Tabelog 4.35 🥈
Akasaka Ogino is currently one of the most difficult to book kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo. A lot of restaurants reserved seats for regular customers but this 7-seat restaurant is genuinely fully booked till 2026.
The omakase started off with a beautifully plated uni and kegani on a giant lotus leaf. It was followed by multiple hot dishes, including the perfectly executed grilled unagi which was crunchy, juicy and flavor packed. Hassun is always my least favorite course in a kaiseki meal but Ogino San managed to turn the small dishes unique and delicious! Needless to say, the hassun platter was stunning!
I also rejoiced the tsubugai and its liver sauce that was mixed with freshly made goma paste, bringing a unique bittersweet aftertaste to the sweet and oceanic tsubugai. The showstopper was definitely the grilled mushroom and masu donabemeshi which was packed with charcoal aroma and umami ikura jus. I added 3 bowls during the build-your-own-gohan session with the delicious condiments curated by Ogino San.
Outstanding food, service, aesthetics and cospa – this is probably my favorite modern kaiseki in Japan right now!
-—————
💴Budget: 40,000 yen
🥘Food: 9.5
🍹Drinks: 9
🏢Vibes: 10
⚖️C/P: 10
