This is our fourth visit in the last five months, and by now we can be recognized by Chef Kin and his team upon arriving. The trick of making reservation, apart from frequently checking on their booking site, is to put yourself on the waiting list so whenever there are cancellations, the restaurant can notify you to see whether you are interested to fill in the spot.
Seated in front of Chef Kin to enjoy the best interactions, I ask him to arrange the sake, and he recommends 月山 大吟醸 月の雫 ($395), the flagship sake from 吉田酒造 in Shimane. Delicate in taste and very good indeed to pair with the food.
The first course is Mozuku 水雲 with Kaki 牡蠣. The Oyster has been marinated with kombu for a while, with a clean taste, not too briny. The Salty Sea Moss comes from Hyogo and the chef has added a bit of mashed mountain yam and wasabi. An appetizing starter.
The second course is Kawahagi 本皮剥. The seasonal Thread-Sail Filefish has been mixed with a paste prepared from the liver of the fish, with an abundance of chopped menegi on top. Very rich in flavours and delicious.
The third course is a mix of two sashimi. One is Madai 真鯛 and the chef has paired with the traditional lighter irizake sauce as seasoning in order not to mask the delicate taste of Japanese Sea Bream, which has been aged for two days before marinated in kombu for another day to give a chewier texture. The other is Tsubugai 粒貝 from Hokkaido, with a bit of sea salt to highlight the natural sweetness of Whelk. Both are fantastic.
Seeing how we enjoy the Tsubugai, the chef then cut out the ‘head’ for us as a treat. It has an even more crunchy texture than the body and wonderful in mouthfeel. I hope the other customers will not envy us too much for this special privilege.
The fourth course is Tako 章魚. The large tentacles of Octopus have been beautifully braised, very soft and tender on the bite, with the flavours of the sauce fully seeped into the flesh. I also like the chef giving us a piece of the tip of the tentacle which has a slightly different texture.
Quickly finishing the first sake serving, the next pairing is Ohmine 3grain 生詰 ひやおろし 山田錦 ($220) from the popular 大嶺酒造 in Yamaguchi. This seasonal ‘Autumn Sake’ has stronger fruity characters of melon and sweetness, and I found matching very well with the sushi coming up.
The fifth course is Buri 鰤 Sushi. This piece is made from the belly of Mature Japanese Yellowtail, with a soft and flavourful taste. The feature of this fish also signifies the approach of the winter season.
The sixth course is Sayori 針魚 Sushi. The transparent flesh of Japanese Halfbeak is appealing, with a delicate taste and the touch of a bit of soy sauce helps to elevate the flavours to another level.
The seventh course is Katsuo 鰹. Chef Kin skewers the Skipjack Tuna to grill the skin briefly, and then add the hay to smoke the fish, to infuse the flesh with great aromas. Slicing two pieces and then sprinkle with some salt and a bit of chopped menegi, the rich umami flavours are memorable.
The eighth course is Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸, with the Steamed Egg Custard featuring Shako 蝦蛄, or Mantis Shrimp, with its sweet taste highly complementary with the nice umami note of the dashi used to mix into the egg custard.
Then comes one of my all-time favourites, Sanma 秋刀 Sushi. Removing the skin from the Pacific Saury and then cutting in the special way to serve, the rich and wonderful taste really create an urge to immediately ask for another encore.
Coming to the third sake serving, this time Chef Kin recommends 榮光富士 熟成藏隱し 純米大吟釀 無濾過生詰原酒 ($220). This is another ‘Autumn Sake’ with a richer fruit and nice rice characters which go very well with the heavier dishes coming up.
Before serving the tenth course, Chef Kin shows us the bowl of the Kobako-Gani 香箱蟹, with the body meat, leg meat, crab yolk and crab roes picked out meticulously, and then mixing them together to knead into sushi. Great in taste and my first time seeing the Female Snow Crab serving as sushi, with wonderful effect.
The eleventh course is Matsutake 松茸. Using rice crisps to coat the rare and expensive matsutake mushroom before deep-frying, the mushroom has its unique woody and earthy flavours, and the crumbs giving a crispy bite. A seasonal delicacy.
We have asked for more additional Pickles, as the Burdock Root and Nagaimo are very nicely marinated, with the marinade great in the balance of flavours. I have to restrain myself as I can continue to eat these non-stop throughout the night.
The twelfth course is Chu-Toro 中とろ Sushi. The Tuna comes from Oma, the famous fishing town in Aomori, and the chef has marinated the Medium Fatty Tuna briefly in soy sauce, enhancing the umami taste, and together with the fish oil seeping from the flesh is a fantastic piece of sushi.
The thirteenth course is O-Toro 大とろ Sushi. The Fatty Tuna Belly is very soft in texture, without any tendon, and full with the wonderfully rich tastes of fish oil, bursting with flavours on the bite. My wife, who generally does not like fatty sushi, also gives this piece a high mark.
The fourteen course is Shirako 白子. The chef has grilled the Cod Milt before serving with a bit of shari and season with some wasabi. Mixing them up, it is very delicious. It is a pity to see a number of the customers on the night are foregoing this one.
The fifteenth course is Akamutsu 赤鯥, served in a white miso mixed with mashed burdock. The Rosy Seabass has been grilled, browning the surface but keeping the flesh moist and tender. The excess fish oil has also been dripped off, leaving a cleaner texture. The white miso broth is also good and I finish every drop at the end.
The sixteenth course is Kuruma-Ebi 車海老. After poaching the Japanese Tiger Prawn, the chef removes the shell immediately, amazing to see how he can withstand the heat. The sweet taste of the prawn meat, with its nice bite, is another candidate for a repeat afterwards.
The seventeenth course is Shiro-Uni 白海栗. Chef Kin makes a gunkan maki to prepare the lighter-coloured White Sea Urchin, which has just arrived on the day. The clean taste with delicate sweetness is very delicious, well-liked by all the customers.
The eighteenth course is the signature of Chef Kin, the Puff stuffed with Ankimo 鮟肝. The puff has been warmed on the hibachi before stuffing with a puree made from Monkfish Liver. Its rich flavours are always irresistible and no matter how many times I have tried, it remains a top pick.
The nineteenth course is Anago 穴子. The Conger Eel has impeccable texture, truly melting in the mouth, with the special sauce brushed on the surface bringing forth a nice sweetness.
Already very full, but we cannot help to order an additional Sanma ($120) each. At the same time, the chef’s assistant toasts the Tamago 玉子 on the hibachi to warm it. Cutting two pieces to serve, the Egg Omelette has a spongy texture with nice umami taste coming from the shrimp mixed with the egg.
The Red Miso Soup helps to warm our stomach after a great meal. And for dessert, it is Brown Sugar Pudding, with the silky pudding having a layer of brown sugar on top of appropriate sweetness, completing our wonderful meal on the night.
Service, as always, is impeccable. While Chef Kin is busy serving all the customers, he can continue to maintain nice interactions with all of us. The total bill is $6,075 and for us, every single visit is another wonderful memory, and that’s why this is our fourth visit in last five months.
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