The Oak Door: Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s Culinary Gem

I’ve been to Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s The Oak Door many times in the past few years. For parties, PR events and with friends and colleagues. Although marketed as a sophisticated steakhouse (as it very much is, of course) it’s also a haven of sorts for many foreign residents, tourists and Japanese guests. Serving up an eclectic array of cuisine created to satiate every kind of guest, it’s become a sanctuary of sorts for those dreaming of a touch of home or a re-creation of trips abroad, those heady nights sitting in New York or London surrounded by the best meats available, superb cocktails, wine and whiskey — The Oak Door, then, is a kind of elegant home away from home.

Weekend Brunch at The Oak Door

I visited this venerable institution on a Saturday afternoon to sample its brilliant weekend brunch with my family who were visiting for the first time. Drenched due to Tokyo’s annual rainy season, we were quickly seated and looked after by the restaurant’s superb front of house staff with a special mention to The Oak Door Manager Samuel Garcia Lamas, one of the capital’s best and most affable hosts. 

The clan McInnes opted for the Avocado Caesar salad (gem lettuce, sourdough croutons, The Oak Door bacon, and avocado) Bruscetta (roasted cherry tomatoes, Iberico ham, grilled sourdough, cage-free egg), and the incredible Crab cake (king crab, snow crab, and remoulade sauce) as appetizers. My daughter tried avocado for the first time (she’s on a health kick and consumes an outrageous amount of açaí bowls) and was really impressed, vowing, afterwards, to continue her new love affair with the creamy goodness of avocado.  

Seriously engaging with the free-flow champagne option (for the adults) and orange juice for the younger McInnes, the atmosphere of The Oak Door allows for relaxation, contemplation, conversation and, overall, it’s a wonderful way to while away a few hours on a rainy Saturday afternoon. With live easy-listening music and super-attentive service, The Oak Door really is a special place which obviously holds a special spot in many people’s hearts as the dining room was characteristically busy. 

For the mains we chose the BBQ burger x 2 which comprised of pulled pork, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, and crispy onion and the glorious BLT eggs Benedict (bacon, tomato, cage-free poached egg, smoked paprika hollandaise) with the McInnes contingent becoming very quiet for about 20 minutes or so as we made our way through this very fine food with intermittent yelps of delight and decadent swills of Bollinger champagne (I have a soft spot for Bollinger so I was very much in my element). 

Absolutely stuffed to the proverbial gills we just had enough space for dessert with the whole clan opting for the absolutely amazing “With love from the baking tray” Cherry crumble with Yogurt ice cream. A large plate of the aforementioned yoghurt ice-cream arrived and then the server arrived tableside with a huge baking tray of freshly made cherry crumble which made me think of my dearly departed mother who loved to make a crumble. With huge dollops of sticky cherries complementing the ice-cream we were in true dessert heaven.

Added Extras

As I quenched my thirst with my final glass of champers, we were then given a lovely tour called Through the Cellar Door, available for hotel guests, by charming sommelier Steven Hagan who gave us a look around this wine-lovers paradise. Hotel guests are able to reserve wine tasting with Hagan and it’s no doubt a great way to add on a bit of time, if that tickles your fancy. 

With the weather clearing outside, we decided to take our chances and head back into the throngs of central Tokyo, stuffed, satiated and, perhaps, most importantly, happy and invigorated by such an amazing culinary experience. As we said our goodbyes to the staff, Garcia and his team, we decided there and then that we would be back at The Oak Door as a family very soon, to see what it has up its sleeves the next time we visit. 

The Oak Door’s Weekend Brunch

Food only: 6,600 yen per person. With free-flow drinks: 8,800 yen per person. With free-flow Champagne: 11,000 yen per person.