The Restaurant Of The Year (ROTY) competition for 2017 pitched some very impressive dining establishments against each other. Great restaurants both old and new have jostled for position as the bar has been set higher and higher each year.
French restaurant, Pachon had proven far to good for the competition in consecutive years 2015 and 2016. However, there were some amazing establishments that took up the challenge for 2017. Grillogy at the Odaiba Hilton and Ruby Jack’s contested one of the closest races in B&B Tokyo history. Pachon was scheduled for the final luncheon of the year in December and it was expected to make it three in a row. But in the end it was Ruby Jack’s that won by a nose.
Luncheon participants are handed survey sheets to score each restaurant on Reception, Service, Ambiance, 1st course, 2nd course, Main course and Dessert. White wine and Red wine and sometimes cheeses (when it is available) are scored separately. For a restaurant to get above 30, the participants are enjoying something very special.
The top five restaurants for 2017 were:
1. Ruby Jack’s (32.60) 2. Grillogy (32.58) 3. Alexander’s Steakhouse (32.00) 4. Pachon (31.18) 5. Le Petit Bedon (30.48)
Who will feature in the 2018 competition? – watch this space …
To put the scoring into context, here’s an analysis of the performance of restaurants over the past 3 years.
| Year | Restaurant | Score | Stars |
| 2016 | Pachon (ROTY) | 32.81 | ★★★★★ |
| 2017 | Ruby Jack’s (ROTY) | 32.60 | ★★★★★ |
| 2017 | Grillogy, Odaiba Hilton | 32.58 | ★★★★★ |
| 2016 | Tableaux | 32.46 | ★★★★★ |
| 2016 | Mario i Sentieri | 32.13 | ★★★★★ |
| 2017 | Alexander’s Steakhouse | 32.00 | ★★★★★ |
| 2015 | Pachon (ROTY) | 32.09 | ★★★★★ |
| 2016 | Pierre Cagnaire, ANA | 31.78 | ★★★★ |
| 2015 | Two Rooms | 31.32 | ★★★★ |
| 2017 | Pachon | 31.18 | ★★★★ |
| 2015 | Mario i Sentieri | 30.86 | ★★★★ |
| 2016 | Piacere, Shangri-La Tokyo | 30.57 | ★★★★ |
| 2016 | Ruby Jack’s | 30.53 | ★★★★ |
| 2017 | Le Petit Bedon | 30.48 | ★★★★ |
| 2016 | Park Hyatt Tokyo | 29.63 | ★★★ |
| 2015 | Salt | 29.36 | ★★★ |
| 2016 | Two Rooms | 29.29 | ★★★ |
| 2015 | Wakanui | 29.26 | ★★★ |
| 2015 | Le Petit Bedon | 29.12 | ★★★ |
| 2016 | Taronga Grill, Odaiba Hilton | 29.10 | ★★★ |
| 2016 | Il Casita | 29.09 | ★★★ |
| 2015 | 148@azabujuban | 29.00 | ★★★ |
| 2017 | The Steakhouse, ANA | 28.89 | ★★★ |
| 2017 | Blu Jam Cafe | 28.81 | ★★★ |
| 2017 | Mifune | 28.81 | ★★★ |
| 2016 | Laputa Garden | 28.79 | ★★★ |
| 2017 | Orexis | 28.73 | ★★★ |
| 2017 | Benjamin Steakhouse | 28.38 | ★★★ |
| 2015 | Tsunohazu | 27.43 | ★★ |
| 2015 | Crystal Yacht Club | 27.99 | ★★ |
| 2017 | Trunk Hotel | 26.65 | ★★ |
| 2015 | Il Brio | 26.29 | ★★ |
| 2015 | Joe’s Shanghai | 25.95 | ★★ |
| 2015 | Stellato | 24.60 | ★ |
| 2017 | South by Terra | 23.71 | ★ |
| 2016 | Legato | 23.55 | ★ |
Our Vice-President Terry White did the following analysis the three years prior. You can see how well the top performing restaurants have performed then. Five restaurants feature in the top 10 over those three years. Special mention goes to Two Rooms, Mario i Sentieri and Il Casita as the most consistent restaurants.
| Year | Restaurant | Score | Stars |
| 2014 | Andaz Tavern (ROTY) | 32.95 | ★★★★★ |
| 2014 | Mario i Sentieri | 31.81 | ★★★★ |
| 2013 | 2 Rooms (ROTY) | 31.61 | ★★★★ |
| 2013 | Mario i Sentieri | 31.35 | ★★★★ |
| 2012 | 2 Rooms (ROTY) | 31.12 | ★★★★ |
| 2014 | Ruby Jack’s | 30.33 | ★★★★ |
| 2014 | Tableaux | 30.12 | ★★★★ |
| 2012 | Mario I Sentieri | 30.08 | ★★★★ |
| 2013 | Mosaique | 29.81 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | Il Casita | 29.68 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Il Casita | 29.58 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | The Steakhouse | 29.54 | ★★★ |
| 2013 | Il Casita | 29.53 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | BiCE | 29.44 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Wakanui | 29.21 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Decanter | 29.09 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Les Crystallines | 28.82 | ★★★ |
| 2013 | Le Petit Tonneau | 28.81 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Mosaique | 28.33 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Ruths Chris | 28.32 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Dazzle | 28.16 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | Mosaique | 28.04 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Trattoria | 27.96 | ★★★ |
| 2012 | Le Petit Tonneau | 27.93 | ★★★ |
| 2013 | Dazzle | 27.88 | ★★★ |
| 2013 | BiCE | 27.77 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | Le Petit Tonneau | 27.59 | ★★★ |
| 2013 | Wakanui | 27.33 | ★★★ |
| 2014 | Hibiki | 26.71 | ★★ |
| 2013 | Etruschi | 26.59 | ★★ |
| 2014 | Lawry’s | 25.14 | ★★ |
| 2013 | Les Crystallines | 21.58 | ★ |