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Japan Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Savoy, Tokyo's top pizzeria, fires up in Sapporo
Many overseas visitors are still shocked to find some of the best pizzas on the planet right here in Japan, particularly in Tokyo. In fact, pizzas here are so established that 'Tokyo-style pizza' has become its own category, a reference to the airy, thick-edged, thin-crust dough that is cooked Neapolitan style in a wood-fired oven. However, the scorn laid upon some early iterations of Japanese pizza was, more often than not, justified. Corn, potato, shrimp and mayonnaise combined haphazardly atop a dough resembling cardboard was the stuff of every Italian pizza chef's nightmare. Those toppings can be transcendent when used sparingly, though. Where commercial pizza chains got it so wrong by maxing out on ingredients and toppings, Japanese artisans made things right by paring back. The toppings on Tokyo-style pizzas can also be eclectic: chopped maguro (tuna) is seared while a pizza bakes, turning the fish into tataki-style tartare, which is then spread before eating. This particular pizza was popularized by Savoy Tomato and Cheese in Tokyo's Azabu-Juban neighborhood (it also made an appearance in the first episode of Netflix's 'Ugly Delicious'). Chef Bungo Kaneko (in foreground) from Savoy's Azabu-Juban flagship in Tokyo was on hand to assist his Sapporo colleagues during Savoy Ezo's opening phase. | SIMON DALY Savoy Tomato and Cheese is part of the Savoy pizza restaurant chain that was first established in 1995 in Tokyo's Nakameguro neighborhood. Its newest shop and eighth branch, Savoy Ezo , opened in Sapporo on April 3 (the 'Ezo' in the name refers to Hokkaido's name prior to 1869). I managed to get an early booking for lunch on the first weekend it opened; the place was full and bustling. This is Savoy's third foray outside of Tokyo, after Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, and Nagoya, but the first outside of Honshu, Japan's main island. Situated in the basement of the Astoria Sapporo Building located near Sapporo Station, Savoy Ezo could not be more convenient to pop into, especially if you're sightseeing at the nearby historic wooden tokeidai (clock tower) or old akarenga (red brick) government offices. Chefs Asami Kobayashi (left) and Yuta Toyoki want their pizza toppings to flaunt Hokkaido's exceptional seasonal produce. | SIMON DALY Its interior is dark, modern chic and recognizably Savoy. Two distinctive black, cast-iron-fronted pizza ovens sit side by side and take pride of place with 13 counter seats perched opposite. Diners can witness the cooking from there or from a separate seven-seat counter on the other side of the restaurant, where they'd fall within the immediate attention of franchisee and chef-owner Yuta Toyoki. There are also a pair of intimate two-person tables and a private dining room. Chef Bungo Kaneko from the well-known Azabu-Juban flagship helped bring the Sapporo team — eight full-time and 10 part-time staff — up to speed while they worked on unique offerings that reflect the culinary soul of Japan's north. The pizza's cheese is a mixture of imported and local varieties, while the buffalo mozzarella on a few of the pizzas is made locally using imported buffalo milk from Italy. You can, of course, expect Savoy's famous delicately structured and raised slow-fermented dough edge, which is known as 'cornicione' in Italian and is an identifying feature of Neapolitan pizza. 'Our team shares a dream to invigorate Hokkaido through our pizza,' says pizzaiolo Asami Kobayashi, 32. 'Our food and menu will reflect the cornucopia of the island, highlighting (the) exceptional produce of local producers.' The pizza toppings fittingly showcase Hokkaido's seasonal produce, best exemplified by the inclusion of lamb. This much-vaunted regional produce has been popularized by the many jingisukan (grilled lamb or mutton) restaurants found throughout Sapporo. Chef Toyoki takes the meat's flavor to another level by turning it into a slow-cooked lamb shank ragout or French-style stew, pairing it with broccoli rabe to exemplary effect before handing it over to the pizza chefs for use as a topping. Potatoes from Niseko are combined with cream and 'aonori' seaweed to make a delicious pizza topping. | SIMON DALY Potatoes from the local Niseko plains that sit afoot the ski hills are laid on a base sauce of cream and aonori seaweed for a scrumptious pizza that will surely become a fast favorite. Kobayashi's preferred pizza is the Cicinelli, topped with local whitebait. The menu extends beyond the roaring fire to salads, sous vide Shiraoi beef (sourced from the eponymous town in southwest Hokkaido) and dessert, which includes a delightfully balanced bitter purin (custard pudding). One of the specialty starters is liver pate: Served on a kintsugi (mended pottery) plate, it is simply set beside crisp baguette rounds and a carved radish; the paste is rich and smooth, providing a piquant start. The drinks reflect the local terroir, too. Many Hokkaido wines, such as the Meli-Melo blanc and rouge wines from the up-and-coming Domaine Raison in Nakafurano or a pinot noir from Okushiri Winery located on the little-known western isle of Okushiri Island, are included on the wine list along with an international selection. 'We hope to be a stepping stone to spread superlative local products from Hokkaido's farms and fields, otherwise unknown (to those outside the prefecture), to the world,' says Kobayashi. Sapporo has never lacked for great little independent establishments with passionate chefs making the most out of exquisite ingredients. What's largely missing is a bridge between high-end fine dining and value-for-money bites. With options at either end of the spectrum, Savoy Ezo will help diners cover that liminal gap. Those looking to dip their toes into something exciting, such as the region's new wave wines paired with pizzas topped with locally made buffalo mozzarella, will find that Savoy Ezo has much to offer. Savoy Ezo, B1F, Astoria Sapporo Building, 2-1-27, Kita 3 Jonishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0003; 011-590-4550;
Japan Times
20-04-2025
- General
- Japan Times
Thumbprint cookies with a tangy Japanese filling
Known as 'ume,' Japanese plums are becoming well-known around the world these days in large part due to the popularity of umeshu (plum liqueur). Just as in fashion within Japan are umeboshi — plums that boast an astringently saline flavor from heavy salting, which slows spoiling and inhibits the growth of mold and bacteria. The pickled fruit is a classic part of Japanese breakfast and also an iconic filling in onigiri (rice balls). (Umeboshi-flavored potato chips are also a weakness of mine.) Hachimitsu (honey), too, is known for its long shelf life. In this case, the simple sugars in honey have an indefinite shelf life because there is little to no water present. Preserving with sugars, like in jam, is a matter of moisture management, but using sugars to lock up the liquids necessary for nasties to thrive means unwanted organisms have a much harder time growing. Combine these two ingredients together and you get hachimitsu umeboshi (pickled plums sweetened with honey), an alternative for those who have always wanted to enjoy umeboshi but have a hard time getting over their astringency. Easily available in supermarkets, they are great as a novel topping for classic jam drop or thumbprint cookies. In the cookie mix, use kibitō (cane sugar) for a chewier finish or white sugar for more crisp. For a chewier finish, replace white sugar with cane sugar in the cookie mix. | SIMON DALY Makes 18-20 cookies Cook time: 45 minutes Ingredients: 125 grams butter, room temperature 100 grams white sugar 1 egg 10 milliliters vanilla essence 175 grams flour 5 grams baking powder 8-20 hachimitsu umeboshi Directions: 1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla essence and mix again until well combined. Sift the flour along with baking powder on top of the butter mixture and fold until just combined. 2. With a tablespoon, scoop about 20 to 25 grams of the butter mixture. Using your hands, roll the mixture into a ball. Repeat this process till the mixture is finished. 3. Place the balls on baking paper-lined trays with room to spread. Indent the center of each ball with your finger. 4. Squeeze each umeboshi and pop its pit out, then add one umeboshi into the indent of each cookie. For a less fruity punch, use only half an umeboshi per cookie. 5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and lightly puffed.
