After visiting the one starred Yu Lei from the KO dining group and being thoroughly impressed, I was more than looking forward to trying the other two establishment under their umbrella. Hearing a number of people commenting how good Kazuo Okada was, I decided to celebrate Mr. C’s birthday here~ Kazuo Okada specialises in both kaiseki and teppanyaki dishes, but at the time I made a reservation, about two weeks from the date, I was informed politely by the hostess that their teppanyaki room was under renovation and only their kaiseki room was available, since we both had not tried kaiseki before, I agreeably made the booking.
Arriving on a Sunday evening, we were greeted by the smiling hostess and guided to our table. The decor had an edge of masculinity where black was the dominant colour used, like a well dressed male in a sharp suit. Surprisingly, the restaurant was quite empty that evening, with only another table being occupied, but it was even better for us so we could enjoy each other’s company quietly while admiring the amazing harbour views 🙂
Only two set menus were available, the seasonal kaiseki or the Chef’s kaiseki. After studying the menu, Mr. C did question about the Teppanyaki side, since we had passed a big teppanyaki grill area with chefs working. I asked our server just to confirm whether we could order Teppanyaki items as well, but he replied that they try to keep it separately to avoid the dishes arriving in the kaiseki room to be cold. This was fair enough, but he did not mention that the room was still under renovation, regardless we decided to continue our evening with the Chef’s kaiseki menu.
Just as we had finished ordering, the manager from KO’s Italian restaurant Messina came over to greet Mr. C and knowing it was his birthday kindly surprised us with glasses of Ruinart Rose~ Thank you very much 🙂
So our kaiseki journey began~
The flash smoked salmon in a nuta sauce is their acclaimed signature dish. Arriving in a smoky paper covered glass bowl with holes artistically cut out, we were advised to smell the fragrant cherry wood smoke wafting out before peeling back the paper. Once the smoke cleared, it revealed two thickly cut slices of salmon laying on a bed of greens with a shallow layer of dressing. The salmon was unctuous, gorgeously fatty with the heady flavour of the cherry wood smoke invading the senses. Absolutely wow~ and to cut through the oiliness of the salmon, the tangy nuta sauce mixed with the greens was a pleasant palate reliever.
At this point, after perusing the wine list Mr. C decided to order some sake. I admit I have little to no knowledge of sake, but he told me that the one he ordered was quite rare and not so easily found. Upon taking a sip, one word came immediately to mind. Pure. The essence of the sake was so pure, there was a melancholic note in its smooth bittersweet flavor. Very intriguing~
When the next dish arrived, I was a little shocked to see something that resembled eel on the plate as Mr. C is not very partial to eel. It turned out to be conger pike accompanied with sea urchin and seasonal egg plant. I have to say I was not smitten with this, the conger pike was bland with numerous little bones and I gave up after a few bites. The sea urchin on the other hand was really fresh, a deep ocher colour which seemed to give a more intense flavour than the ones I normally come across.
A soup course was next. Clear tomato broth with onion and grilled ayu fish.The ayu fish was firm with a faint aroma from the grilling process, while the rings of onion were boiled until meltingly soft, helping to cleanse the palate for those who might find the ayu fishy in taste. I really enjoyed the broth though, slightly sour from the tomatoes, it really helped to open the appetite for the heavier sashimi course to come.
The sashimi course consisted of the chef’s selection of the day’s freshest fish. Presented so prettily, it seemed almost a pity to eat it. I found the clams to be very good~ dipping it into the accompanying yuzu juice its sweetness was enhanced even further and the toro was unbelievable! It was that delicate pale pink colour which signifies its high fat content, and its melt-in-your-mouth texture was just dreamy~ The toro itself was prepared two ways, plain sashimi while the other piece had been slightly aburied. The aburied piece was more fragrant and because some of the fats had been liquified during the flaming process, a more heady richness was released. So filling, but oh so good~!
Termed as the daily shinogi this was essentially sushi. Two generous sized pieces, one normal sashimi and the other aburied. Like the toro, my preference leaned towards the aburied one more as the flavours of the fish become richer once it had been licked by the flame.
By this stage, both of us were already more than a little sated from all the fish we have had, so it was nice to know that we had reached our first main of lobster~ The lobster flesh had been deshelled then crumbed in edamame batter and fried. It was cooked well, not too tough, but I found the batter to be a little odd tasting, with a heavy flavor of raw edamame beans. I actually preferred eating the innards and roe of the lobster more, so much creamy goodness found in the head and I could tell Mr. C enjoyed that lots too 🙂 The sides of chilled abalone was beautifully tender with a nice firm bounce, but the squid sashimi was so overly salted that both Mr. C and I only managed to eat one piece each.
The original meat dish was kagoshima beef, but I requested for something else. They were going to offer me fish, but I was honestly a little overwhelmed by fish that night so the manager came by and offered me the choice of kurobuta pork instead which I gladly accepted. Mr. C’s beef looked highly appetising, covered in sansho teriyaki sauce and lain over a potato mash. According to him, the beef itself was very tender with an even marbling which made it highly enjoyable, but the portion was quite small, with a serving of only three slices.
My kurobuta pork arrived as three thin slices rolled up, where each was filled with a different vegetable of mushroom, asparagus and baby corn. It was presented on a piping hot miniature teppanyaki plate to ensure the pork did not become cold and although it was a thoughtful gesture, the meat did eventually become tough so it was necessary to eat it quickly. In terms of flavor, I did find it a little bland and more teppanyaki sauce (even on the side) would have made it better.
Time for the carbohydrates~ in the form of truffle rice! The shaving of the truffles was performed table side into a small pot where the rice was held and I just could not resist inhaling deeply a few times just to appreciate the earthy aroma. No matter how many times I smell this delicacy, it’s perfume still bewitches me completely. The rice was cooked till it was quite dry, but it retained a stickiness like all Japanese rice so that it clumped easily to be picked up by chopsticks. There was a generous amount of truffles hidden among the grains and when I could not fit in another bite, I took pleasure in seeking out the rest of the truffle slices :p And like any traditional Japanese meal, the rice was accompanied by miso soup and pickles.
Ending on a sweet note~ dessert was a combination of three items. In the bowl was a green bean paste studded with strawberry jelly cubes, a slice of firm sweetened bean curd layered with red bean jelly and a slice of the sweetest honeydew melon which had the most mouth-watering perfume 🙂 This would have been the perfect finish after so many courses, but…
there was still birthday cake~!!^^ A birthday cannot be complete with anything less 😀 Happy Birthday! *muah*
And so our kaiseki journey concluded. Despite both of us not being big lovers of fish, it was still a good first experience. I loved how everything was presented so artistically, so much attention to detail which is definitely not an unusual trait for a Japanese restaurant let alone such a high class one. The manager was certainly attentive, coming by several times during the course of our meal and making sure we were enjoying ourselves which was much appreciated. Thank you~
Just Something About Me 