The Pursuit of Food Perfection

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    March 22, 2015December 28, 2019

    Den, Tokyo

    Creative, playful and deeply personal. Den Tokyo is my favourite restaurant in the world. Read more…

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    March 22, 2015March 12, 2018

    Shake Shack, New York

    The hype is real. Read more…

Best Yakiniku Restaurant in Tokyo
November 4, 2019December 4, 2019

The Best Yakiniku in Tokyo (Japan)

Noma Exterior
March 7, 2016October 31, 2017

Noma Australia, Sydney

February 16, 2020February 16, 2020

The Best Tempura in Tokyo (Japan)

Kimoto Grilled Duck
January 19, 2020January 12, 2020

Kimoto, Tokyo

Torishiki Oyakodon
January 12, 2020January 30, 2020

Torishiki, Tokyo

Sushi Namba Kinki with Broth
January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Sushi Namba Hibiya, Tokyo

Kataori Kegani Crab Dumpling Soup
December 23, 2019December 28, 2019

Kataori, Kanazawa

Sushidokoro Mekumi Kobakogani
June 10, 2019November 5, 2019

Sushidokoro Mekumi, Kanazawa

The Best Tonkatsu in Tokyo, Japan
March 27, 2019November 15, 2019

The Best Tonkatsu in Tokyo (Japan)

Irifune Maguro Zukushi Don
April 9, 2018August 1, 2019

Irifune Sushi, Tokyo

Aca Seafood Paella
November 1, 2017November 5, 2019

Aca 1°, Kyoto

December 13, 2016January 25, 2017

Ginza Toyoda, Tokyo

November 28, 2016November 2, 2019

Sushi Umi & Sushi Ryujiro, Tokyo

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New review on Niitome and the best Tempura restaurants in Japan 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 If Tempura perfection exists, it exists at Niitome. Super high quality ingredients that are cooked to perfection in a paradoxically thick but light and crispy batter. Niitome-san has amazing technique and skill He achieves Tempura perfection in a few ways – 1. Flour is stored at -60 degrees for 2 days to make the flour extremely fine 2. Batter is remade, from scratch, every 15 minutes (yes I timed, and no this is not common even among the other best Tempura restaurants) 3. He tops up and alters the ratio of Taihaku and Taikou sesame oils depending on each ingredient
New review on Takiya and the best Tempura restaurants in Japan 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 While “creativity” may be the best word to describe the Tempura at Takiya, it does gross injustice to the other reasons and attributes that make Takiya my favourite overall Tempura in Japan A less exciting reason would be balance. Kasamoto-san trained in Kaiseki and general Washoku which is why his Tempura omakase is a more balanced meal; some other Tempura omakases can feel a bit same-y after a while (including the ones in this article). As part of that balance, he uses 100% safflower oil (instead of traditional heavier oils such as sesame) to ensure the meal stays light While Takiya isn’t technically the best Tempura (that belongs to Niitome), there are some Tempura dishes at Takiya that blow your mind and change your perception of what Tempura can be. Takiya is my favourite Tempura Restaurant for these reasons
Looking for the best Tempura in Tokyo and Japan? New write up on all the hottest Tempura restaurants in Japan on my blog - thepursuitoffoodperfection.wordpress.com 🔼 Link in profile 🔼
New review on Kimoto, one of the most polarising Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 I have no doubt that I will one day look back at my meal at Kimoto as my turning point – one of the most defining meals in my life. It will be the meal that made me appreciate and enjoy Kaiseki for the very first time. It will be the meal destined to be the benchmark by which I would judge all Kaiseki to come. It will be the meal that laid foundation for all my future Kaiseki meals; without Kimoto, I will likely have never eaten Kaiseki again
New review on Kimoto, one of the most polarising Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 I was actually planning to write off Kaiseki from my future Japan trips after Kimoto. I was on an aimless Kaiseki journey, eating at places like Takamura, Kiyama and Ishikawa, all never enjoying the experience. I figured if I didn’t like Kimoto, I was never going to like any Kaiseki
New review on Kimoto, one of the most polarising Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 This is a story about how my Kaiseki journey began – how it truly began Ironically it started at Kimoto, one of the most polarising Kaiseki restaurants in Japan. But take a closer look and you’ll find that most of the negative feedback is about service or price. Dig even deeper and you’ll find that most “Kaiseki experts” list Kimoto in their top 3 Kaiseki, sometimes even topping famous institutions such as Matsukawa, Shinohara and Ogata
New review on Torishiki, the best Yakitori in the world, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 All said and done, Torishiki is still the best Yakitori I’ve had and Ikegawa-san is one of the nicest and most accommodating chefs. I will be back because he is a true shokunin and I support what he stands for (flexible omakase and keeping prices fair) The fact that Torishiki serves the best Yakitori in the world is just a bonus
New review on Torishiki, the best Yakitori in the world, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 As always though, the truth is a bit less black and white. While I’m no Yakitori expert, I have been to the two highest rated pure Yakitoriyas in Japan – Torishiki and Ribatei (weird flex but ok). Torishiki is the best but the gap to Ribatei isn’t big. It’s not head & shoulders above all, and on another day, Ribatei may have had better Yakitori. Some pieces were better at Torishiki, others at Ribatei. I’ve even had better Oyakodon than Torishiki
New review on Torishiki, the best Yakitori in the world, up on my blog 🔼 Link in profile 🔼 A lot has been said about Torishiki Superlative after superlative. “Head and shoulders above”, “undoubtedly the best”, “hands down #1”. In this opinionated and polarising world of food, Torishiki being the best Yakitori in the world was unanimous; it’s almost comforting. You could take solace knowing that no matter which Sushi school or Kaiseki lineage you preferred, you could always find common ground that when it came to Yakitori, Torishiki was the best.

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Recent Posts

  • The Best Tempura in Tokyo (Japan)
  • Kimoto, Tokyo
  • Torishiki, Tokyo
  • Sushi Namba Hibiya, Tokyo
  • Kataori, Kanazawa

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