🇯🇵 Tabelog 4.07 🇯🇵

Suikouan is one of the very few highly rated cha-kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo. Chef Ishida has a Kansai root as he served as a sous chef at Kitcho Arashiyama before opening his own restaurant in Mita 10 years ago. It used to be an introduction-only restaurant until it was relocated to the current location in Azabujuban in 2023.

As you may see from the photos, Suikouan 2.0 is beautifully designed, and its counter is probably the nicest one I have ever come across in Tokyo. Chef Ishida would commence the omakase by introducing the seasonality, followed by presenting a seasonal platter that symbolizes good fortune. He would then show us the prized ingredients of the night such as matsuba-gani in winter or giant bamboo shoot in spring. As we paid our visit in February, the key ingredients were fugu and matsuba-gani which appeared in approximately 6-7 dishes, be it as a supporting cast or the main ingredient. Despite the relatively strong focus on seasonal ingredients, each dish tasted so differently, and the sensations were no way near repetitive. The gohan session was worth-remembering as we’re invited to add different high quality homemade condiments to the mouth-watering fried fugu donabemeshi. Needless to say, I added tones of karasumi, ikura and egg yolk to elevate the flavors.

The crab-focused courses were equally delicious. My favorite was the juicy and flavor-packed deep-fried crab legs topped with crab miso. The porridge with crab oil was ingenious and comforting as well. The meal ended gracefully with a zen tea ceremony – Suikouan is hand downs the most complete kaiseki experience that you will ever come across in Tokyo.
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Budget: 44,000 yen Less