There's been a host of new openings in the Aoyama area recently, and they're a very mixed bag. Top of everyone's list has to be Kubakan & Republica, the eagerly anticipated restaurant-cum-champagne lounge.
Kubakan is sleek and contemporary, the sparkle and bustle of its long, open kitchen complementing the stylish decor of the dining room, in which hints of Asia seem to win out over the lure of the Caribbean. Republica, the attached lounge, is smaller and more intimate, although perhaps rather too plain in style for those Tokyo high rollers most likely to be attracted by its deluxe champagne list, which is, we are assured, the longest, most elaborate in the entire metropolis.
Kubakan's menu (part of which is also available in Republica) occupies classic fusion territory. This time, chef Mark Vann -- one of the people behind Fujimamas, the funky and continuously popular Asian-fusion eatery in Harajuku -- has blended Mexican and South American influences into his ever-fertile mix of Southeast Asian ingredients. Thus we find dishes such as Foie Gras and Seared Tuna Tostada with Jalapeno-Miso Vinaigrette, or Gaucho-style Skirt Steak with Ponzu, Purple Basil, Garlic Chimichurri, Truffle Oil, Mashed Potatoes and Bok Choy.