems to have all his marbles and so can not be "Tootles". There are times when he seems ever-so-grown-up, and times when one feels slightly being-toyed-with. But make no mistake, Gentle Reader! Cogito is a fine restaurant in a difficult market, and one that deserves its Michelin star if only for its magnificent wine list and common-sense. Game, or gibier, is a speciality ... and a delight!

I journeyed a-pied from The Hermitage to dine with The Ad Guy ... who actually seems to have undergone a transformation himself and grown up into a Tokyo University professor. What-ho! Seems standards are slipping in the towers of academia!

We were impressed with the ambiance of comfort and reassuring elegance, and decided to slip into something a little more comfortable by way of a Sancerre. The obvious choice was the o-makase course. Feeling remarkably intellectual in the presence of The Prof, Your Humble Correspondent was not about to sully that image with a silly and irreverential, if not to say poor form, wander through the menu. What followed was a delightful little journey through high-quality ingredients, including game shot by Chef himself, the highlight of which was the Duck and Foie Gras Pie served as the main course. The meal was marked by both quality and reasonable quantity, although I'd venture this is no place for a flapper or a banker in these troubled times.

Our Morey St Denis rounded out the meal superbly, and the selection of cheeses was ample for both The Prof and I.

Chef has travelled from his Marche aux Vins in Aoyama, via Harmonie in Nishi-Azabu, to this little gem in the shadow of The Grand-ish Hyatt. Cogito is pronounced with a soft "g" as in "codger"... which word describes well the two Lost Boys who dined this evening. Visit Cogito with old friends and ex-bankers, and soak up a pleasant evening's worth of subtle flavours.

Cogito [Map]: 3-2-15 Nishi-Azabu, Minato Ward, tel: (03) 3796-3838 [sorry, no website].
Rating: Food: 8; Wine: 8; Service: 7; Ambiance: 8; Price: 7 ($$$). Total 38/50