Gonpachi / Kill Bill

On my birthday, Neko treated me to dinner at a restaurant called Gonpachi, located in the Roppongi area of Tokyo.  This is the restaurant that inspired Quentin Tarantino in creating his setting for the restaurant fight scene in Kill Bill Volume One.  Remember Beatrix Kiddo taking on O-ren Ishii and the Crazy 88s?

It definitely feels like you're walking into the film the moment you enter the building, despite the filming not being done on location.  It's large and cavernous, in Edo-style with dark wood and bamboo. We had bar seats facing the grill area.  The food, mostly izakaya fare, was quite good for the most part.  The highlights were the many grilled skewers of meat and vegetables and gingko nuts, the taro salad, and the sake.

Upon leaving the restaurant, you pass by a wall of photos of musicians and politicians who've dined at Gonpachi in the past. Stephen Harper was one of them!