Formal private diner or interactive counter – however you swing, humble simplicity trumps showy pretence at Tokyo’s quietly elegant Ishikawa.
When a restaurant has earned three Michelin stars as well as a place on the prestigious S. Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best list, suffice to say you’re nigh on guaranteed a good meal.
But when the restaurant in question is renowned as much for its simplicity, historical reverence, and shy, spotlight-eschewing chef as it is for the quality of its food, it’s not a stretch to imagine the experience must be something pretty special indeed to warrant such noteworthy praise.
Tucked away in former Shinjuku geisha district Kagurazaka, quietly elegant dining room Ishikawa is even quieter chef Hideki Ishikawa’s careful study in restrained sophistication. He is famously reserved, and known to dress identically to his line cooks and even stand behind them in photographs – Ishikawa’s acclaim certainly has not come from his chasing it. Instead, his dedication to beauty and obsession with detail has ensured his ascension to the top of a not insignificant regional heap.
Ferried between four private dining rooms and seven cypress wood counter seats by kimono-clad waitresses, course after course of Ishikawa’s daily kaiseki perfection – the only menu option – issues forth from the open prep area and from the back-of-house kitchen. Artfully plated on antique crockery (some pieces dating back thousands of years), appetisers span the likes of tempura horsehead snapper with Koshiabura mountain green broad bean, and spear squid and tofu soup, while the delicately seasoned sashimi, charcoal-grilled fish and simmering hotpots that follow strike a delicate, perfect balance of flavor, texture, aesthetic and culinary grace.
Though it’s far from the showiest meal you’re likely to ever eat, it may well be one of the most memorable and satisfying. Book ahead.
Ishikawa, Takamura Bldg, 5-37 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, +81 3 5225 0173, kagurazaka-ishikawa.co.jp
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