This Japanese restaurant is located in The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, just adjacent to Sushi Shikon. Led by Chef Masaru Furukawa, it has been awarded Michelin one-star status in 2023. The word ‘kappo’ means ‘cut and cook’, highlighting this style of Japanese cuisine with the chef cooking in front of customers and interact.
Dinner service has two periods, one starting at 6pm and the other 8:30pm. We had reserved the earlier slot and were seated at the end of the beautiful hinoki counter, which could accommodate 8 customers. The décor was nice, having an elegant and traditional ambience as if one was in Japan.
The Dinner Menu cost $2,500 each and I also ordered a bottle of sake: 東洋美人 純米大吟醸 プリンセスミチコ ($1,700). The yeast used in this sake came from a rose variety known as ‘Princess Michiko’, which was presented from England when the current Empress was the crown princess. It had an elegant nose with a nice sweetness, good pairing with the food on the night.
The first course already drew a gasp of wonder when it was presented. On a fresh green lotus leaf was an orange lantern flower, or Alkekengi. Opening inside was a piece of nicely grilled Eel, with crispy skin and great umami flavours of the unagi sauce, and with a bit of wasabi and sancho leaves to add a hint of spicy notes. Underneath was some shredded Cucumber with a crunchy texture to contrast, and also helped to freshen the palate. A wonderful appetizer.
The second course featured Straw Smoked Bonito, with the chef marinated the skipjack tuna in soy sauce briefly, giving it an extra layer of savoury flavour, which also brought forward the umami taste, in addition to the fragrant straw smoky note. Everything was so balanced and harmonized. Instead of having wasabi, it was paired with seaweed paste which got radish mixed in. Truly delicious sashimi.
The third course showcased how the chef paid attention to all details. While the chef prepared the dashi in front of us, the sous chef poured hot water to heat up the serving bowl. When everything was ready, the Hairy Crab Dumpling was taken out from the steamer to the bowl, together with Abalone and Green Yuzu. Pouring the dashi in and then covered with lid, the sous chef sprayed some clean water on the bowl, as a tradition to show that the bowl had not been opened or tampered. The hot clear soup was amazing in taste, with the crab meat dumpling sweet and delicate. The abalone offered a good bite, but I did not think it was truly necessary to add that given the dish was so good already. Amazing soup.
Originally in the menu the fourth course featured Taichio, but since there were some incredible Kinmedai available the chef decided to use them instead. He also perfectly grilled the Matsutake Mushroom on hibachi, cooking through but not drying. These prized matsutake was called ‘early matsu’ as they were harvested before the normal season. Paired with Sudachi Lime to give some refreshing acidity, the radish and yam paste together with yuzu shavings helped to complement the flavours. A wonderful grilled dish.
The fifth course was Seasonal Sushi. The chef toasted the nori sheet on hibachi to make them crisp, and then put the shari, abundance of minced maguro with takuan, and Bafun-uni in to make the sushi. The rich and fantastic flavours from the fish oil of the tuna, the umami taste of the sea urchin, the creamy and soft texture of both contrasting with the crunchy bite of takuan, all wrapping up in the crisp nori, created a symphony of taste and texture. I had to resist the temptation to immediately ask for an encore of this sushi.
The sixth course showcased the tempura technique, with the chef cutting the Swordtip Squid in thin strips and put inside the bowl, on top was deep-fried Aoyagi Clam in a seaweed batter, with also Ginger and Okra. The batter was very thin and virtually non-existent. Mixing everything together was a feast, allowing us to enjoy different texture and flavours at the same time. Very good fried dish.
The seventh course again brought a wow to all of us, a cocktail glass with a bubble containing white fumes inside. Using the spoon to poke the bubble, the tomato water got Sea Urchin, Whelk, Mozuku Sea Moss, Water Shield, Spaghetti Squash, and Japanese Cantaloupe Melon. Refreshing and serving as a palate cleanser, the different ingredients offered contrasts in texture to make this dish interesting, with the delicate taste harmonized and not over-shadowing each other in flavours. Thoughtful and a creative refreshment deviating from traditional Japanese cuisine.
The eighth course featured Matsusaka Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki, with Onion and Crown Daisy. The beef was flavourful and great in taste, and again the attention in steaming the plate beforehand to keep it warm on serving, the half-poached egg with runny yolk to add to the sukiyaki sauce, and the careful timing of blanching the crown daisy to avoid over-cooking the delicate vegetable, were all meticulous. I also liked the onion which added a sweetness to the dish. Very delicious seasonal course.
The ninth course was kamameshi, with the rice cooked in clay pot, then added a large amount of spring onion, and then grilled Tile Fish on top. Together with Pickles and Miso Soup, the rice was really fantastic, not too soft nor too hard, fragrant with the spring onion, and the seasoning of tile fish was also spot on. Both of us ended up having three servings as it was so good. While the other diners might feel we were too hungry, we were not shy to ask for more of this really delicious rice.
I was puzzled earlier when seeing the ice shaving equipment at the counter, but then the chef brought out a slab of natural ice and then laboriously turning the wheel to shave off the ice, making our tenth course of Summer Limited Shaved Ice. The texture was very powdery, ethereal, and dissolving in the mouth in no time which reminded me of soft snow. There were layers of red beans, matcha, milk, sake foam and a sour plum to add colours and flavours to the shaved ice. It totally revolutionized my perception of this type of dessert. Must try if you got the chance!
The eleventh and last course was Amazake with Grilled Mochi. The amazake was a traditional sweet low-alcohol beverage made from fermented rice. Serving it hot, with a piece of grilled mochi having chewy bite, this in my opinion was a much better dessert than the typical slice of melon, grapes or strawberries. The effort and how the chef was able to balance the earlier shaved ice using this wagashi to warm our stomach was thoughtful.
Service was very good, with the staff
friendly and attentive, able to introduce the cuisine to us in details. The bill
on the night was $7,370 and while it was not cheap, I would certainly like to
come back again, especially knowing that the chef would regularly change
the menu to match with the season and highlight the best ingredients at the
time.
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