Royal Park Hotel

A sumptuous Chinese dinner course to celebrate new beginnings

Spring is the season of newness, in nature and in life, with many people starting new schools or jobs in April. Up until April 30, Chinese restaurant Keikaen at Royal Park Hotel in Tokyo invites guests to feast on its celebratory course dinner (¥15,730), apt for marking fresh beginnings.

In addition to steamed madai or red seabream, often served on momentous occasions, the restaurant is offering its superior braised shark fin with vegetables and crab roe. Stir-fried bamboo shoots, asparagus and mushrooms with Japanese beef is another of the dishes through which diners can taste the fullness of spring. For dessert, cherry blossom almond jelly appropriately uses one of the biggest symbols of spring in Japan.

From March 15 other cherry blossom sweets beckon at the bakery Iki, such as a light pink roll cake (¥486) that includes salted cherry blossoms, but delivers a refined sweetness. Also available is a cream puff (¥378) with custard and cherry blossom cream piled on to choux pastry and topped with cherry blossom-colored cookies. A verrine (¥540) of green tea and cherry blossom mousse, as well as three cherry blossom bean paste desserts round out the sweets. Prices for these treats include tax.