Tabelog ratingAt Ao (蒼), chef Minemura presides over an intimate eight-seat counter, serving a menu dedicated to what he calls 'high-freshness'. The approach focuses on extracting pure, concentrated umami from ingredients sourced from Japan's most celebrated producers, like Fujimoto and Hasegawa, with minimal intervention.
Guests consistently praise the technical precision and focused flavours. The meal often opens with a delicate hamo (pike conger) consommé, followed by dishes like cold federini with red uni. Two signatures appear on nearly every menu: a charcoal-grilled red-spot shrimp served with a six-hour bisque and brioche, and an exceptionally rich crab risotto, reportedly made with 1.6 kilograms of crab for every cup of rice. Other highlights include a 10-hour stewed black abalone and a charcoal-grilled steak of long-fattened Tajima beef.
Criticisms are rare, though a small number of diners have found the sequence of intensely rich courses and generous portions to be overwhelming for their taste.
The single omakase menu is consistently reported by reviewers to cost around ¥49,500 to ¥55,000. With wine or a drink pairing, guests should expect the final bill to be in the ¥60,000 to ¥80,000 range, which includes a 10% service charge.
For diners seeking an experience built around top-tier ingredients and meticulous technique, Ao is widely considered to offer excellent value, justifying its high price point.
- Location: In Nishiazabu, on the 2nd floor of the Olympiad Azabu Kasumizaka building. Take the white spiral staircase from the Roppongi Dori side. The nearest station is Roppongi (Hibiya Line), a 4-minute walk from Exit 1c.
- Reservations: Essential and very difficult to secure. Book well in advance.
- Seating: Seating is at an 8-person counter only. Service is in two fixed seatings, at 17:00 and 20:30, and late arrival may mean missing courses.
- Payment: Payment is by major credit card (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners). Electronic money and QR code payments are not accepted. A 10% service charge is added to the bill.
- Dress Code: The dress code is smart casual. The restaurant requests that guests refrain from wearing perfume or strong fragrances to preserve the aroma of the food and wine.
- Practical Info: The entire restaurant is non-smoking. No parking is available.
