Restaurant toasts Shaoxing wine

      Ryutenmon Chinese restaurant at the Westin Hotel Tokyo is releasing more
      of its original Shaoxing Chinese rice wine and holding a commemorative
      gala dinner Feb. 18 and 22 to mark the event.

      Ryutenmon first released its 30-year-old original blend Shaoxing wine
      three years ago. The restaurant is now offering 8- and 12-year-old bottles
      in addition to the 30-year vintage that proved so popular.
      The liquor was blended under the direction of executive chef Chin Kei Mei,
      who visited the Shaoxing winery in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province,
      China, to direct the winemakers firsthand and witness the blending and
      bottling.

      Ryutenmon's original blend is characterized by its high proportion of
      vintage liquor, which is far higher than the usual 50 percent required for
      the "vintage" appellation.
      Shaoxing wine is sold in original Ryutenmon bottles at ¥3,900 (350 ml, 8
      years old), ¥5,200 (350 ml, 12 years) and ¥15,000 (330 ml, 30 years).
      The gala dinner is ¥18,000 per person, including Shaoxing wine, and starts
      from 7 p.m. on Feb. 18 and from 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22. Reception begins 30
      minutes before the dinner.
      The Westin Tokyo is in Ebisu Garden Place, a seven-minute walk along the
      Ebisu Sky Walk from the East Exit of JR Ebisu Station. For more
      information or reservations, call (03) 5423-7787.
      Sweet charity at Hilton Tokyo
      For Valentine's Day, the Hilton Tokyo is organizing a Share Your Love
      charity campaign between Feb. 9 and 13.
      The hotel will give local welfare institutions chocolates donated by its
      female guests, together with Hilton chocolate gifts, on Feb. 14.
      Baskets to collect chocolates will be placed in the lobby during the
      campaign and all female guests who bring any kind of prepacked chocolates
      will receive a 20-percent discount coupon for lunch at the hotel's Marble
      Lounge or Checkers restaurants.
      Charity participants will also have a chance to win various luxury gifts,
      such as a complementary one-night stay at the Hilton Tokyo or a sumptuous
      French dinner as a White Day gift March 14.
      The Hilton Tokyo is a two-minute walk from Exit C8 of Nishi-Shinjuku
      Station or a 10-minute walk from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station. For
      more information, call (03) 3344-5111.
      Hawaiian Valentine's
      Roy's Tokyo Bar & Grill, a Tokyo outlet of award-winning Hawaiian chef Roy
      Yamaguchi, has prepared a special dinner course for Valentine's Day,
      available from Feb. 10 to 14.

      Yamaguchi is renowned as a pioneer of Hawaiian Fusion cuisine, which
      features local ingredients, European sauces and Asian spices, all based on
      Hawaiian flavors.
      Against the backdrop of a night view of Tokyo Tower, guests can enjoy a
      five-course dinner, including foie gras terrine with port wine sauce, New
      England-style clam chowder, lemongrass-flavored grilled red sea bream,
      braised beef in red-wine sauce, and dark and white chocolate-duet mousse
      for dessert.
      The dinner course is ¥8,000 per person. Reservations are recommended.
      Roy's Tokyo Bar & Grill is located on the fifth floor of West Walk in
      Roppongi Hills, above Roppongi Subway Station. For more information and
      reservations, call (03) 5474-8181.