Not exactly what I was expecting, getting a recommendation for a very nice course kappou place in the back of Roppongi from Koala, who I always think of as a Korean / Chinese / hotpot specialist. But very nice it was indeed, and along with several peafowl I enjoyed it very much. This place is under-reported […]
kaiseki
- Other treats
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Iijima, Tokyo (割烹 いゝ島、八重洲)
Honestly, Ding and I have been trying to get together after work for several months. Whenever one of us thinks of it and suggests something, there’s always been a problem. Last night, the only problems were the rain, the fact that Fukube was full, and the fact that I was carrying only my ’emergency’ camera, […]
Chacha Yufudachi, Shinjuku (茶茶白雪)
Never ceases to amaze me how pretty good places are hiding all over in plain sight…CCYD is sequestered in the top of an average building, the entrance to which is not too obvious from the street. It’s meant to be Kyoto style ‘banzai’ food, and while being decent quality is very good value. This would […]
- Ginza
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Uzuki, Ginza (うづき)
I sure do complain a lot, don’t I? Well, at least I eat a lot, so there’s usually something to talk about. The thing that reminded me that I complain too much is that I was going to complain about people who say they have ‘culinary adventures’. Going to a restaurant and paying money to […]
Okonn, Yoyogi Uehara (おこん)
DAMN, I know how to pick restaurants. This one is a little hard to describe, but let me rattle off some ideas that describe it: secluded, stylish, simple cooking but great ingredients, and a lot of care and concern. First, the location – it’s 7 minutes walk from Yoyogi Uehara, which sounds close but feels […]
Fukahama, Fukagawa （深はま、深川）
You know it’s not often that I double-post places – it means I really like them. I really like Fukahama. When readers Kwong and Hachi came to town (and this was not a short trip by any means) and suggested we meet, I quickly thought of Fukahama as a place that does really well at […]
La Bombance, Nishi Azabu
It’s interesting to come back from Kyoto and immediately have what amounts to a kaiseki meal, albeit in a dark, stylish, hostess-friendly setting in Nishi-Azabu. It’s even more interesting to meet completely new people especially when they come with their own nicknames – Baron Destructo and Deluca Cheesemonger. You can tell I didn’t assign those […]
- Kyoto
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Fujita, Kyoto (藤田)
Sure, this was the third day in a row that we visited Pontocho, but what the hey? Fujita is a pleasantly reserved-looking traditional place up near the top of the alley, with a youngish master but a feeling of long history. The food was decent; this would be OK for a lunch, but if I was […]
- Kyoto
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Yuubi, Kyoto (遊美)
Really outstanding food from a modern kappou in the deep south of Gion – on the street with all the chayas, if that helps. While the atmosphere was a little cold, this was some of the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. But first, stone-paved streets with rickshaws! Quel queint! No pictures were really possible (master’s policy, […]
- Kyoto
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Takenaka, Kyoto (竹中)
There’s nothing like 8 courses of kaiseki to pep you up from walking around looking at red leaves and tide you over until dinner. I mean, I already felt pretty peppy from walking around this neighborhood (for reference, this is the bit on the mid-east side of Kyoto, north of Kiyomizudera and south of Yasaka […]