Asai

Wanted to try kaiseki and found this place somehow, the staff and service were amazing, and the atmosphere very friendly and overall felt very comfortable. The food is amazing as well, all the dishes in the course had unique highlights and kept getting better. Felt like i got a true japanese cuisine... tasting here

Visited February 2023

This charming spot coped admirably with 9 men in town for the rugby World Cup. We sat at the counter so had a front row view of the kitchen which hummed along with beautiful efficiency. Each course was served directly by the chefs over the counter and they watched our reactions closely - and usual...ly they weren’t disappointed! The food was great although not our best meal in Japan. The only issue was that one of our group got his currency conversions badly wrong on the wine list and we ended up forking out significant change for the (in hindsight not surprisingly) delicious red. All in all a great spot and definitely worth a visit.

Visited October 2019

I came here with my husband for the 11,000 yen 8 course dinner. Each dish was varied, delicious and beautifully presented. We thought the meal was actually better than a similar omasake dinner at a 2 Michelin Star place that we went to in Kyoto. Like other reviewers, we couldn’t speak Japanese so ...we had a waiter who explained the ingredients in the dishes to us. We were seated at the counter and it was mesmerising to watch the cooks prepare the dishes. The head chef, who we sat in front of, was polite and friendly. Overall a great experience and we were absolutely stuffed afterwards.

Visited October 2019

I ate here alone on my first evening in japan. I was jet lagged and nervous about not speaking the language. All my worries were put to rest as I entered the warm and welcoming restaurant. My waiter spoke English and used pictures to help me understand the fish I was eating. He also helped me learn ...how to eat any foods I was unfamiliar with. I felt very welcome and watching the chefs work provided ample entertainment for a solo meal. I especially enjoyed sampling uni from different regions (explained to me using a map!) as uni is one of my absolute favorite foods. Such a treat. My only word of warning: I consider myself a fairly adventurous eater, but even so I still found myself confronting a lot of foods and food textures that were very unfamiliar to the western palette. I enjoy this kind of experience, but do be warned that this is for the adventurous! Also, it is a LOT of food (at least if you choose the omakase).

Visited September 2019

Even with the correct adress it took me a few minutes to find the slightly hidden entrance of Asai. I felt like entering through the backstage when suddenly 8 joyfull cooks were greeting me in Japanese. Seated preferably at the counter or otherwise in a more privat cabin you ll be served japane...se finest cuisine. The cooks are very skilled and so confident that all their work is done in front of you. I wonder watching cooks cook could ever make me more happy. Communication for foreign guests will always be a bit of a challenge, but the staff is very resourcefull with special translation devices and translated ingredient books, including pictures of all veggies grains fish... you name it. Thank you Asai. A must for the adventurous.

Visited July 2019