Just a 10-minute drive from Demachiyanagi Station, I visited "Kusajiki Nakahigashi," a recipient of the BRONZE AWARD and recognized as one of Japan's top 100 restaurants. It also received the GOLD AWARD in 2020 and is located at the entrance of the path to Ginkaku-ji Temple.I made a reservation by phone and arrived on a weekday at 12 PM.I ordered the lunch Omakase course for JPY 12,000 (excluding tax and service charge) and added Matsutake rice for an additional JPY 4,000.The owner, Hisao Nakahigashi, was born in 1952 in Kyoto Prefecture. He trained under the previous head chef, Yoshitsugu Nakahigashi, at his family restaurant "Miyamaso." After serving as head chef, he opened "Kusajiki Nakahigashi" in 1997. He has established a unique style where he personally forages for wild vegetables and edible flowers every morning, making them the centerpiece of his dishes.Every dish today featured vegetables harvested by the chef, and they were all incredibly delicious.The grilled sweetfish with uruka, summer venison with autumn vegetables, and grilled Matsutake rice topped with karasumi were particularly outstanding.I enjoyed every bite until the very end.【Today's Menu】① Hassun served on a lotus leaf: Grilled Hozuki, ginkgo nuts, corn, Daidokoro natto, small taro, okra, sweetfish terrine, Ajime dojou, pressed sushi with sweetfish and myoga, Edamame and fig with sesame dressing② Kuchi-tori: Molokhia, tsurumurasaki, steamed chestnuts, Croutons③ Soup: Zui-ki with mustard and slippery samphire miso soup④ Grilled sweetfish with uruka⑤ Carp sashimi, summer daikon sorbet, Kihada, kaiware, simmered sansho, asatsuki, Hasuimo, myoga⑥ Simmered dish: Sweet potato, leaves, lotus root stuffed with adzuki beans, autumn eggplant, Fushimi chili, chichidake⑦ Summer venison with autumn vegetables and udo sauce⑧ (Additional) Grilled Matsutake rice topped with karasumi, Small bowl (ito-uri, myoga, etc.) - Not cooked with rice, but steamed in a bowl⑨ Rice, pickles, wild vegetables, mezashi⑩ New York: Egoma and plum ochazuke⑪ Dessert
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