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2024-10-27
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From the four-hands dinner at Sushi Kumogaku in August, I get to know about this kappo restaurant located at FOCO in Central. In order to experience the complete culinary talents of Chef Tomi, I come here on a Friday evening in early October, with the weather finally starting to get a bit cooler at night.Stepping out the escalator the staff takes us into a nice dining area, featuring a circular stone counter constructed from black marble. In the centre is the chef’s table where customers can see
From the four-hands dinner at Sushi Kumogaku in August, I get to know about this kappo restaurant located at FOCO in Central. In order to experience the complete culinary talents of Chef Tomi, I come here on a Friday evening in early October, with the weather finally starting to get a bit cooler at night.
Stepping out the escalator the staff takes us into a nice dining area, featuring a circular stone counter constructed from black marble. In the centre is the chef’s table where customers can see the cutting and cooking in action. Chef Tomi comes out to greet us with his signature smile, and the clicking sound when he walks shows that he is wearing wooden scandals, and in a way signaling he is a person who treasures and values tradition.
There are two menus to choose from, and I have picked the one costing $2,800 per person. To pair with the food, I also have a bottle of 阿部勘 純米大吟醸 白鶴錦 ($1,080). This Miyagi sake is made from the special sake rice 白鶴錦, a brother varietal of 山田錦, with moderate aromas and flavours, the characters are a bit like white wine. A versatile sake.
Chef Tomi first heats up a wire mash on the stove, before placing a clay pot on it to heat up until it is boiling. The first course グツグツ means searing hot dish, featuring Suppon, a premium ingredient in Japan. The Soft-shelled Turtle Soup is prepared with some scallions and ginger, together with outer edge of the shell of the turtle, seasonal Chestnut, and the lightly grilled Cod Milt. The combination of the different texture, and the phenomenal taste is so good that I cannot stop scooping up the soup rapidly, without worrying the risk of burning my tongue, as every single drop is pure flavour and enjoyment.
The second course is 鱧焼き, with the chef cutting the Hamo meticulously to break the small bones, then prepares the Grilled Conger Pike over charcoal inside the kitchen. There is also some mashed Potato and Kikuna to go with the fish, with a sauce made with Kabosu, a type of Citrus fruit, to give a refreshing taste. Finally, the chef shaves some Truffle on top to add an earthy fragrance to the dish. Surprisingly the light and delicate taste of the fish does not get masked by the other ingredients and this is testimony to the success of the chef in balancing all the components.
The third course is Seasonal Sashimi Platter 旬の鮮魚, which are served through two dishes. The very fresh Saba has been paired with a bit of Shiso flowers and Tosazuke jelly, giving a bit of sourness to match with the taste of mackerel. At the bottom are some pieces of fig to provide a bit of sweetness to balance the palate. Good in taste.
The other serving includes Akagai and Sawara. The Ark Shell has a crunchy texture, with each bite releasing the flavours of the sea. The Spanish mackerel has been slightly smoked, with a good sweetness on the flesh, tender and rich in umami. There are different condiments like wasabi and yuzu kosho on the side, but we think the original taste with a bit of shoyu is already wonderful.
The fourth course is 椀物. We witness how the chef has prepared the dashi, using three types of bonito and maguro flakes. Once he is satisfied, he provides us a small cup, to experience the delicate original taste without any additional ingredients. He takes puts in some small matsutake into the dashi, and the aromas and flavours are immediately enriched. Using the dashi to make the soup, it is served with a piece of Shiro-Amadai with a large Matsutake Mushroom. The taste of lightly grilled White Horsehead and surreal elegance of the mushroom, with yuzu peel, carrot and celery present a feast on both appearance and flavours.
The fifth course is 鰻手巻. We can see the Unagi being grilled over charcoal through the glass window looking into the kitchen. The meaty, thick Eel has a crisp surface, brushed with the homemade sauce to infuse with great umami taste, seasoned also with some sansho pepper, which stimulates the palate. The Roll Sushi format allows us to enjoy it easily while holding the grilled eel, at the best temperature and texture.
The sixth course is 鴨炭焼. The Charcoal Grilled French Duck breast is seasoned perfectly, with the breast tender and juicy. It is paired with the famous Kyoto Kujo leek, with the Japanese Leek very fragrant and with a slight sweet taste, along with Kamo Eggplant which has been cooked together with sesame oil, as well as Gingko. This is a great use of the produces from Kyoto and in many ways the main character for this dish is actually the vegetables, not the duck.
The seventh course is 手打ち蕎麦. The Spicy Radish Soba Noodles have an amazing texture, with nice buckwheat flavours. Chef Tomi has added Kuruma Prawn and Maitake Mushroom Tempura, with the prawn head also edible. Very delicious and not feeling any oiliness. As condiment there are some Salmon Roe and mashed radish as well, providing savoury and umami to enhance the soba sauce.
The eighth course is 和え物. It is a special Japanese side dish, mixing vegetables with sauce, a bit like a salad, but aiming to cleanse and refresh the palate. The chef has prepared some Kabu, or Turnip, together with Persimmon, then mix with some soy paste and toasted pine nuts. The delicate taste of the turnip and the elegant flavours of the persimmon complement each other, resulting in good harmony. A very nice dish to transition between the stronger taste tempura to the more delicate conger pike.
The ninth course is 鱧しゃぶ. The Conger Pike is lightly poached in Shabu style, together with some Matsutake Mushroom, which has richer taste than those used in the earlier soup, in a Dashi Broth made with Kombu. The chef has suggested us to first try the Hamo to enjoy the original delicate flavours of the fish, before dipping in the sauce, prepared using the conger pike bones, mixed with shoyu, scallions, ginger, sesame, and mashed turnip, which helps to elevate the umami.
The tenth course is 銀シャリ. The rice is the Highest Quality Koshihikari 越光米 from Minami-Uonuma 南魚沼, very soft and have a nice rice fragrance. The chef is very particular and even the water used to cook the rice is shipped from Japan. To pair with the rice there are some nicely grilled Sanma, with the seasonal Pacific Saury rich in fish oil and very tasty, along with Obanzai, the Traditional Kyoto Side Dish, with at least half of the ingredients must be coming from Kyoto. The pickles are so good that I am tempted to ask the chef to sell some to take home.
Finally, it is Dessert. Chef Tomi has prepared two servings, with the first being Walnut Cake, with the mochi supple and soft, with some crushed walnut scattered on top, and paired with a syrupy soup to give a nice sweetness. The Fruits include peach and two types of grapes, very juicy and sweet, again a good highlight of the quality of the ingredients used.
The bill on the night is $7,498. Service is excellent, with Chef Tomi friendly and eager to share with us in English, with his team also helping to translate when necessary. It is honestly one of the best dinners I have in this year, and I highly recommend this restaurant to fans of Japanese food, especially if you want to experience the authentic, original flavours, and the attention to details that the country is so proud of.
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