Sakuragawa

Knowing that Japan was renowned for its range and quality of dining, we wanted to book a top restaurant so arranged this about a month in advance. In the end we were the only 2 diners in a small restaurant with seats for 10 or so. I’m sure it sells out often but this was a unique experience to watch... the 2 highly skilled chefs prepare the food in front of us and have VIP treatment from the waitress. We opted for the 20,000 yen pp dinner option. With drinks the total bill does come in expensive but based on my research it is possible to pay a lot more and I’m not sure the quality of food or cooking could be considerably better. Plus with a Michelin star the bill is never going to be cheap. We were served 12 individual dishes, with a great variation of tastes, textures and flavours. Everything is presented and prepared in such a precise and exacting manner and it is really a pleasure to watch the chefs so skilled in their craft. The menu is supposed to be seasonal so other diners may get different dishes. Some of my personal favourites were the Omi beef, this was so tender and tasty it makes my mouth water to remember it! The sashimi was also stunning, we had mackerel and bonito. A night to remember and worthwhile splurging.

Visited September 2019

Visiting Kyōto we wanted to try this food experience and opted for a lunch tasting session. It was amazing to see the skilled chefs prepare food in front of you, with precision & passion for their art. Every course thoughtfully presented in beautiful dishes & bowls with refreshing teas to complement... the subtle food flavours. Our lovely friendly hostess explained each dish, and even showed us some of the edible plants in a accompanying book. An absolute must if you are in Kyoto !

Visited September 2019

If you are looking for the ideal kaiseki experience, don’t look pass this establishment. We were welcomed by the lovely host outside this quaint restaurant. This was helpful since the name of the restaurant could not be recognized easily by a foreigner. From the first to the last meal, all the dishe...s were immaculately plated with care and precision. We came for lunch which is normally significantly cheaper than the dinner seating. We left surprisingly full and definitely feeling spoilt. The only downfall isn’t the reservation option. Since I cannot speak Japanese, and was booking from Sydney, there was a link to make reservations (through Voyagin). Partly due to my misunderstanding and the coincidence that the meals was EQUIVALENT to the cost of booking per person, I fell into an embarrassing situation of believing the meal was finalized, bar the drinks. This is the only reason why I gave 4, instead of 5 stars.

Visited September 2019

We had the 16000 yen menu for dinner The dishes were perfect Each one of the 10-11 people has ringside seats to watch the master chef at work Surprisingly the accompanying alcohol was cheap and the sake was a perfect accompaniment If you are looking for Kaiseki at this price, this is the place to g...o (there is also a 20000 yen menu)

Visited August 2019

Having eaten at at many Michelin starred restaurants in many countries, this seemingly undiscovered restaurant produced such a genuinely authentic, unpretentious and exceptional taste experience for us, we thought it put some other more famous places to shame. In this tiny 10 seat place, where you s...it at a wooden bar and watch the chefs prepare your 10 dishes with exceptional skill, you become immersed in Japanese cuisine. The chefs explain the food, in limited English, as they hand you the dishes themselves. If you can manage to get seats, do not miss this. A perfect little Kyoto temple. To food. We were the last to leave and clapped the chefs on departure. They deserved nothing less. A truly unique and explosive taste experience.

Visited April 2019