Higashiyama Wakon Kanazawa

This is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever visited. I only once saw the space a few weeks ago when I picked up a take out during the self imposed lock down period. Then the spaces were covered with boxes, waiting to be filled with delicious food. This time however everything was different.
Once you find the entrance of this tiny restaurant which is tucked away in the quiet streets of Higashiyama Chaya, one of the geisha districts of Kanazawa, one enters a narrow pathway which opens into a beautiful garden. Then you need to find the entrance to the restaurant which is not full size so even short people need to bow to enter. Once inside you find an awe inspiring space with counter seats and two tables. The architecture is pure and refined, the windows cut low so one only sees the lower half to the garden but one gets additional light from a loan skylight which is cut into the roof. The kitchen is so small that it would fit into the studio apartment. There are up to four chefs led by Mr. Imai cook for their guests.
The cuisine is a modern take on the traditional kaiseiki. It is simple but daring, The combination of flavors is inspired, the execution perfect.
He starts you off with a dish combing sea urchin with peas and eggplant topped by vinegar jelly. The abalone is served in a lightly smokey dashi and for additional texture is covered with dried seaweed. The ayu, minutes ago swimming in a large bowl right in front of you, gets numbed with ice water and then deep fried with a ever so light batter. A batter, I might remark, rivals the ones from very famous tempura places. The journey continues until you reach the rice course which is mixed with corn and topped with unagi. Great food, genuine friendly Chefs in a very beautiful place. Go there, they deserve it.
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(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) The second bento comprised of cooked Japanese ingredients presented in compartment. The eggs definitely caught our eyes at first sight but everything this box was so impressive! Here are the summary:
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鴨Duck. Super good! The seasoning of the duck was amazing. Tender and delicious. Best starter .

煮玉子Nitama (Cooked Eggs). Also super good! The marination went all the way into the egg white (you can see the whole egg white was uniform in light brown color, usually you only see it on the outside). Egg yolk was gooey. Beat most I had had in ramen shops! .

蕗の薹味噌松の実 Fukimiso (Butterbur sprout miso) with Pinenut. Put in bomboo steam. The most surprising of all, bitter and sweet, insanely good and really wanted more. So pretty💯
飯蛸大根 Iidako and Daikon. IIdako is octopus with octopus eggs in the head. You can see in pic 4 the grains that look like rice. Daikon was so tender and cooked with a delicious sweet and savory sauce. So good 😋

毛蟹真条 Kani Shinjo. Crab dumplings. Also very good albeit it was served in room temperature. It was all crabs and no fillers

蛍烏賊+ 筍 Hotaruika (Firefly Squids) + Takenoko (bamboo shoots). Hotaruika you know already it would be good. These bamboo shoots were incredible too. The kinome were so fresh and fragrant. Perfect together
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As mentioned, the wooden separators can be adjusted to make each compartment tailored to your need. Very practical and no plastic in the whole package. Everything was top flavors and so colourful to look at. Make you smile starting from the second you open it up!
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This bento was also ¥4000 for four people (and everything was portioned for 4 pax to share). The quality wayyyyy exceeded the price. These two bentos were seriously some of the best I had. Thank you to Imai san and I hope them doing well during this time and can’t wait to visit them when corona is over!

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