Wine and Japanese sake pairing included for JPY 63,000.My experience here was so remarkable that it made me feel compelled to visit my master’s restaurant (Ryugin) after visiting my disciple’s place, just like my experience at Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi.At first, the staff, who seemed to be Chinese, were trying hard, but their intentions didn’t fully come across, leading to some confusion with the pairing orders. I had a bad feeling as the dishes were served, thinking it might be hard to connect with the place.However, the opening of the sliding door for the performance was a nice touch.The first dish, sea urchin and corn, was impressive. Not only did it showcase the sweetness of the sea urchin and corn, but the addition of onion (perhaps?) brought a nice balance.The Kagoshima farmed eel, served as white grilled eel, displayed exceptional cooking skills. The crispiness was remarkable, and the aroma and flavor were outstanding. I thought it was natural eel, but it turned out to be farmed (how embarrassing!). I have rarely had an experience that could be called wonderful with natural eel (though the natural grilled eel at Uotoku was fantastic), but this Kagoshima farmed eel had originality in texture and flavor, making me feel it could be considered the pinnacle of eel cuisine (while the large and impressive natural eel from Lake Biwa at Koju was great, objectively, today’s eel was far more delicious).The trigger shell rice paired perfectly with red wine.The eel soup was beautifully presented with a generous portion of eel that was satisfying to eat. Despite its size, I felt no bones or obstacles while enjoying it. This is the best eel I’ve had to date. The addition of fried Kamo eggplant enhanced the flavor. While I thought adding fried dashi to the soup was a bit unfair, it was simply delicious. It had a different umami from Kiyama’s beautiful dashi, but the balance of bonito and kombu dashi was quite good.The grilled sweetfish showcased exceptional cooking skills. The juiciness of the first bite and the pleasant bitterness were perfectly balanced. Excluding tempura, this could be the best sweetfish I’ve had. One fish left me wanting more; I wished I could have tasted another.The sashimi of rockfish was thickly sliced, showcasing its umami well.The abalone with zunda (edamame paste) was an interesting pairing, and the cooking was spot on.The cold soba was refreshing and perfectly timed.The soft-shelled turtle dashi dish was a standout, especially when paired with the fried shark fin (a bit of a cheat).The main dish, grilled duck, was cooked to a perfect moistness. However, compared to the previous dishes, it lacked impact. The soft-shelled turtle and main dishes were more exciting than the grilled duck.The soba was ordinary, but the flow of ending with soba and matcha was indeed pleasant.The mango dessert, unlike the one at Ensuiz, had a solid texture that made the mango flavor easy to appreciate, which was interesting. The water yokan was subtly sweet and melted in the mouth, making it unique.If Kiyama represents the pinnacle of subtractive Japanese cuisine, Hakuun embodies the pinnacle of additive (though not entirely additive, within my preferred range) Japanese cuisine. The tableware also had a sense of weight and a clear, wonderful quality.This is a renowned restaurant that I am certain to revisit each season.
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