With a background in Italian cuisine, Daiki Ogawa decided not to restrict himself to any one genre when thinking about the characteristics of Japanese ingredients. Instead, he applies Japanese and Western seasonings and methods to create a unique culinary style. A harmonious pairing of charcoal-grilled unagi with wagyu cheek meat simmered in red wine is representative of his approach. The baked risotto prepared in rich seafood soup takes inspiration from bouillabaisse.

The omakase menu starts with artfully crafted snacks. Shuko such as steamed awabi, stewed octopus, sweet shrimp with uni highlight the owner-chef’s kappo background., The nigiri toppings are similarly painstakingly prepared. Squid is scored to tease out the sweetness; prawns are soaked in dashi to enhance the flavour. Nigiri of toppings and vinegared rice accented by akazu is formed in smaller portions so that each piece is well-balanced.

Koji Kimura is the third-generation owner-chef of Yunagibashi Tak

oyasu and heir to its traditional flavours. He learned in Shimonoseki how to recognize high-quality fugu and inherited from his father the family’s culinary traditions. From the beginning, Yunagibashi Takoyasu accepts only wild fugu weighing 6 kg or more, as these are the most flavoursome. The menu features thick-cut sashimi, chiri nabe flavoured with shirako, and umami-rich zosui.

Different states of the same ingredient are used in the tempura: those at their first-harvest, in-season and last-harvest. The speciality, deep-fried goma-dofu with raw uni, was inspired by a kaiseki appetiser. In autumn, hamo is in a last-harvest state, accompanied by first-harvest matsutake. Sweet potatoes in grated chestnut, reminiscent of kurikinton, showcase the chef’s creativity. Ingredients are only lightly battered and are fried in safflower oil for a light texture.

Kitashinchi Fukutatei is renowned for its furnace-grilled steaks. Hiroshi Ukai insists on using meat from heifers that have not borne a calf because the meat is delicate, and the fat has a low melting point. Bincho charcoal produces a strong heat that chars the surface, sealing in umami. The resulting beef is fragrant on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. The steak sandwich, chateaubriand between two slices of toast, is a perennial favourite.