What can be said of paper? It’s white, clean, smooth to the touch and has sharp edges. And such is the underlying philosophy that went into making this Gulou standout. Minimalist interior throughout—everything is white but the hardwood floor—the restaurant is easy to find given its plain-faced, sleek black exterior. But health food lovers take note, Paper’s clean decor extends beyond the restaurant’s set menu. For example, according to the owner, Cho, as little oil as possible is used during food preparation to provide a “clean eating” product. Furthermore, the restaurant uses only organic soy sauce and vegetables. Paper’s signature is its revolving 16-course set meal for ¥150 per person. An extensive wine and drink list is also available for those with liquid appetites. Attention to detail at Paper is not overlooked. Waiters inquire about allergies or other types of food before serving. And what at first seems like frustratingly dainty morsels of food, quickly turns into a meal capable of leaving you more than satisfied. Contemporary southern Chinese dishes and delicacies like sausages and mushroom lettuce wraps, eggplant and sausage patties, dumplings with vinegar and a delightful fruit salad with calamari come together excellently with Japanese foods like fried shrimp wraps. By the time your dessert of cream over strawberries and cookie rolls comes along, your appetite and palate are well cleansed. As Cho is the owner of Bed Bar and Café Sambal as well, he has proven he also appreciates the elusive art of serving drinks. The restaurant’s first floor features a standing bar while the second floor has comfy white couches to facilitate chatty cocktail get-togethers. - RSP