vichyssoise chasseur (before pour)

Beginning with my first Ubuntu lunch, and running over what will likely be the next few months, the restaurants being reviewed all share a common loose thread. Manresa, Noma, Ubuntu, and The Sportsman are forging ahead with similar ideas of nature, locality, and fine dining. Others like Coi and McCrady’s are gravitating towards a similar approach. All of the chefs use “molecular” techniques but they have applied them toward expressing the food and season, understanding and exploring the underlying ingredients, instead of promoting a dinner theater. As mentioned in the Manresa post, in reference to Daniel Patterson’s “Carrots are the new Caviar“, a “fine dining” ingredient does not necessarily have to be “luxurious”; but, instead, it should merely allow a chef to fully express themselves.³ Chef Fox’s food is probably the most conceptual when it comes to vegetables (he has an advantage since that is his sole focus) but the pictures will tell the tale. A healthy respect for Michel Bras is served with each dish in each of these restaurants.

The notes for this meal were scarce; and the titles below are not official. At best, they will merely serve as teases that entice you to make a reservation now. The Bay Area bounty is still plentiful and, while some of the ingredients below have passed through their season, an upcoming lunch is mandatory (for me) to discover what new creations await.

carrot & nasturtium

the infamous pea dish (before consumme)

seven degrees of beets

carta da musica

radish stew

savory expression of orion fennel

grits

sweet expression of orion fennel

rhubarb float

- chuck

1 - Yes, Chef Fox knew I was coming.

2 - This reminds me of one of my current obsessions - Deadwood - and the George Hearst character, “Boy the Earth talks to” - though his talent is for discovering rare metals, not cooking. The writing, and acting, on this show eclipse my former favorite - The Wire - and, if you happen to run into me, and if I know you have any interest in literature, you will have to listen to me rave about the show and its greatness.

3 - People are often surprised that my idea of fine restaurants rarely coincides with theirs - theirs being the stereotypical notion of a “fine French restaurant” with heavy doses of cream, fat, diamond necklaces, and stuffy suits. Fish will always be my first love, my workout regime requires an ample dose of protein, but I have learned through my dining adventures that vegetables are often just as exciting.

Parmesan churro and crispy kale

The direction of the restaurant parallels a path described by Daniel Patterson’s (Coi, SF) eloquent “Carrots are the new Caviar”.² Over the past few years, the menu at Manresa has shifted from an international anything-goes-as-long-as-it’s-of-the-highest-quality approach to a far more local approach. The emphasis has been on re-interpretating fine dining with the ample bounty of the area, all in a bid to create a cuisine of “time and place”, as Kinch likes to say in interviews. This is what distinguishes Manresa from the Chez Panisse clones that permeate the area, and place it alongside Noma (Denmark) as part of a loose movement to advance a different approach to haute cuisine. Patterson states in his article that the fine dining trappings are “more important as cultural signifiers than as actual experiences.” The tremendous results Kinch has obtained from weaving Love Apple Farms garden’s bounty into the Manresa menu is proof that “ordinary” vegetables deserve to be showcased in a fine dining setting.

This was my birthday Manresa meal, last March. Not all of the pictures turned out. And, as in the past, the chef knew I was coming.

Seafood is what hooked me first at Manresa, thanks to both the impeccable quality and Kinch’s restrained preparations. The local bounty has limitations so Kinch sources fish from Japan, among other places. When local treats like Monterey Spot prawns or abalone are on the menu, they will often be among the best dishes. Nearly all chefs serve a crudo-type course, or two, these days but the results suffer from fish quality or heavy-handed Nobu-like recipes; at Manresa, there is often a minimalism at play where the flavors of the fish are lifted and complemented.

The Spring Tidal Pool seems to be a divisive dish among diners for its liberal use of salt. This could arguably be a case where art and concept might be sacrificed slightly to accommodate a wider range of tastes. Usually appearing around the 3/4 mark of the menu, I find that its salinity helps invigorate the taste buds for the upcoming cooked fish and/or meats. The dish also has emotional tugs for those who grew up near oceans and it provides a reflective moment before embarking on the last quarter of the journey.

Kin-medai, sashimi style, with olive oil and chives

Shellfish, a tapenade of toasted seaweed with yuzu-sea salt snow, buckwheat honey

Spot prawns, stewed onion, sorrel and corriander

A spring tidal pool

Sea bream, bone marrow and vegetable tears

The vegetables dishes are fresh, thanks to the garden, but it is the conceptual nature of the dishes that lift them into rarefied territory. Into the Vegetable Garden has quickly become an iconic dish in American fine dining, with variations at other restaurants. They all pay homage to Michel Bras’s infamous Gargouille - if you’ve never had that dish, it alone is worth the trip. Into the Vegetable Garden is a known surprise - it will appear on the tasting menu but, because of the season, its composition is unclear until it is served.

Cabbage and caviar

Into the vegetable garden…

Root vegetable risotto without rice

With each successive meal (anywhere), I grow more and more tired of that “big (meat) hit” at the end - rarely does it live up to the accomplishment of previous dishes. Manresa is not immune to my criticism here but the meat dishes are often better, in part to the superior sourcing.

On this night, to my utter disbelief, Suckling kid goat, curds, and whey was clearly the best dish of the night - astonishing. The goat, growing in popularity, was braised and there was textural magic between it and the curds and whey. The textures were similar but just slightly distinct - the stringy goat provided just slightly more bite than the stringy curds. The goat’s melting quality complemented the creaminess of the dish, with the curds providing just the right note of acidity to offset the richness.

Suckling kid goat, curds and whey

Spring lamb, slowly roasted with leeks, anchovy

The only thing left to say, after at least 15 meals, is “go” and “get the tasting menu.”

- chuck

1 - Pizza in San Francisco is pretty good, though not Pizzeria Bianco (Phoenix) good. On some days, you can have an enjoyable pie at Delfina, Beretta, Pizetta 211, Gialina, Pizzeria Picco, San Marzano (Oakland), and more. My only gripe is that all of them are too inconsistent for their lofty reputations (and, often, waits.) I have not tried Flour+Water yet but the pictures look good.

2 - The two chefs are friends and I’d speculate there is a steady exchange of thoughts and ideas between the two.

Crisp Chickpea & Flowering ROSEMARY sphere - stuffed with romesco

I have made a habit of stopping in quarterly, though blog entries are less frequent, to check out new dishes. Last year, Julot: Ze Blog and I went and he proclaimed it one of the most exciting US restaurants he had visited on his trip. I agreed but it was not in my top tier - it had hints of greatness but often settled for casual comfort-type food. Subsequent meals saw the menu changing, creeping ever so upscale with each return visit, but still fractured between comfort and haute, stuck in a minor identity crisis.

And then there was this meal, pictured below ² - tight, cohesive, near pitch perfect - springtime Napa on a plate - a Michelin two-star meal in my book. (Ingredients in ALL CAPS come from Ubuntu’s bio-dynamic garden.)

Cool “forager’s chowder” - NETTLE ice and condimento, WOOD SORREL

A cool essence of nutty nettles - a great beginning to a sunny Friday afternoon in Napa. The ice did not dominate and null the taste buds as is common in dishes of this type; the “chowder” sufficiently blanketed the ice to prevent this.

Tiny D’Avignon Radishes - ‘goat’s leap’ hyku layered with nori, black salt

2X Shucked PEAS and GOLD SHOOTS in consomme of the shells - white chocolate, CHOCOLATE MINT, macadamia

A genuinely Michelin 3-star dish that is balanced, delicate, and sublime. The peas have a remarkable natural sweetness that is enhanced by further hints of sweetness, courtesy of the broth. From there, the salt from the macadamia kicks in before another round of creamy sweetness from the white chocolate. As the white chocolate taste rescinds, along with its slight coating, the chocolate mint has a quick bright burst at the end. This is accomplished, easily one of the best dishes in America, available for a remarkable $12 from the a la carte menu.

Six Degrees of FORONO BEETS - hazelnut “soil”, avocado, WATERCRESS, rhubarb pickle

How many ways can a beet be prepared? In one dish? The “dirt” is a favorite device of irony for chefs creating vegetable-centric dishes but this dish was not an imitation, or parody, of any other. Each bite was filled with similar, yet different and contrasting, flavors and textures of beet. In some bites, the flavors might be a touch muddied but this is a remarkable dish that could be on par with the peas with a bit more tinkering. Its appearance obviously takes nods from El Poblet or Noma, which often remind me of the strange landscapes found in Yves Tanguy paintings.

Carta da musica, Our crisp Sardinian Flatbread - topped with the SPRING GARDEN, truffled pecorino

The garden on a plate. Each bite, of mostly raw vegetables, was a medley of flavors and textures. While the pea dish was the best in composition, this dish showcases the freshness of the garden’s bounty. If one dish could change one’s view on nature and food, this might qualify. Can one can eat all of the weeds and flowers on this plate? The truffled pecorino was surprisingly aromatic and its truffle flavor lingered with each bite of the salad. A stunning dish that should not be missed in Spring.

Rosecoe’s Asparagus, Terrine of Black Trumpets & Brioche - “Virtual Egg” flavored with saffron, SYLVETTA ARUGULA, preserved lemon

“Blood Sausage” Slider - PURPLE VIENNA KOHLRABI stalk frites, violet mustard and CHARD STEM dripping sauce

This was the only mis-step of the meal and it showcases where my ideal of Ubuntu potentially differs from the restaurant’s vision. The previous dishes that celebrated vegetables and their essences are what elevate Ubuntu from “vegetarian restaurant” to a top-tier restaurant in America. Dishes, like this, meant to resemble meat dishes, bring the caliber of the food back down to “vegetarian restaurant.” The original mantra of the restaurant was “a celebration of vegetables, not vegetarianism” but the meat-facsimile dishes make the case for the latter instead of the former.

BORAGE Gnudi in Brown butter with flowering SAGE - preserved SHITAKE, meyer lemon, AGRETTI, and tender SEED PODS

Pane Frattau… An Interpretation of a Sardinian Classic - slow-scrambled egg, three FENNELS, three-day strawberry soffrito

The SPRING FLOWER POT - LAVENDAR custard, bee pollen crumble, rhubarb

The flow from savory to sweet was seamless, with the gorgeous presentation providing an exclamation point to the already easy-on-the-eyes lunch. The lavendar custard was not terribly sweet, which I appreciate, but the bee pollen crumble added sweetness and texture. The rhubard provided some acidity and counter-point to the copious amounts of lavendar greatness. The meal could not have ended on a better note - a perfect integration.

Mini Vegan CARROT cupcakes - “cream cheese” frosting, tiny candied PURPLE HAZE CARROTS

Some critics complain that the restaurant will never warrant multiple stars because it does not serve meat. It seems like an arbitrary distinction as to what constitutes good and great - one can have a three-star meal without, say, seafood (or vegetables for that matter.) There was no reason to serve meat in this meal; it was completely unnecessary in the progression of plates. What I do wish Chef Fox would do is focus more on vegetable dishes and their essence, as opposed to vegetable dishes that resemble meat dishes. There is great potential in a meal of this type where the tastes and textures greatly outnumber a more traditional meat-based tasting menu. This meal, which had such a quality, would rank high in the list of international meals available on that day. The bar has been raised considerably from last year and it will be interesting to see if the momentum continues throughout the remaining seasons.

Spring is the time to go; if you can not go now, my second lunch from a few weeks ago will be posted shortly.

- chuck

1 - Boring in the context of what Chef Fox is capable of creating. There are better pizzas out there; and there is better pasta. What there is not better are vegetable-centric dishes that push our traditional notions of taste and texture.

2 - Yes, the chef knew I was coming for lunch.

Two months removed from Tokyo, this was my first sushi, not pictured, on American soil since the trip.¹ It was comparable to the better sushi in Japan, falling just a notch below Sushiso Masa. The rice seemed warmer than usual², to the point that it sometimes warmed the fish. It is also clear that a full ten person bar might be too much for Hiro to handle, as sushi and dishes come at an uneven pace - six or eight has been a perfect-sized crowd in the past.

The prepared dishes, pictured throughout, were as elegant and delicate as usual. The hairy crab was my favorite, rivaling the tastes from Koju and Ryugin, but every dish was of a higher quality. The shabu shabu course can be a source of (silent) contention when they help cook it, as I generally prefer raw to cooked, so I immediately took the reins on that course. Hiro has also scaled back on the beef portions and dishes - which is unfortunate. The sperm sac risotto, covered by surprisingly aromatic truffles in the photo below, was a little too “creamy”, if you catch my drift.

As I’ve said before, ingredients rotate in and out of the dishes in an advanced choreography of tastes and textures. The crab began the meal in a bright cool salad, returning later cooked. Uni shines in the sashimi course, plays a support role in the middle of the meal, and then gets featured later as sushi. The ingredients come into focus and out; playing primary, secondary, and tertiary flavors throughout the meal. It gives the meal a tight cohesiveness and a sense of narrative - characters or themes running throughout - highlighting the season.

It is one of my favorite restaurants and I recommend everyone try it at least once. The only caveat is that it is very expensive - and he raised prices again - and I, embarrassingly, let out an audible gasp when I got the bill. The pricing is now Masa-like, solidly the second-most expensive restaurant in the US. If one were flexible, one could fly to Japan for cheaper than a dinner at Urasawa with alcohol.

Pictures are below - it has been too long for any detailed notes but KevinEats, Kung Food Panda, and Food Destination had a similar meal so you can peruse their blogs for detailed descriptions and impressions.

- chuck

1 - Seriously, I do not eat sushi often - I would rather let the fish live and re-populate than to denigrate their memory by eating the crap served most everywhere.

2 - This is probably my tenth trip or so to Urasawa.

Komameya (”little bean shop” per Kyoto Foodie) specializes in their own house-made yuba. Like many restaurants in Japan, it is a chain, with three locations throughout Kyoto. Each location offers a la carte or a “kaiseki” (re: tasting) menu. This location (near Karasuma-dori) was casual but it had an under-stated modern elegance - clean geometric lines. The waitress spoke admirable English but your experience may vary. Lunch and dinner are available.

Komameya is by no means a high-end restaurant but, if one ordered carefully, it could induce an epiphany or two. There is something transcendental about a piece of fresh yuba that defies its simplicity. It is an ingredient that should be explored more in Western dishes and/or fusion cuisine, if for nothing else but for its sublime texture. Riffs on the texture were found throughout the meal - each dish highlighting a different aspect. In the “sashimi” course, it was packed tightly to give it a (ever so slight) rubbery quality, similar to the real fish beside it. Its stringy quality, similar to melted cheese, accentuated and amplified the actual cheese in the chicken parmesan course. Yuba donburi, the final course, had a Korean bibim-bop quality where the rice, egg, and yuba hung together in each bite. The dessert, a soy-based machta “pudding” (for lack of a better word), was stunning - its silky texture possibly the greatest of the evening (and one of the best of the trip!)

As good as some courses could be, some were just as bad. The frying was heavy-handed and, while the potential exists for a satisfying contrast, the breading dominated the mouthfeel (and you can see that Exile Kiss’s fried yuba looks much more accomplished.) The non-yuba ingredients were fairly average, even by American standards. The sashimi and duck could have been from anywhere. Because of this, one might have the best luck ordering a la carte, opting for more yuba-based dishes (for example, in the a la carte menu, the “sashimi” course did not include fish.)

Komameya is a little too careless at times to be considered an elite Kyoto restaurant but it is an enjoyable stop with eye-opening possibilities. The texture variations from one dish to the next should satisfy most curiosities. For chefs, the riffs on a single ingredient could provide imaginative spark and ideas. If you are a fan of yuba, or just want an “easy” night out, Komameya should not disappoint; otherwise, try ordering the “sashimi” and a few other dishes for lunch.

- chuck

Both Kasagi-Ya and Kagizen Yoshifusa were featured in Diane Durston’s Old Kyoto: The Updated Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns. They were both identified as shops that preserve tradition while serving high-quality desserts. The book is a great introduction to Kyoto for any non-resident while still preserving the mystery of the city. In an effort to help sales of the book, and future editions, I will not print addresses in this post - the book is worth buying.

Kasagi-Ya

Amid the near-Disneyfied neighborhoods of East Kyoto (they are historically preserved but it’s a strange sight), Kasagi-Ya quietly sits at the base of the stairs to Sonnenzaka, with nary a hint as to what lies inside. It is a time machine with five small tables or so that have been around since 1914 - exuding warmth and hospitality - it’s easy to imagine pilgrims stopping in for a quick warm cup of tea. The modern-day traveler, generally safe from the elements, still needs a break from the hoards of tour groups and souvenir shops in the neighborhood.

The shaved ice with green tea syrup was a near-automatic decision due to the humidity of the late September afternoon. There was no magic imbued in this cup, no matter how authentic the intentions were, but it served its purpose - a cool treat.

The o-hagi (rice and azuki beans), on the other hand, were revelatory - made to order and served warm - their freshness trumped all of the o-hagi eaten to date on the trip.⁴ It is interesting how one with limited experience knows the difference between fresh and even a day or two old. They were on the sweeter side but the texture and its slight chewiness was compelling. Your visit to Kyoto will take you though this neighborhood - mark Kasagi-Ya as a necessary stop to experience Old Kyoto.

Kagizen Yoshifusa

Kagizen Yoshifusa was billed as one of the last remaining o-kashi-ya (Japanese sweet shop) in Kyoto that still produced their own sweets daily, instead of pre-boxed and wrapped. Changes have apparently been afoot. The shop was now bifurcated - a small counter of wagashi in front, amongst old cabinetry and ceramics, and an ultra-chic and modern cafe, reminiscent of any international hotel, in back. There was such a discrepancy between descriptions that I assumed this was a failed mission - directions being what they are (difficult at times) - for this was nothing traditional about the setting in back. But the door pictures matched up and, in Japan, that is often one’s best guide.⁵

The Kuzukiri came with two bowls - one with (fresh made) translucent arrowroot noodles sitting in ice water; the other “brown sweet syrup” (as the English menu called it.) It was the ultimate in minimalism and elegance; hitting a Zen-like high reminiscent of the best sushi of the trip. More amazing, the noodles had little taste but their texture was pitch perfect as they slid down your throat The brown sweet syrup had a complex taste redolent of maple syrup but it was less viscous, made with brown sugar. The subtlety of flavor, from so basic of ingredients, was astounding.

The “soft red-beans jelly” (verbatim from the menu) was molded in a bamboo; one unwrapped it, tapped it out, and sliced it with the pick provided. It could not reach the highs of the kuzukiri but its freshness stood out against the plethora of bean-based sweets eaten to date in Japan. The texture and flavor sung where other desserts were more muted.

While the setting was not the romanticized vision of a traditional tea house, the desserts were of a high caliber. The modern cafe in back, obviously a more recent addition, and costly as that, makes one worry a little less for quality desserts in Kyoto. There is obviously a market for higher quality sweets and Kagizen Yoshifusa is highly recommended for such desires.

- chuck

1 - See Kyoto Travel Guide: Japanese Confections

2 - Kyoto is very interesting when considered in the context of Baudrillard’s simulcra. The city has a number of neighborhoods that have been restored. The effect is surreal at best - the restoration is so successful that the districts could be mistaken for Disney-fied copies of the original. And then there are the merchants - most of whom are selling goods that were likely not made at their shop, or even in the city itself! The entire affair is mediated by an overly commercial, and blatant, tourist industry. It is not unlike going to Las Vegas to see Paris - but it *is* Kyoto - fascinating!

3 - I don’t intend for this to be a value judgement, although it may read that way. The foodie in me wants everything to be tasty first, with authenticity a secondary concern. The tourist in me wants authenticity. And the entrepreneur in me realizes that, without money, and often because of it, the shops and any notion of tradition would cease to exist anyways.

4 - Later that day, the mochi at Hyotei, a single piece served at the end of the meal, was just as amazing.

5 - Again, if you’re not familiar with kanji, there is nothing more useful for finding a Japanese restaurant than a picture of the door.

The standard American or Australian wagyu available in most domestic restaurants offers neither the dry-aged beefiness of a well-aged steak nor the tenderness of the mythical Kobe beef from Japan; instead, it is often an overpriced compromise without much reward. If only given those experiences as reference points, my interest would be little. Fortunately, the US and Japan found a compromise in a beef importing impasse and real high-quality Japanese wagyu can now be found in America.

(Above) - A sirloin getting weighed at O’Shima, this portion for two. It is not as marbled as the A10 beef from Urasawa (below.) That is good - it would not (or should not?) be possible to eat a steak of A10 - far too rich.

My limited experience with Japanese beef has proved seductive. The A10 kobe at Urasawa (LA), sliced thinly and seared for an instant, was a revelation in texture over warm rice. The $100 “kobe” supplement at Masa (NYC)² was entirely different - cut thicker, not as marbeled - it’s flavor redolent of citrus overtones - not unlike the secondary flavors of chocolate or coffee. The beef at the Secret Japanese Beef Place in LA ³ is neither Japanese nor wagyu, but it is raised with Japanese sensibilities - specific diets to control intended flavors - and, while lacking “beefiness”, the combination of texture and taste is quite rewarding. The distinction between the Japanese and other varieties of wagyu most likely boils down to some combination of native breeds, careful and purposeful diets, and fanatical care for the meat - and the results speak for themselves.

The experience of finding O’Shima is similar to A Life Worth Eating’s recount Aragawa, purported to be the world’s most expensive restaurant (serving steak!) O’Shima is located in the basement of an office building, something that is quite common in Tokyo, a function of real estate scarcity and a possible desire for anonymity. After walking into an empty lobby, there is little to suggest a restaurant might be hidden somewhere on the premises. I read the restaurant was in the basement so I pressed down, hoping not to cause an international incident. The elevator door opened into a lively scene - a long bar for 8-10 people, a multitude of chefs behind it, and a back room with a few tables. It was more of a club where Sushiso Masa was a shrine.

The chef and his sous chef spoke great English, not that it would be very hard to point to the marbled steak with one hand, while wiping the drool with the other. The menu was very basic - strip and sirloin - available in 100g or 200g sizes. It is fine dining stripped down to its bare essential - a singular focus on one luxury ingredient.⁴ There are some minor distractions on the menu, like salad, but there is no reason to fool yourself - the beef is the raison d’être.

The crab croquettes were made from live crab, many of which were crawling around on the back counter. Despite the frying being a touch heavy-handed, the crunch yielded to a perfect creamy consistency inside.

The beef carpaccio, overkill in retrospect, had the consistency of soft butter. The Japanese do not generally dry-age their meat as long as others and, without any cooking, this piece lacked any flavor. It was interesting for its textural qualities but its lack of taste created a small amount of worry - would the steak suffer the same fate?

The ordering of the salad was probably reactionary, maybe even an involuntary reflex, when one considers the likelihood of eating a great salad in a steak house. The greens were fine but the mealy tomato was a distasteful reminder to stick to the script.

There are many cliches surrounding kobe beef, none more prevalent than “it melts in your mouth.” This rare piece of sirloin could have been labeled “beef butter” or “beef foie gras” and it would have fulfilled every expectation of such a title. The meat yielded to the bite without any resistance - the weight of your bite would cut through it. Surprisingly, despite its melting quality, the fat was not too rich to be overbearing; it was a perfect proportion of meat to fat for eating an entire steak. While it had a great grilled taste, it lacked the dry-aged beefiness of the best steaks I’ve had. From my understanding, extensive dry-aging of meat with such high fat content leads to the meat turning rancid. They appear to be two mutually exclusive variables - dry-aged taste or melting texture - and they both have their pros and cons. Despite my preferences, this was a remarkable steak that I would absolutely recommend for its textural qualities.

For the price freaks, the steak itself was about $150 US. Expensive but not prohibitive for such an experience.

Rice concluded the meal - a simple and traditional end.

The candied oranges were alternating sweet and bitter, to the extreme, with each bite. He packed over 10 more pieces for the plane ride home the next day. A nice gesture, perhaps conciliatory in nature. Why? Regulars knew to order a bento box at the beginning of their meal - a sandwich made from all of the steak trimmings throughout the meal! And he had run out. Take note if you make plans to eat at O’Shima.

It was a very good meal, although it didn’t reach the heights of previous meals at Koju, Ryugin, or Sushiso Masa. The fish encountered at those restaurants upended even the highest expectations for the ingredient. The beef at O’Shima exceeded my expectations, but my personal, and perhaps cultural, preferences for dry-aged meat prevent me from including O’Shima in the top tier of Tokyo dining experiences. Nonetheless, I would recommend O’Shima as a pillar of any high-end food itinerary for Tokyo - it should be experienced at least once.

- chuck

1 - The only other beef moment was a small but intense piece of beef served by Koju (Tokyo).

2 - There was no report for this particular meal but it came after my sensational meal about a year ago.

3 - The Secret Beef Place has been outed on a number of blogs, including Yelp. The policy, however, is still “customers only” - new customers can only come with an existing customer. This, as it turns out, is not an uncommon practice in Japan.

4 - Not unlike my preferred American destination for sashimi - Sawa.

Ryugin popped on my radar when Chef Michael Cimarusti (Providence, Los Angeles) mailed me a DVD of Yamamoto performing cooking tricks that resembled a hybrid of Homaro Cantu’s (Moto, Chicago) high-tech-ery and Adoni Aduriz’s (Mugartiz, a favorite of mine) more organic approach. Indeed, as I did more research, I learned that Yamamoto and Aduriz were great friends, citing each other as influences and inspiration. The food at Mugaritz has an underlying Asian twist and it is possible to see how the two could find common ground to push each other further.³ A few inquiries found that, while experimental, Ryugin still had the Japanese attention to ingredient quality. The restaurant seemed to be at the forefront of an Eastern response to the largely Spanish molecular gastronomy “movement.”

Ryugin was slotted for the “experimental” dinner during the Japan trip - Aronia de Takazawa just looked too sterile. It would be interesting to see how, if at all, Ryugin would provide insight into Hyotei’s uber-traditional approach or Koju’s ingredient purity. When the chef at Koju mentioned that he & Yamamoto studied together, and maintained a very close relationship, my curiosity was further piqued. The ingredients and precision at Koju were beyond approach; would Ryugin fulfill this promise while at the more experimental side of the spectrum?

Yes, it could, but with quite an unexpected twist. There was none of the hallmark trickery that is generally associated with the restaurant (and still referenced in current magazine mentions.) Here was a man, known as for burdock root wine corks and functional bar codes that could be scanned with cell phones, committing to ingredients and taste. This was one of the best meals of my life. Not only were there no blatant mis-steps, but some of the ingredients and dishes will serve as reference items for the future. The meal had a “warmth”, or familiarity, that was missing from Koju; and I suspect this makes it slightly easier for a novice Western palette, such as mine, to rave about it.

“Ichiban Dashi” soup with puree of matsutake mushroom
A clear soup of (presumably) the classic first soaking of dashi broth (kelp and bonito) with a matsutake puree substituted for dried mushrooms. The flavor was very “clean” while the puree gave it a subdued earthy complexity.

Deep-fried seaweed, stuffed with Uni
Very delicate frying, the uni, from Nagasaki, was “raw warm” (slightly warmed but more or less raw.) The uni was sweeter and brinier than the Hokkaido uni I had been eating on this trip and it would rank atop most, if not all, of the uni I’ve eaten. The textural components of this dish were also fascinating as the batter had the slightest crunch, slightly augmented by the seaweed, and then all gave way to the creamy uni.

Aichi Figs w/ Port-flavored Foie Gras Terrine, served with sesame cream
This goose was fed white corn and figs to sweeten its liver; and those same staples accompanied the foie gras on the plate. The port flavor was slight, just enough to offset the intense creaminess and richness of the foie gras. This was every bit as good as The French Laundry foie (which was my previous favorite.)

Blue Swimming Crab and Shanghai crab (with roe aplenty!) topped with Chrysanthemum Gelee
This reminded me of an Urasawa dish on steroids - absolutely delicious. In a way, it could be interpreted as Japanese decadence - crab and roe. It worked well coming after the foie, its lightness and brightness a reprieve from the much richer foie gras.

Ryugin’s House Special - contrast of two abalone pieces - one steamed for ten hours, the other shabushabu for 10 seconds
The steamed abalone had an excellent texture - yielding but compliant - but this dish couldn’t live up to the sensations of its predecessors. The abalone pairs well with the earthy mushrooms but this course, for me, was an interlude between great pleasures.

Assorted Sashimi “Ryugin Style” - TREMENDOUS!!
Two pieces of each fish were served, one to be eaten with the dot of sauce next to it, the other with soy sauce. I could not follow the directions because the quality of fish was extraordinary. I could not bring myself to sauce it enjoyed it pristine and unadorned.

Red Snapper from Osaka area - The waitress explained the waters around Osaka are *very* turbulent and that the fish caught there are quite strong. She said the meat would not be buttery; but, instead, quite muscular and tough. Muscles taste great - I could taste the ocean with each bite. There was a depth of flavor - strong followed by waves of subtly - that I’ve rarely experienced. It was as if the Osaka currents were unleashed into the mouth. This was the single best bite of fish if my life. This bite alone justified the trip.⁴

Beluga Cavari w/ Squid - The chef has a reputation for amazing knife skills and they were in full display here. The squid unfolded into a ten-inch ribbon with further cuts throughout to soften its texture. Raw squid in Japan bares no resemblance to anything you find in American restaurants - its taste and texture might as well be a different animal.

Hommard bleu from Bretagne - “Kaiseki” in Tokyo can take some liberties, and this addition was certainly odd thematically, but this slightly seared piece of lobster could be served at L’Arpege and fit right in.

The toro, after these fireworks, was the weakest but that is only because relativity can be cruel. On any other plate at any other restaurant, this piece of toro would be regarded as a highlight of a meal - fatty, melting, with nice kick of flavor.

Egg Pudding made with Hamo’s Bone Stock, Flavor of Autumn
The egg pudding, a chawan-mushi of sorts, was also mixed with monkfish liver. It was remarkably smooth and silky but robust thanks to the richness of the ankimo. The dish, with a slight resemblance to a full moon, represented the harvest season.

Char-grilled Natural Large Eel w/ Aroma of Japanese Peppers, monkfish liver
The waitress explained that most eel, even in Japan, is farmed; but that the chef has a special connection for wild eel. The wild eel in Japan, again, bares little resemblance to anything I have eaten in America. The texture has an integrity often missing in America but its taste has the waves of flavor described above in the Osaka red snapper sashimi dish.

Grilled Pigeon
The menu merely read “grilled meat course” and I was slightly disappointed that it was not beef (I had not had beef with only two days to go) but, as the picture shows, the pigeon was grilled textbook perfect. The “japanese mashed potatoes” - soy husks that had been pureed - were surprisingly addictive and comforting. The truffles, while not amazing, gently perfumed the puree.

Chef’s Rice of the Day
The white bowl of steamed rice at the end of kaiseki meals is jarring to me. It just does not seem to fit into a narrative of a meal, no matter how hard I try to link the connections.⁵ Ryugin chose to flavor his rice dish (he actually served two) and that provided a comforting, yet appropriately concluding, dish for the fantastic meal. Several types of rice were used and the grains were distinguishable in the mouth. (I do not remember the flavors of the rice.)

Fresh Compote of Pear and Small Grapes with Plum Wine Soda Gelee
The fruit was very fresh, the plum wine soda crisp, and this palette cleanser definitely popped, but the soda gelee might have been too carbonated for my tastes.

Caramel Ice Cream with “Wasanbon Sugar”, served with grated Milk-Curd
This was a world-class dessert - the wasanbon sugar, native to Japan and very limited, gave the caramel a quite different flavor. The grated milk curd on top, nutty in flavor, was so delicious that I probably would not complain if it was placed atop my toro. This was crazy delicious.

Baked Chestnut Cake, served on Full Moon presentation
Yamamoto is known for the visual flare of his dishes and this one was striking from an artistic point of view. It could not match the natural beauty of Koju’s autumn plate but this dish is probably more emblematic of the chef and his personality. Where traditional kaiseki would opt for muted traditional pottery, this dish vibrated with color and energy.

This was a kaiseki meal in spirit but it obviously took a few liberties - French lobster and pan-Japanese ingredients. Purists might argue with the approach but the meal felt like a modern, not experimental, version of the more traditional Hyotei and Koju. The food is not as austere, yet subtlety and ingredient quality were not sacrificed. Such steps took the edge off of the obtusiveness I felt with the other meals - and made it more accessible to this Western palette.

The restaurant has only received two Michelin stars but this meal was decidedly three-star material; at a price point that is very compelling when compared to European establishments ($250/person before alcohol.) When thinking of the greatest meals on this planet, given my still limited experiences, this would have to rank alongside L’Arpege, Pierre Gagnaire, El Poblet, Michel Bras, and presumably Noma⁶ for the absolute essentials of world-class eating.

For a review of a near-identical meal one day before, read Krugiste’s Ryugin review at her blog. She also brings up a great point that I completely agree with (based on my limited experiences of course) - there are very few mistakes in Japanese dishes. There is a reverence for perfection, every single time, that is lacking in French and Spanish two- and three-star restaurants.

Eat Show and Tell also had a near-identical meal with excellent pictures. Exile Kiss has an excellent review during what looks like the transition period from experimental to contemporary.

I suspect that Ryugin will begin appearing on “best restaurants in the world” lists next year. Noma seems to have captured the hearts and minds of food writers this year, but I think Ryugin will become a media darling soon enough.

- chuck

1 - I use the word “possibly” because I don’t know the techniques behind the food I ate. Regardless of the techniques, the chef assuredly draws from his historical experiments for inspiration and ideas.

2- This is a quote from the waitress, who also heads up international PR (and speaks perfect English.)

3 - This is, of course, speculation on my part.

4 - I say this with only a bit of hyperbole.

5 - And I say this knowing that half of the world enjoys nothing more than a simple bowl of white steamed rice.

6 - I have not eaten at Noma proper but I did try Rene Redzepi’s food at Manresa.

As the number of choices in the US dwindle due to inconsistent or inadequate quality;¹ I was very curious, and skeptical, if sushi (and raw fish in general) was “that much better” in Japan. The fish is not necessarily fresher since many high-end places air ship it from Japan; what does it matter if the fish is sitting in a restaurant waiting for dinner, or on a plane? Since business connections are made over many years in Japan, was it possible that native practitioners had access to higher quality ingredients? And what of the sushi itself - could its art form be more elevated from the highest expressions on American soil? Time was at a premium, and there were many non-sushi places to try, but I ear-marked Sushiso Masa as “the place” based on a friend’s (offline) report.

This was the third sushi meal, the last in a survey of Tokyo sushi at different price points. Kyubei, one Michelin star, was a surprising value for lunch ($75 US/person) but the quality was no better than Sushi Yasuda. Dinner is more serious and others have reviewed it to high praise. A lunch spot, the name I forgot, in Ginza was another surprise value for $25 US/person - nothing was extraordinary - but everything was of high quality. My expectations for Sushiso Masa grew since it promised to compete on a higher level.

The ingredient quality defied description, particularly for American taste buds. Piece after piece changed my conception - taste and texture - of the fish being served. There are complexities and arcs in the taste that are rarely found in the US. Ingredients like wild eel and octopus bore faint resemblance to their namesakes, a feat repeated the next day at RyuGin. The effect is not unlike eating at Chez Panisse for the first time, where one’s eyes are opened to the true possibilities of the ingredients. This was but one meal and one wonders what revelations other seasons might produce when the fish change waters.

The meticulousness of the sushi was on par with a Masa (NYC) or Urasawa, but more consistent throughout the meal. The rice was warm, seasoned, where each grain could be distinguished in the mouth. One might say it was risotto-like once bitten into. As good as the fish was, the rice stood up and complemented the fish, the two symbiotic. Thirty-five pieces were passed, many of them white fish, but their taste and texture never repeated.

But the stars of the night may not have been raw - the grill was turning meat into gold. Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain) gets international accolades for his grill skills, but, while very good, most of his dishes come off very smoky. Sushiso Masa’s grill man took a more deft approach: the fat in between the charred skin and “cooked raw” meat of a swordfish gave way like melted butter, a pike conger eel had hints of sublime smokiness; and a shrimp shell had the redolent taste of a faint char.

The pictures throughout this post are in completely random order.

While I rarely discuss price on this blog, this meal was cheaper than eating at top-tier places in the US; and the quality was an order of magnitude better. It was nirvana. The memory of the sushi beckons me.

Michelin lists a handful of sushi restaurants - Mizutani (3-star), Sawada and Kanesaka - and while Sushiso Masa is not listed, there is no question it would at least fall into the 2-star level, based on the pictures I’ve seen (and, of course, the meal I ate.) I would give it three without hesitation. There are probably dozens of sushi bars reminiscent of Sushiso Masa in Tokyo, hiding in plain view, catering to the highest levels of taste and perfection. Seek them out.²

Phone: 03-3499-9178 (note: you must speak Japanese)

- chuck

1 - After eating at Sushiso Masa, it’s hard to validate eating sushi in the US - I would rather forgo sushi and let the fish procreate. However, if I’m in the mood and in the right area, I would eat at these places: Sawa, Urasawa, Kuruma, and Masa. Sushi Yasuda is also recommended but it can be maddeningly inconsistent. There are probably a few more places throughout the country that are worthwhile, but certainly just a few.

2 - Here are a few reviews I have found:

• Kanesaka at Josephmallozzi’s Weblog
• Sawada at Krugiste’s Picasa page (mouth-watering pictures!)
• Sushi Mizutani at Exile Kiss, Zoces Globetrotting, and Peter’s World Tour 2008.
  
  
  ]]> http://www.chuckeats.com/2009/02/11/sushiso-masa-nishiazabu-tokyo-nirvana/feed/ http://www.chuckeats.com/2009/02/11/sushiso-masa-nishiazabu-tokyo-nirvana/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/chuckeats/~3/SR6M2haBprY/ http://www.chuckeats.com/2009/01/27/hyotei-kyoto-japan-regal-kaiseki/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:11:10 +0000 chuckeats http://www.chuckeats.com/?p=271 For many Westerners, the kaiseki meal retains a mythical, and impossible, romanticism - an unwavering reverence for tradition, to-the-day ingredient selection, choreographed service, and a physical proximity with nature ¹ - where every piece fits into a symbolic whole. The dearth of English reviews or literature further compounds the legend.² Hyotei and Kikunoi appear most frequently in the readily accessible Kyoto guides, seemingly straddling two sides of Kyoto cuisine - the traditional and modern³, respectively. There was only time for one supreme kaiseki meal - Exile Kiss’s excellent review⁴ of Hyotei persuaded me to try it over Luxeat’s uncertain experience at Kikunoi.

  

  The location could be nowhere but Kyoto. Busloads of tourists, temples, hustle, and bustle surround the area but Hyotei is located on a quiet dark street. It has stood there for over three hundred years. Our servers for the evening stood outside waiting, beacons of gustatory delight, reinforcing the restaurant’s reputation for hospitality and welcoming. After entering, you are led down a stone pathway, ducking trees and bushes, amid a Japanese garden. A ninja could jump out at any given moment.⁵ The tatami room, your ultimate destination, sits on a small creek, where a panel can be opened to reveal the garden. (Exile Kiss’s Hyotei review has day-time photos of the same room and the tranquil setting outside.)

  

  The service at Hyotei is antithetical to our Western norms. Both of our servers were dressed in kimonos and shuffled in restricted, but poetic, movements. When the (assistant, for lack of a better word) server brought in the first dish, it was placed on the floor in front of us. She was followed by the head server (again, for lack of a better word) who then led an extended kowtowing session. It was not entirely unexpected (since I read Exile Kiss’s review) but it still left one feeling honored and humbled.

  The introductory plate of sea bream, soybeans, and ikura featured clean and crisp flavors. The sea bream was of very high quality, equivalent to the sashimi found at Sawa, but it did lack the pulses of flavor found at Ryu-gin later. The ikura was exceptionally clean tasting. Both provided a clarity that mimicked the cool fall evening.

  
  

  The egg cake with fried tofu symbolized the Rabbit in the Moon - harvest season. This dish encapsulated the kaiseki aesthetic in most obvious terms - food symbolic of a season. The bowl was vibrant and tantalizing - the colors themselves almost plangent - a jolt to life near the beginning of the meal. The pictures do no justice. The cake was silky and quite smooth.

  
  

  The third course featured egg, sushi, dust-covered fish, and matsutake. The egg, defying the aesthetic that no part should outshine another, was extraordinary. Its yolk was a much deeper orange than the picture suggests, just barely cooked inside, and richer than the best eggs at Mugartiz. It was a stunning piece of cooking, presumably without the help of modern day technology.

  
  

  The fried hamo was somewhat greasy and over-battered to my liking. If you compare this course to the abalone I had at Koju, and yes, the Japanese frown on such comparisons, there’s a clear divide.

  

  The steamed daikon with jelly was not made for me. I dislike the texture and taste of daikon, and the jelly covering was too mucilaginous for my preferences. This dish probably most exhibited the cultural divide between my tastes and traditional Japanese cooking.

  
  

  The grilled ayu course would preserve the Buddhist notion that a meal should not be gluttonous. The fish was bursting with its roe, a fall treat, and perhaps another reference to the moon. The fish reflected shades of gold and brown brilliantly against the plate. It was a striking dish in terms of color and artistic composition.

  

  The grape and fig, covered with jelly, fulfilled the to-the-day legend of a kaiseki meal. The peeled grapes were intensely sweet, bursting with an intensity that I’ve never tasted from such a large grape. No fan of figs, this one too was bursting with intense flavor and sweetness - excellent.

  

  The sole, tiny mochi anchored the meal with one of its best bites. Hyotei offers a “sweets” service at the end of the meal for an additional cost and, based on the quality of this fresh piece of mochi, it was a mistake not ordering it in advance. A lot of mochi was consumed in Kyoto and, while many were quite good, this piece was clearly the benchmark.

  

  Matcha always concludes the kaiseki meal.
  

  Where I found Koju minimalist and somewhat obtuse, Hyotei was just foreign to my sensibilities. There were stand-out bites but I feel much of the experience was lost on me. I left feeling disappointed in my limited understanding of the affair - culture, language, and history. The Tokyo kaiseki meals, Koju and Ryu-gin (coming soon), were far more accessible while using higher ingredient quality. If nothing else, those meals provide an entry point to the more traditional restaurants of Kyoto.

  This was an educational opportunity and I never expected to grasp all of it. The Exile Kiss meal, from spring, looks more satisfying in both execution and conception. And when compared to the meals at Yagenbori and Takasebune, Hyotei clearly possesses a majesty not found in those meals. I would repeat Hyotei after surveying other kaiseki restaurants and learning more about the form. If the restaurant is not accepted on its own terms, and boxed into Western traditions, it will leave one, ultimately, unsatisfied. Instead, I am left more and more curious.

  - chuck

  1 - Most kaiseki meals are served in tatami rooms that open up to private gardens. North of Kyoto in the village of Kibune, some restaurants have tables built over river streams. See Diane Durston’s Old Kyoto: A Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns for Kibune recommendations.

  2 - Jonathan Hayes has written a great, but by no means comprehensive, article to Exquisite Dining in Kyoto (which includes a section on Hyotei.)

  3 - Modern interpretations of the classics, not molecular gastronomy techniques. I have since bought the beautiful Kikunoi cookbook and its pictures alone could tempt anyone to try a meal there. I have also found these reviews of Kikunoi:
  http://imtokyo.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/kaiseki-restaurant-kikunoi/
  http://mattandviv.blogspot.com/2008/07/day-30-dinner-at-kikunoi-saturday-july.html

  4 - I have since found these other reviews for Hyotei - I would highly suggest reading them, in addition to my review, before making a decision on dining at Hyotei:
  http://kyotorestaurants.blogspot.com/2008/03/hyotei.html
  http://epicureandebauchery.blogspot.com/2005/05/hyotei-spirit-of-kaiseki-dining-part-i.html
  http://epicureandebauchery.blogspot.com/2005/05/hyotei-spirit-of-kaiseki-dining-part.html
  http://theunvanquished.blogspot.com/2005/11/hyotei.html

  5 - My childhood consisted of a steady diet of The Hand, Wolverine, Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes, and too many hours playing Shinobi.

  

  
  ]]> http://www.chuckeats.com/2009/01/27/hyotei-kyoto-japan-regal-kaiseki/feed/ http://www.chuckeats.com/2009/01/27/hyotei-kyoto-japan-regal-kaiseki/