Numata. Kitashinchi. Osaka. One of Japan's top tempura restaurants.Chef Kazuya Numata, born in Kumamoto in 1985, is a self-taught culinary genius. In 2014, he opened "Tensei" (now renamed Tempura Nuu Nuu) and "Numata," with plans for two new branches in 2024: "Numata Sōsai Tenmatsu" and "Numata Sō Shanghai." He operates multiple tempura restaurants and personally works in the kitchen at the Kitashinchi location. (Michelin two stars, Tabelog score 4.39.)I had been wanting to try Chef Numata's dishes for a long time, and I finally made it here. The tempura here is focused on maximizing the appeal of the ingredients. They select only the finest ingredients, primarily fresh seafood from Kumamoto and Amakusa, as well as seasonal vegetables. Using a light and delicate batter made with high-quality oil (Taihaku sesame oil), they fry the tempura to a crisp perfection, creating a feather-light texture.The dishes are seasoned simply, allowing for a deep and rich flavor that is truly captivating. The vegetable tempura is particularly renowned, with fava beans (which retain moisture) and chili peppers (I’m not a fan of the typical Manganji peppers, but here they are perfectly integrated, with a great balance of texture and moisture), and eggplants that transform into something surprisingly delicious. The sakura shrimp tempura salad, mixed with various vegetables and herbs, offers an exceptional taste.The seafood is also outstanding. The fried fish bone crackers are impressively delicious, and the young sweetfish are cooked to perfection. The natural Kue from Amakusa is the king of the sea, selected for its excellent fat content. Frying it locks in the umami, bringing out the fish's flavor to the fullest. The quality was overwhelming.The zucchini shrimp wrap is an exquisite dish! The final three-tiered TKG (Tamago Kake Gohan) and tempura rice balls are must-try recommendations. The dessert, a watermelon sorbet with GODIVA chocolate and gin, feels like an adult cocktail. Even though it was lunch, the course was so well-crafted that it was incredibly enjoyable!As expected from a top-tier, renowned tempura restaurant, Chef Numata quietly yet intensely fries the tempura with a masterful technique that embodies the art of subtraction. Occasionally, he shares a gentle smile with the guests, radiating warmth as a craftsman. The flavors are light yet profound. This is the essence of true tempura, a crystallization of Japanese culinary culture that Chef Numata continues to uphold and evolve. The service from his apprentices and staff was also exceptional. It was a great meal.Lunch Menu:1. Hida Takayama Snap Pea Porridge2. Hokkaido Kitakuri Clam, Molokhia, New Ginger3. Natural Sweet Shrimp from Amakusa (head)4. Natural Sweet Shrimp from Amakusa (body, fully cooked, rare)5. Hokkaido Yoichi Fresh Fava Beans6. Fava Bean Pods7. Kiss (aged for 3 days), Kiss Bone Crackers8. Yamashina Chili Peppers, Bonito Flakes9. Young Sweetfish from Tenryugawa10. Corn (yellow from Shizuoka, white from Kyoto)11. Sakura Shrimp Tempura Salad (from Susue Maeda, Suruga Bay, Shizuoka) with red shiso, red mustard greens, green mustard greens, and Kujo green onion sprouts, sprayed with kombu vinegar12. Aori Squid13. Osaka Torikai's Phantom Eggplant14. Natural Kue from Amakusa15. Nagaimo Somen16. Zucchini Shrimp Wrap17. Ehime White Sweetfish, White Rice (Momotaro from Okayama, duck farming method), simmered vegetables, red miso soup18. Red Moon (Shizuoka, aged 18 months)19. TKG / Meringue / Small Shrimp20. Tempura Rice Balls21. Kumamoto Watermelon Sorbet, Chocolate, Monkey Gin (premium gin from Germany)
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