Where is it? On the top floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, 52 floors above the commercial and administrative district of Shinjuku.
A hotel restaurant, then? Well, even the most jaded diner would put the place in a class of its own. Every upwardly mobile Tokyo-ite is expected to bring his girlfriend here at least once, if only for bragging rights. And despite the recent arrival of the Gordon Ramsay franchise at the Conrad hotel and the Mandarin's Signature restaurant, this is still the hottest ticket in town for western food. So it's not new? No, it first opened in 1994 but made news by closing for 39 days in July and August this year for renovation - and probably raised more than a few eyebrows by reopening apparently much as it closed, despite being completely and subtly refitted and boasting a new collection of artworks.
By anyone we know? Probably not, unless you're Japanese or a keen art student. Minoru Nomata specialises in what the hotel calls 'paintings of visionary architectural schemes' and has supplied it with 20 paintings and drawings of futuristic art deco buildings, mostly of the skyscraper variety - German expressionism meets Michelangelo Antonioni. The four enormous Valerio Adami paintings, like stained-glass windows, create an almost cathedral-like atmosphere and have been retained. Hong Kong-based interiors wizard John Morford was the original designer and was brought back in for the refurbishment.
What's on the menu? Beef is the headliner, ably supported by fresh fish and seafood from the famous Tsukiji Fish Market across town. Some of the former is imported from New Zealand and Australia but top of the range is the chef's daily premium grade Kobe beef selection, a cut of which will set you back a tidy 19,000 yen (HK$1,270) without side dishes. Some carnivorous connoisseurs prefer the Miyozaki Koyama Sirloin, which goes for 14,000 yen.
Not for all pockets then? There is the Manhattan three-course set menu that includes salad of beef tongue, buttered, poached cod on cauliflower puree with ikura and creme fraiche, followed by pear and cassis tart with cinnamon ice cream for 11,000 yen, and a couple of other, similarly priced, and similarly face-saving, options.
And the bar? After dinner, drinks and jazz can be found on the same level in the New York Bar. Here, local musicians join resident international bands for swinging sets against a spectacular backdrop of the illuminated city. If you're a beer aficionado, try a bottle of Amoy Hokkaido Microbrew (1,300 yen), an organic ale served with a bowl of flavour-enhancing barley to nibble on. Or take a leaf out of Bill Murray's book and make it Suntory time.