katecuore Imari

"For this dish, Imari is not too far away."There are delicious restaurants in both Tokyo and Osaka. However, there is a reason to make the trip all the way to Imari, Saga for katecuore.What you experience here is not just ordinary Italian cuisine.They raise their own cattle, face each individual animal, and determine the exact moment when the ingredients are at their most delicious to create a dish. The time spent watching the cooking process unfold right before your eyes is part of the course itself.This is not about competing for flashy dishes. Every aspect—obsession with ingredients, temperature, aroma, texture, and cooking technique—has its own reason, and the result is surprisingly straightforward and delicious.Above all, there is something here that cannot be replicated in Tokyo or Osaka.Traveling for a great restaurant. This place reminds you of that value.It would be a shame to give up just because of the distance.I believe this is one of Japan's representative restaurants that you should visit, even if it means going all the way to Imari. Less

I visited "katecuore," located about a 10-minute walk from Imari Station.Chef Junya Minato has a unique background, having honed his skills both domestically and internationally before moving to Imari to focus on livestock farming.This exceptional restaurant creates dishes from scratch, utilizing the unique characteristics of the cattle he raises, without any pre-preparation.♦︎ A front-row seat to a culinary performance ── The interior features a sophisticated counter space that allows guests to experience the cooking process up close.Each dish is meticulously crafted over three hours to deliver the ultimate freshness and momentary aroma.You can enjoy an unparalleled, rich experience while connecting with the chef's sincere philosophy towards his cooking and the life of the ingredients.♦︎ The ultimate freshness and overall impressions ── Starting from the preparation right in front of the guests, the astonishing aromas and textures that can only be achieved with freshly made dishes are truly remarkable.The precision of the charcoal grilling and seasoning, perfectly discerning the individuality of each cow, is a true testament to craftsmanship.The course structure captures the peak potential and aroma of the ingredients at their finest, leaving me in awe.This is the pinnacle of Kyushu's gastronomy, where you can encounter an emotional experience that completely transforms your concept of food.It was a great meal.Thank you for reading to the end, from the reviewer "Instagram@_1show." I appreciate all your likes, follows, and saves for the restaurant. Less

I visited the members-only salon, Sou, which is a Tabelog SILVER restaurant located in Imari, Saga Prefecture, called katecuore.Actually, I was planning to go back to Fukuoka during the summer vacation and had already decided on one restaurant to visit. However, I was wondering what else to do when I heard about this place. It turns out that Imari is surprisingly close to Fukuoka, so I thought about going there. But since it's a popular restaurant with only four seats available per seating, I decided to take this opportunity to visit. It’s been a while since I went to a yakitori restaurant during Golden Week.By the way, I have visited Sou once before, so I received a direct reservation email from them. I made the reservation through Sou's own website instead of OMAKASE. The price is naturally higher than dining there directly, but considering the travel expenses... and since Sou offers a course with alcohol pairing for an additional JPY 10,000, which is quite a good deal, I thought the quality of the wine might be different. According to Tabelog, dining there for dinner costs around JPY 50,000, so when you think about it, the difference isn't that significant. Therefore, I opted for the course with alcohol pairing.As for katecuore, I hadn’t heard of it before, but the owner-chef, Junya Minato, focuses on Italian cuisine and utilizes local ingredients, primarily featuring the beef raised by him and his wife. They don’t prepare dishes in advance and believe in serving everything fresh. The dough for the panzerotti is made on-site from Saga Prefecture wheat, and the panna cotta is made right in front of you from milk, so it takes time, but the taste is exquisite. Here’s what was on the menu that day:- Flower Tea from Ureshino, Saga First, to warm up the stomach.- Chilled Pumpkin Soup Made only with water, without any cream. The flavor of the pumpkin is well-extracted. Delicious.As I mentioned earlier, I requested the alcohol pairing course, and in between dishes, they served a Greek white wine with soda. It’s unlimited refills!Now, let me introduce today’s beef. It’s from a 14-year-old cow! They raised it for about a year after taking it in.- Carpaccio: Ribeye (front), Sirloin (back) Aged for 10 days without further aging. Lightly salted. A refreshing taste. The sirloin has a sweetness to it.- Panzerotti A dish from Puglia. The dough made from Saga wheat is not rested, brushed with beef fat, and quickly wrapped and fried. Inside, there are Saga peppers, pork ham, and cheese. Hot! The cheese stretches! Combined with the fragrant dough, it’s delicious!- Risotto Made without broth, using Saga rice and water, along with Saga butter and cheese. Topped with smoked salted beef fat from the aforementioned cow. It has a wonderful aroma. The rice is delicious!- Cold Pasta Made with ribeye and sirloin from the cow, and broth from tomatoes. Seasoned with the aroma of new ginger from Saga, which is in season. The al dente thin noodles are tasty!- Ribeye (front), Sirloin (back) Seasoned only with salt. So tender. The sweetness of the sirloin fat is irresistible!!Now, let’s showcase the tenderloin.- Heart from Imari Beef This might be my first time having beef heart. Watching it being grilled, I thought it was tongue! The thicker cut has a texture that feels like heart, and the more you chew, the more flavor comes out. The thinner cut is probably from the side? It has a nice chew, and this one might have a stronger flavor. Delicious! By the way, the green part is said to be sweet potato vines. It’s seasoned with homemade fish sauce made from Kibi-nago and kabosu, crunchy and tasty.- Tenderloin from Imari Beef (36 months old female) Served on a sauce made from enoki mushroom broth and beef broth. It’s a light way to enjoy the tenderloin from a young (36 months is young?) female cow.- Abomasum Pasta Pasta made with the abomasum from the same Imari beef as the heart. Combined with a sauce made with tomatoes, finished with grated hard cheese for a lovely aroma. I thought it was spaghetti, but it’s linguine. The abomasum is delicious! The pasta is also great!- Finishing Curry: Spicy Curry with Beef Tail and Onion Saga is known for its onions, and this curry is made without water, using only the moisture from the onions and beef tail. The beef tail is from the same Imari beef as the heart. The rice is organic brown rice from the same farm that produced the risotto. It has a wonderful aroma. Spicy and delicious! The spice base includes coriander, cardamom, tarragon, and juniper berries. Black pepper is too strong for the dishes, so they don’t use it at all. This was also made fresh, with dozens of spices brought from the restaurant and prepared here!- Freshly Made Panna Cotta Infused with the aroma of kabosu. So delicious! This is the best panna cotta I’ve ever had! It’s so creamy and incredibly tasty!!Wow, everything was delicious. From the chilled soup to the panzerotti, risotto, pasta, curry, and the final panna cotta, every dish was fantastic. If possible, I would love to enjoy Chef Minato’s cooking at the Imari location. It was a great meal.The chef’s wife focused on serving while the chef handled everything in the kitchen alone. It was impressive to see him grilling the meat over charcoal while also preparing other dishes. He would hold the meat with tongs to keep it in place and step away to work in the kitchen, then return to check on the grilling. He was quite busy.Most of the customers at the restaurant come from Tokyo or other urban areas, and it seems that not many locals know about it. They think of him as a "strange person who frequently buys a lot of tongs" (according to his wife).Usually, they only serve four customers at the counter, but since there were over ten guests this time, it took time to carefully grill the large cuts. Tabelog’s top page mentions to expect at least four hours, but on this day, it took about 3 hours and 15 minutes from the start time until we finished the last dessert. If you’re dining there, it’s best to start dinner at 7 PM and stay at a hotel near Imari Station to avoid any rush. Less

I had been curious about katecuore for a long time, but due to its location, I never had the chance to visit. However, I was fortunate enough to secure a spot at a pop-up event in Tokyo!On the day of the event, we gathered at the secret location mentioned in the invitation. With no signs or anything to guide us, I felt a bit anxious, but the doors opened on time, and we were seated safely!There was Chef Minato and his wife, right there! We toasted with beer and eagerly awaited the dishes.【Dishes We Enjoyed Today】■ Ureshino Tea ■ Chilled Pumpkin Potage ■ Panzerotti - Made with paprika, ingredients from Saga, ham, and cheese ■ Carpaccio of 14-Year-Old Cow - Strip Loin & Spencer Roll ■ Risotto with Saga Rice - Rice broth × Beef fat ■ Chilled Pasta with Tomato, Water, and Young Ginger ■ Ribeye Steak from a 14-Year-Old Cow ■ Heart and Sweet Potato Vines from Imari Beef ■ Tenderloin Steak from a 14-Year-Old Cow - Served with Enoki Mushroom Broth Sauce ■ Braised Abomasum Pasta ■ Curry with Plenty of Onions and Spices ■ Freshly Made Panna Cotta The chef's commitment to freshness and made-to-order dishes was evident, even at this event, as I watched him cook diligently right in front of us!I encountered flavors and dishes I had never experienced before, and the philosophy of utilizing every part of the cows they raised was a first for me. I was amazed at how delicious everything was! The braised abomasum pasta was particularly impressive!I am sure that the experience at the main restaurant will far exceed what I had today, and I was truly charmed by both of their personalities. This is definitely worth the trip to Saga! Less

I visited katecuore in Imari City, Saga Prefecture.It has won the Tabelog Silver Award.I had been curious about it for a long time, and finally found the right moment to visit.In short, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.The dishes here are unique Italian creations that embody the producers' passion and maximize the individuality of the ingredients.Nothing unnecessary is added.You can truly appreciate the aroma, temperature, and texture right at the moment they are served.The performance is made possible by the four-counter seats.Katecuore conveys important messages through its cuisine, rather than just serving food.I can confidently say it was worth coming here.The nearly four hours I spent here were not just long; they were incredibly fulfilling. In a way, it felt short.I definitely want to come back to Imari just for this place. Less