In the 12-seater restaurant, warm neutral tones flood the space with walnut wood and fluted granite accents. That is where Chef Kenta Yamauchi – formerly of Michelin-starred Gion Fukushi in Kyoto – set the stage for a deft showcase of Kyoto-style Japanese cuisine tastefully balanced with contemporary touches. Deemed as a classically-trained chef under the wings of Master Chef Fukushi Takuyoshi at the esteemed Tankuma Kitamise in Kyoto, Yamauchi’s foundation is unshakable.
Together with sushi specialist Hirohito Tanaka – formerly of Michelin-starred Sushi Ginza Onodera in New York – things are kept simple and elegant without excessive theatrics. Yamauchi also takes every effort to source the finest – and more often than not, rare – ingredients flown in exclusively from Japan and nowhere else. Some of these include a Shiro miso from a heritage Kyoto maker that is notoriously picky about supplying to only a handful of select restaurants in Japan.
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