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2020-08-16
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This Michelin 2-star Japanese restaurant specializes in kaiseki cuisine, and is the branch of the restaurant of the same name in Osaka, which got Michelin 3-star status. Located in On Lan Street, Central, because of the restriction of dine-in for dinner, we came during lunch hours on the day but the restaurant offers the same dinner menu for customers.Once seated comfortably at our table, taking a look at the interior design reminds me of visiting a high-end Japanese restaurant in Japan. On the
This Michelin 2-star Japanese restaurant specializes in kaiseki cuisine, and is the branch of the restaurant of the same name in Osaka, which got Michelin 3-star status. Located in On Lan Street, Central, because of the restriction of dine-in for dinner, we came during lunch hours on the day but the restaurant offers the same dinner menu for customers.
Once seated comfortably at our table, taking a look at the interior design reminds me of visiting a high-end Japanese restaurant in Japan. On the wall there are some nice weaving and dyeing arts. Lots of wood providing a warm and cozy atmosphere to the diners, and I paid a lot of attention to the ceiling which has a slight incline reminiscent of the roof of a house, making one feel you are at a traditional house instead of a commercial building in Central.
We ordered the Aotake Menu ($3,980 each), with the chef having a different in each month, to pick the best in-season ingredients for the dishes. The first course is Sakizuke (先付), an appetizer similar to the French amuse-bouche. Beautifully served under a leaf, it contains Hairy Crab, with some Caviar on top, together with Spaghetti Squash and Snap Peas. To add to the complexity there are also Red Knotwood and Myoga Ginger to bring refreshing taste, with everything mixed with in a Jelly made with Perilla Flower and Citrus Sudachi. A feast of flavors, there are both sweet, sour, spicy, savory and hints of bitterness, making the appetizer highly intricate and set us up for an amazing feast to come.
Next is Kae (替), which are Soft-Cooked Abalone with Zucchini and Pickled Myoga, with Abalone Liver and Yellow Egg Yolk Vinegar. The abalone has been cooked to perfection, the flesh tender and one can bite open without the use of knife. Infused with the essences of the broth, when added with the liver paste the richness in flavors came bombarding to the palate. The zucchini is a nice addition and the myoga adding acidity to balance the dish. A very nice one.
The third course is Nimonowan (煮物椀). Before serving the staff showed us how the chef had made his broth, by using high-quality kelp and shaving his own bonito flakes. When the bowl is opened the amazing aromas came up. The soup has a big piece of Soft-Cooked Isa Lobster, with Wax Gourd, Wax Gourd Peel and Green Yuzu. The broth is full of umami, and I found the wax gourd the best in taste with the flavors seeped in to the delicate taste making it extremely tasty. The lobster has been slow-cooked to give a very tender texture while still retaining the taste of the lobster perfectly. Another great dish.
The fourth course is Tsukuri (造り). There are five different types of sashimi, including Ishidai, Hirame, Tako, Akami and Chu-Toro. All of the sashimi are very fresh, with the staff sharing with us the sequence to enjoy. The Ishidai has a great texture, with a mild delicate note. The Hirame got more fat content so richer and more intense on taste. The octopus has been marinated and cooked so it was tender and also having a nice umami note. The tuna are also great, with the akami leaner while the chu-toro where the chef had cut beautifully, not only giving a nice visual look but also breaking the fiber to give a creamy and soft texture. Very good!
Continuing on the Tsukuri there are another three types of sashimi. There is the very sweet, creamy and flavorful Uni from Hokkaido with the home-made soy sauce added. Then there is the Tairogai, which has a much firmer, crunchy texture than the more commonly used Hotategai. Adding a tiny bit of lime brings out even more refreshing note from the shellfish. The last piece is the seared Toro with a great mashed condiment (I forgot to ask what those are). It is seldom we saw such variety of sashimi in a kaiseki course.
The fifth course is Shinogi (凌ぎ), with a Fried Brewed Sweet Fish, paired with Steamed Sticky Rice, adding with some Cooked Pine Nuts, Japanese Green Beans, Arima Pepper and Yoshino Arrowroot Sauces. The perfect deep-fry technique made the fish completely edible from head to tail including the bones, and all the other ingredients complementing with everything in harmony. Very good.
The sixth course is Hassun (八寸). Starting with the Grilled Pike Conger with Teriyaki Sauces, along with some Cucumber and Pickled Myoga to give a nice refreshing acidity and the conger had a firm texture of the meat too. Moving on to the Fried Corn Tempura, Edamame, Grilled Pike Conger Roe with Egg. The corn is very sweet, and the batter of the tempura so thin and crisp it was one of the best tempura I had eaten. The conger roe with egg is something new to me as well. Continuing to the last set there are Dried Sea Cucumber with Sea Cucumber Eggs, Lotus Root with Smoked Salmon Roll and Fried Ginkgo Nuts. It was another first time I had sea cucumber in Japanese restaurant, and the texture is crunchy with the eggs providing the seasoning to the sea cucumber. The razor-thin lotus root wrapping the smoked salmon is a piece of art by itself on both visual and taste. And even the ginkgo nuts taste better. A colorful and nicely rendered dish.
The seventh course is Yakimono (焼物), with Grilled Japanese Wagyu Beef and Grilled Eggplant, added with Assorted Japanese Vegetables and Sesame Sauces. I like the thinly sliced beef just lightly grilled to retain a medium rare level while making it less greasy. The eggplant had absorbed some of the juices from the beef and got a good flavor. I originally took the interesting tiny tomatoes as cranberries but in fact these small ones offer a nice balance of sour to make it even more tasty. Another great dish.
The eighth course is Hachimono (鉢物), with Cooked Herring Fish, Baby Taro, Pumpkin, Okra and Needle Ginger. The marinated herring got an intense taste and matched well with the vegetables, cooked with the broth to infuse with good flavors on top of their original taste. The needle ginger also helps to add a light sweet spicy note and freshen up the overall palate. A nice dish.
The ninth course is Shokuji (食事), which is a fantastic Abalone with Clay Pot Rice, mixed with Mitsuba Leaf, Sea Urchin and Abalone Arrowroot Sauces. Personally the Japanese rice is always one of my favorites and on every kaiseki I took this dish very seriously. It did not disappoint, with the rice fragrant, of the perfect texture, and with the abalone and mitsuba leaf adding extra elements. The sea urchin is a nice addition but I do not think necessary. The arrowroot sauce provided enables us to have a different style of more soggy texture with additional concentration of abalone flavors but still the original taste was the best in my opinion. Each of us had three large bowls and finish the whole clay pot despite all the food we already had, a good testimony of how great the rice was.
Coming to the end, the tenth course is Okashi (菓子), with the Homemade Japanese Sweet from Black Sugar good in sweetness, and the chef thoughtfully provided also a matcha to pair, and the bitter taste of the green tea building a great harmony with the sweetness of the dessert to satisfy even the most critical diner.
The last course is Mizumono (水物), with Assorted Japanese Fruits including Strawberry, Kiwi Fruit, Orange, Pineapple, all served on top of a layer of white wine jelly and milk pudding. The fruit is sweet and seasonal, and the white wine jelly giving a light touch of bitterness from the wine to complement the fruit, making a perfect conclusion to a wonderful meal.
Throughout the meal the services are good, with the staff very attentive and continuously checking on our tea and water to refill, and taking time to explain on each of the dish upon serving. While the attention is good, I found the frequency of pouring tea a bit too much, with me finishing a seep and they would come pouring again. Is this the right way to do in Japan? I am not sure.
The bill was $5,572 and there is a great 40% discount on the original price. I was not aware of this and upon the bill was presented I was originally thinking they made a mistake. Obviously a great deal and next time I should come without driving to enjoy some nice sake too. If you miss the kaiseki during your holiday in Japan, I think this place is a good spot to satisfy your desire.
張貼
