アルマジ ロ0521

Course (All You Can Drink)Total: JPY 14,000Located a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station and a 7-minute walk from Gion Shijo Station, this Japanese restaurant was the venue for a private reservation I attended.The menu and prices are listed on a blackboard, but the offerings are primarily in a course format.Starting with "Eggplant with Sesame Vinegar," the meal consisted of 14 small dishes plus 2 desserts. Each dish was simple yet highlighted the ingredients beautifully, and everything was delicious.Before the desserts, we enjoyed homemade "Zaru Udon" with a strong and supple texture. The previous dish, "Genovese Cold Soba," was fantastic, but this was equally delightful.The alcohol included 6 drinks, all for a total of JPY 14,000. I was once again impressed by the incredible value.It was a great meal.Course Menu:◯ Eggplant with Sesame Vinegar ◯ Sea Cucumber in Vinegar ◯ Simmered Octopus ◯ Sardines with Sansho Oil ◯ Horse Mackerel with New Onion ◯ Seared Bonito with Salt ◯ Bonito Namero Roll ◯ Steamed Chawanmushi with White Clam ◯ Karasumi Mochi ◯ Corn Spring Rolls ◯ Fried Chicken Wings ◯ Sesame Tofu with Bekkou Sauce ◯ Hamo Sushi ◯ Zaru Udon ◯ Melon Gelato ◯ Brown Sugar and Hojicha Gelato Less

Course: JPY 44,000Additional rice dishes x2Numerous alcoholic beveragesTotal: JPY 95,070This tempura restaurant is a 10-minute taxi ride from Shizuoka Station. I made a reservation during my last visit and returned to enjoy another meal.● New Onion and Fennel SoupThe sweetness of the onion blends beautifully with the subtle bitterness of the fennel. The smooth and clear umami flavor is irresistible.● Hata (Grouper)With each bite, a strong umami flavor bursts forth.● Tiger Pufferfish and Ise LobsterThis dish is cooked slowly at low temperature and then grilled over charcoal. While the sweetness isn’t overwhelming, it is rich and flavorful. The unique taste and texture are unlike anything I’ve experienced before.Now, let’s start the tempura.◯ Koshiabura (Japanese wild vegetables)A hint of sweetness with a moderate bitterness.◯ Mebaru (Rockfish)Freshly fried tempura is served in a generous amount of grated daikon and dipping sauce. The flesh is plump and juicy.◯ Broad Beans◯ Round EggplantThe meat is firm, and the flavor is robust.◯ Aori Ika (Bigfin Reef Squid)Rare in the center with a moist texture. It has a smooth, almost mochi-like mouthfeel.◯ Kasago (Rockfish)Fluffy and rich in flavor.◯ Kogomi (Fiddlehead Fern)◯ Tara no Me (Sprout of Cod)The batter is extremely thin. It has a pleasant bitterness and a rich taste that is delicious.◯ Amadai (Sweetfish)Crispy scales. The flesh is fluffy and juicy.◯ Baby Corn● SaladA delicious salad filled with fresh local vegetables.◯ Shiro Amadai (White Sweetfish)A new creation topped with yuzu, vinegar, and daikon foam?◯ New OnionI was moved by the clear sweetness and melting texture. It was even more delicious than usual.◯ Okose (Scad)◯ Make Queen (Potato)Tempura coated with buffalo butter and sprinkled with salt. The flesh is firm and doesn’t fall apart, with a sticky texture. The aroma and flavor of the potato burst forth when it enters your mouth.◯ Ume (Sea Eel)The sea eel, coated with wasabi, is enjoyed with rice. This dish stands out for its rich umami flavor rather than its fat content.● Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl)The kakiage (mixed tempura) looks as if it’s fully immersed in sauce. The sauce is neither too sweet nor too salty. Yet, it is delicious.● Tenbara (Tempura Rice)A dish topped with shrimp and vegetable tempura over rice sprinkled with sesame and salt.● Tencha (Tempura Rice with Broth)A dish with kakiage served over dashi tea. The dashi is delicious, and I always regret not ordering all the rice dishes.● Dried Horse MackerelNext, we moved to the tea room. In a tranquil space, we enjoyed tea and dessert.● Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea)● Dried Persimmon Ice CreamThe wooden single-story building is located next to Asama Shrine. While it exudes a traditional Japanese atmosphere, the interior is modern and stylish. The moment I was guided to the counter, I was captivated by the charming space.The ingredients are truly exceptional. Sasue Maeda Fish Shop supplies the highest quality ingredients to Naruse.I’m not sure where the vegetables are sourced from, but they are unlike anything I’ve eaten before. I am continually impressed by the skill that maximizes the potential of these ultimate ingredients.This is a place I want to keep coming back to for a lifetime.It was a great meal. Less

Course: JPY 15,000 (tax included)Alcohol: 4 drinksTotal: JPY 18,500This yakitori restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Yotsuya Sanchome Station. I was invited by a regular customer for my first visit. Photography inside the restaurant is prohibited.The course includes 8 skewers and 5 side dishes. One of the standout features of OHKUSA is the generous portion sizes. The portion of the "thigh meat" was particularly impressive and took me by surprise. Despite the size, it was cooked evenly and remained juicy.Another highlight is the use of various premium chicken brands. While Takasaka chicken is predominant, they also use Kyo-beni jidori, Hinai jidori, and Hakata jidori. They select specific chicken breeds based on the part being served.The quality of the ingredients is high, and the cooking is exquisite. Personally, I prefer a bit more saltiness due to the large portion sizes.It was a great meal.Course Menu:◯ Chicken Breast (Kyo-beni jidori)◯ Liver (Hinai jidori)● Strawberry with Burrata Cheese● Asparagus (Hokkaido)◯ Chicken Breast (Takasaka chicken)◯ Chicken Drumstick (Takasaka chicken)● Amela Tomato (Shizuoka) with Grated Cheese◯ Heart (Takasaka chicken)◯ Thigh Meat (Takasaka chicken)● Gratin from Elf France (Tanaka Farm) with Truffle◯ Coarsely Ground Minced Meat◯ Chicken Wing (Hakata jidori)● Risotto Less

Course: JPY 25,300Alcohol: 4 servingsTotal: JPY 29,260Located just a 3-minute walk from Heiwadori Station, this sushi restaurant is on the second floor of a shopping arcade building. I made a reservation through Ikkyu.com.Before the nigiri, we were served four dishes:- "Shirobaigai with Okra Jelly": A dish featuring shirobaigai (white clam) topped with a jelly made from chopped okra.At this point, we were given cucumber and salt at the counter, which reminded me of my master’s restaurant.The "Uni" (sea urchin) was served as is, the "Isaki" (snapper) was wrapped in salted kombu, and the "Katsu" (bonito) was enjoyed with condiments. The condiments had a flavor reminiscent of soy sauce-pickled chopped onions and green onions, with a quite strong seasoning.The nigiri started with "Kodai" (young sea bream) and included 13 pieces in total. One standout was the "Kouika" (baby cuttlefish), which was topped with uni and tobiko (fish roe) and drizzled with sudachi (Japanese citrus). The kouika was sweet with an excellent texture, perfectly complementing the sweetness of the uni.You can feel the essence of Ten Sushi here, yet they maintain their unique style. The chef's approach to customer interaction was just right, engaging both regulars and newcomers equally, which I appreciated.It was a great meal.Course Menu:● Shirobaigai with Okra Jelly● Isaki with Uni● Katsu● Steamed Egg Custard with Boiled Shirasu and Karasumi◯ Kodai◯ Madai (sea bream)◯ Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch)◯ Kohada (gizzard shad)◯ Kouika (baby cuttlefish)◯ Amategarei (flatfish)◯ Chutoro (medium fatty tuna)◯ Kuruma Ebi (sweet shrimp)◯ Boiled Hamaguri (clam)◯ Hokkigai (surf clam)● Kuruma Ebi heads◯ Murasaki Uni (purple sea urchin)◯ Anago (sea eel)● Miso Soup◯ Tamago (egg)● Watermelon Juice Less

Omakase Course?Numerous alcoholic beveragesAdditional Yakiniku x2Total: JPY 29,000Located a 5-minute walk from Akasaka Mitsuke Station,this Yakiniku restaurant is on the 4th floor of a building.This is my first visit in a year.This time, we had a table for six.There were also tables for four, and a counter for two, with a total of 12 customers.◯ Assorted KimchiKimchi made from napa cabbage, eggplant, and avocado.The spiciness is just right and delicious.◯ Special Salted TongueThe first meat served was tongue.Dipped in lemon juice,it is incredibly tender, almost unrecognizable as tongue, with an amazing amount of fat.Without a doubt, the best tongue in Japan.◯ Salted Hanging TenderTender like Outside Skirt.With less fat, the rich flavor of the lean meat comes through directly.◯ LiverServed with sesame oil,it has a nice texture and strong sweetness.So delicious.◯ Salted Hanging TenderWith each bite, you can feel the rich umami.Both are delicious, but I prefer the salt over the sauce.◯ Knuckle Main MuscleDipped in egg yolk sauce,it is melt-in-your-mouth tender, with the sweetness of the fat standing out.◯ ChateaubriandDipped in egg yolk sauce,it is a dish that allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of the lean meat.◯ Strip LoinServed with grated Japanese radish and ponzu,the balance of lean meat and marbling is exquisite.The moment it melts in your mouth, the umami of the lean meat and the sweetness of the fat spread is unforgettable.◯ Premium Mountain Chain Tripe◯ Miso TongueThe omakase course ended, leaving out the cold noodles and dessert.I added two types of meat:◯ Salted Tongue◯ Salted Loin◯ Morioka Cold NoodlesThe broth has a strong umami flavor and is exquisite.At first, I was told to eat it as is, then add the grated radish kimchi, but it was so delicious that I finished it as is.◯ MelonNot cut into pieces, but in a crescent shape.High sugar content and delicious.The quality of all the meats is extremely high, living up to the title of the best Yakiniku restaurant in Japan.Especially the quality of the tongue was exceptional, just as I remembered from my last visit.The restaurant is not very spacious, but it has a friendly atmosphere, and the explanations were thorough with excellent service.It was a great meal. Less