Continued, Tokyo New Wave

In the dining room at Organ, a turntable plays John Coltrane’s Live at the Village Vanguard, the record sleeve propped up on display. Books line a shelf right beneath the pass, reading material for those who care to indulge. These say a lot about Makoto Konno, together with the eclectic collections of chairs and tables, the large refrigerator filled exclusively with natural wines, and the enticing aromas coming from the galley kitchen.

Konno’s hair is pulled back into an attractive low ponytail. His loose posture and bearing are not typically Japanese; he does not bow, and he sits across from me with an arm propped up on one chair, legs crossed. This observation makes sense when I discover that Konno lived in Southern California for ten years. His experience living abroad informed much of what interests him and helped to develop his aesthetic and beliefs about food and food culture.

Konno identifies strongly with the saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”; he did not grow up with means, but often faced choices in life based on need. He is not impressed by wealth or corporate influence and does not feel that dining should be a rarefied experience only available to those who can afford it. The chairs I notice upon entering Organ are meaningful to Konno, symbolizing creativity, art, individuality, independence, and a disregard for corporate sameness. When I ask why these traits are important to him, he answers with a smile, “Because I am a rocker.” He is a rocker who loves film; a rocker who loves natural wines and food; a rocker who values openness and the creative process.

Konno’s pioneering status supporting natural wines in Japan also illustrates his conviction and unconventional status. Natural wines are the product of grapes left alone to go through their own fermentation process without chemicals of any kind. He serves these products exclusively from the small, modest vineyards that make them, often not turning a profit.

Although his food at Organ is hearty, based on the French bistro tradition, his dishes also incorporate ideas and elements from other cultures that Konno absorbed while living in California. There is crab with avocado, apple, celery root, and lemongrass mayonnaise; or roasted lamb with yuzu harissa.

Some of the most compelling chefs are those who are down-to-earth, cooking to express an idea larger than themselves. At Organ, Konno has created a place where life is unhurried—where guests can savor good food, pure natural wine, and powerful music. Here, individual expression has a home; sameness is nowhere in sight.

It was my first time outside Japan. I didn’t know how long we would stay. I didn’t speak English or have a driver’s license. The first thing I did was buy a bicycle. I wanted to see the ocean, so I went on my bicycle without realizing how far it was. There was a hill in a nearby town, and I saw the ocean from the top of it. So I knew I was in California! I was so tired. I couldn’t go all the way to the ocean. In Los Angeles, I learned independence. I saw that in the cafés people wanted to express themselves. There was a subculture of creativity. People who create very new things are often under pressure, because they don’t have money. Need often creates creativity. I didn’t see this in Japan, and I loved it.

Organ is literally the name of the large musical instrument. Uguisu is a bird, the Japanese bush warbler.

It’s based on French, but I add different elements and ideas and things I tasted at the restaurants in Los Angeles—Mexican, Korean, Southeast Asian, African.

It meant I was an immigrant. My parents could have stayed in the United States indefinitely, but they decided to return to Japan. It felt limiting to me to be in the United States—I had a business visa and did not enjoy the same benefits as a citizen. I was existing somewhere between being an immigrant and a foreigner. America gave me a lot of new and positive things, though. People there are more direct and more straightforward with goals and what they do or how they think. The Japanese way is more indirect.

I feel a little different than a typical Japanese because of the long time I lived abroad. I am proud of my experience in the United States. I am more decisive and more open. I have been influenced by many cultures.

Oyako-donburi. We called it mother and son, the chicken and egg. My father used to take me fishing, and we would stop at a Japanese family restaurant to have it.

Fourteen years ago, when I started my wine bar, Uguisu, there were no words or classification for natural wines. I started collecting these cloudy wines and started studying them. I liked that each wine was different, just as I like to be on the opposite side of big money, big corporations. After you open the bottle, the taste changes.

Natural wine is different from organic wine. It is also organic, but the production is actually a lot more strict, with no chemicals in the production from beginning to end. It is also unfiltered.

It’s actually a saying: “Better today than yesterday. Better tomorrow than today.”

Paris, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders; Stranger Than Paradise and Dead Man, directed by Jim Jarmusch; and City of God, directed by Fernando Meirelles.

I am constantly searching for new ideas from global cuisines for my own creations, but always try to keep some traditional French dishes on my menu. When I ask myself what I want to serve my customers, the answer is simply something that tastes good. This is the French petit salé aux lentilles. I top it with a poached egg.

PORK BELLY

Salt

2 pounds pork belly (preferably skin-on)

2½ quarts water

½ cup white wine

1 onion, cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 celery stalk, cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

1 rosemary sprig

3 star anise

2 cloves

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

LENTILS

1 tablespoon olive oil

⅓ cup chopped onion

⅓ cup chopped carrot

⅓ cup chopped celery

2½ cups green lentils, thoroughly washed

3 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1½ teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 thyme sprigs

4 cups water

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 egg

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

To make the pork belly, rub approximately 2 tablespoons salt all over the pork belly, cover with paper towels, and dry-age in the refrigerator for 4 to 7 days.

In a large Dutch oven, combine the pork belly, water, wine, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, star anise, and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 hours, until tender. Remove the pork belly from the cooking liquid and slice ½ inch thick. Reserve the remaining cooking liquid.

To make the lentils, warm the olive oil a Dutch oven over low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 10 minutes, until the mixture softens and the onion is translucent. Add the lentils and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until coated with oil. Stir in the bacon. Add 1½ quarts of the reserved pork belly cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils soften.

To finish the pork belly, preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the pork belly slices out in single layer in a baking dish. Slather the pork belly with the mustard and sprinkle with the panko. Bake for 5 minutes, until the bread crumbs brown.

While the pork is cooking, poach the egg. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the vinegar and turn off the heat. While circulating the water with a spoon, crack the egg into the water and turn the heat back on to low. Cook for 1½ minutes without stirring.

Spoon the lentils onto a serving platter and place the pork belly on top. Sprinkle with parsley, place the poached egg on top, and break the yolk so it flows nicely over the entire dish. Serve immediately.