■July 6, 2023 (Thursday) 8:30 PM - 10:45 PM■Reservation: Made during the previous visit■Course: Chef's special course ¥33,000 including tax, drinks included Total bill: ¥38,500Today was truly amazing. It felt like a taste exhibition showcasing the freshest seasonal ingredients of summer. Chef Soeda has reached a level of culinary excellence that left me deeply impressed. The meal started with a dish of rice steamed with beltfish, followed by a nourishing sea eel for the summer, a plump and rich-tasting rainbow trout, and a strikingly fresh pheasant fillet in the sashimi course. The meal continued with a grilled tiger puffer fish known as the summer fugu, leading to a climax with sweetfish from Masegawa River. It was a feast of all the best summer ingredients. I would like to share the details of this unforgettable experience from this summer as sincerely as possible.①Appetizer○Hairy crab○Mini okra○Lotus root○Chilled broth sauce○Powdered yuzu peelA refreshing dish featuring hairy crab with a lively acidity, lotus root cooked in broth for a subtle and delicate touch, and sticky mini okra that provides lasting nourishment for the summer. The chilled broth sauce evokes a cool sensation, with the gentle flavors flowing beautifully.②Steamed dish○Beltfish dragon with sansho pepper soy sauce○Spring onion○Wood sorrel○Glutinous riceThe beltfish was perfectly cooked, with a delicate sweetness and a hint of saltiness complemented by the aroma of sansho pepper and a hint of soy sauce. The spring onion added a sweet touch to the glutinous rice, enhancing the flavors and depth of the beltfish. The dish was harmonious and comforting.③Simmered dish○Sea eel from Kashima, steamed white○Winter melon○Ginger sauce○White leek○YomogiThis unexpected dish featured sea eel, adding to the array of summer ingredients. The sea eel was pre-seasoned with salt, steamed white, and served on a base of winter melon with a ginger-flavored kudzu sauce. The texture of the sea eel was delightful, with a subtle richness and a gentle ginger aroma that complemented the eel's umami. The winter melon provided a soothing balance to the dish. It was a nourishing dish suitable for the summer season.④Tempura○Rainbow trout○Shiso leaf○Japanese pepper○Soy sauce and mirin sauceThe rainbow trout tempura was prepared to perfection, with a crispy exterior and a tender texture inside. The tempura had a perfect balance of impact and subtlety, with a crunchy texture that gave way to the rich sweetness of the trout. It was a delightful dish with a combination of crispiness and tenderness that pleased the palate.

This was my second visit since May, when the transition from spring to summer was taking place. This time, it's transitioning from summer to autumn. Each dish had a gentle flavor, and even though it was late in the evening, there was no heaviness at all, and everything was delicious until the end. There were plenty of ingredients that made me feel the arrival of autumn, such as Ezo deer, matsutake mushrooms, and chestnuts. The matsutake and conger eel in the soup, as well as the Biwa trout from Lake Biwa, were delightful. For the final dish, the matsutake and white rice in the clay pot rice, along with simmered fish flakes, shredded dried fish, and raw egg over rice, made the meal even more enjoyable! It was a moment where I could truly feel the arrival of autumn, even in the sweetness. I look forward to the next visit! Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I visited Isoda again in the autumn season. Since its opening, I have visited in all seasons, but I always look forward to autumn and winter. As usual, my wife and I went there, and tonight's meal was also wonderful. It seems like there might be a few more apprentices, the pace was brisk as usual, and the head chef's relaxed demeanor exuded a good sense of dignity. This creates a pleasant atmosphere and ambiance in the restaurant. The customers and apprentices all seemed lively, which is the best proof! The meal started with a dish of abalone, taro stems, and daikoku mushrooms. It may seem simple, but it's actually a luxurious dish when you think about it. It really activates the stomach! Next was a rice steamed bowl with fresh salmon roe, which is truly delicious. The flavor is not too strong, the skin is thin, and it melts in your mouth. Very delicious! Then, surprisingly, we had some meat - venison from the summer! It was incredibly tender and refreshing! Soy sauce paired well with it! When you add a thin slice of fat, it adds a moderate amount of oil to create a gentle flavor. It's really appreciated that they served the meat at this point in the meal, as if it were served later, when you're already full, you wouldn't be able to fully appreciate the wonderful ingredients. This timing of serving meat early in the meal is truly appreciated! This is something that wouldn't happen in French cuisine. It's a unique aspect of Japanese kaiseki cuisine, which understands the Japanese palate and ingredients. Next came "hirousu," which is a kind of fish cake. Served with shredded silk peas in the best dashi broth. I never really thought that fish cakes were that delicious, but this was in a league of its own! Incredibly delicious! The exquisite broth seeped in well, the tofu was firm, and you could taste the wood ear mushrooms and the crispy silk peas, creating a wonderful contrast. It was the most delicious fish cake I've ever had! Next was the deep-fried red tilefish head. It's hard to convey in photos, but this is truly an art-level dish. The crispy texture of the head part is truly commendable. It's really amazing craftsmanship. The sashimi was tai from Akashi with fresh squid roe. Of course, the branded Akashi tai is delicious, but I personally love squid roe... The softness, the bite, the perfect thickness - it's truly a sinful indulgence. At this point, I was starting to lose control with the sake (^◇^;). The soup was conger eel with matsutake mushrooms and gingko nuts, a luxurious harmony! I heard that many places haven't started serving domestic matsutake yet due to the long summer, but it seems like some from Iwate are already available. Truly, Isoda-san is too kind! The flavor and size were amazing, incredibly delicious! The last grilled dish was Biwamasu from Lake Biwa! It's slightly pinkish, like cherry salmon, and the firmness of the flesh is excellent! This was incredibly delicious! The peak season for the natural fish is coming to an end (fishing is prohibited in October-November), so I'm glad I could have it just in time! Near the end, we had a dish of chrysanthemum paste. It was a luxurious dish with migrating crab, chestnuts, Iwate matsutake, eggplant, and more. The contents were too luxurious, but it was so comforting! The paste was so delicious, and all the ingredients were like an all-star team, each playing their best, leading the paste back home, setting up for the next play (it's becoming unclear even to myself ^^;), creating an endlessly delicious loop of flavors! Before moving on to the final rice dishes, they served a light dish - pickled persimmon! It included radish and cucumber, slightly dressed in white miso, and serving this at this point is really clever. While picking at this before the rice dishes, you can finish the remaining sake.

Today's delicious meal at Isoda-san again. Matsutake mushrooms appeared, giving a sense that autumn has arrived. The dish combining pike conger with ginkgo nuts and the one with crab and eggplant in a thick sauce were both delightful, bringing the taste of autumn to my mouth alone. Every other dish was, of course, delicious as well. It was a blissful moment. #ThankYouForTheMeal #Gakuto Isoda chef #Gourmet #KaisekiCuisine #Ningyocho #ByReservationOnly #JustBetweenUs #StaffEnjoyedDeliciously #That'sAllFromTheScene

My second visit to Mr. Isohata since March, and just like last time, the quality of the fish ingredients and the way they are brought out in the dishes are superb. It was my first time trying grilled deer in Japanese cuisine, which was interesting. Every dish was delicious, and I'm looking forward to my next visit. #Isohata #NingyochoGourmet #JapaneseCuisine #HardToReserveRestaurant #Foodie

I recently visited the restaurant 【Ishida】, which has become extremely difficult to reserve with a waiting time of over half a year. The summer dishes at Ishida helped alleviate the heat with their gentle and refreshing flavors. The meal included finely sliced squid, new ginkgo nut rice, grilled eel, abalone and egg tofu in bonito broth, corn and anglerfish with winter melon soup, red snapper with eggplant and herring, fig and white miso salad, rice, and dessert. Everything was delicious and delightful as always. I look forward to visiting again. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I regularly visit Mr. Isoda's restaurant. This review is for August 2023. Despite the limited ingredients after the typhoon in western Japan, the refreshing white cuttlefish somen smoothly blended in the mouth, while the steamed rice with new ginkgo hinted at the approaching autumn. The abalone in the congee still told the tale of summer with its deliciousness. The eel in the bowl perfectly captured the aroma and flavor of the season, showcasing skill with the golden eye snapper and herring eggplant. The meal paused with a refreshing fig dressed in white sesame dressing. A wonderful course. Each dish displayed Isoda's signature perfection and balance. Looking forward to the next visit. ▪️Price▪️ Course 37,500 yen, 1.5 cups of sake ▪️Course Duration▪️ About 2 hours ▪️Dishes▪️ [White Cuttlefish Somen] ★★ [Steamed Rice with New Ginkgo] ★★★ [Softshell Turtle] ★ [Egg Tofu and Abalone] ★★★ [Fried Dish: Bonito & Corn] ★★★ [Sashimi: Abalone] Akashi ★★★ [Bowl: Eel and Winter Melon] ★★★★ [Grilled Dish: Golden Eye Snapper] ★★★ [Simmered Dish: Herring Eggplant and Snow Peas] ★★★★ [Fig] ★★ [Meal] ★★ [Fruits] ★★ ▪️Details▪️ [White Cuttlefish Somen] ★★ White Tokyo Bay cuttlefish cut into strips like somen noodles. The chewy white cuttlefish, enhanced by ginger's sweetness, combined with the light broth's umami, okra, and yamaimo's stickiness and greenness, creating a refreshing balance. [Steamed Rice with New Ginkgo] ★★★ A satisfyingly crunchy and sticky texture, where bitterness and green fragrance are embraced by the sweetness and umami of mochi rice, creating a taste of summer. [Softshell Turtle] ★ A firm umami of the flesh and a soft umami of the fat accentuated by a refreshing sauce of soy sauce and sake. The depth of flavor is just right! [Egg Tofu and Abalone] ★★★ Egg tofu fried to perfection. The sweetness enveloped by the richness of oil, and the clear umami of the dashi gently expanding in flavor. The steamed abalone from Shimane exudes a glossy texture, elevating a soft aroma, each expressing a deeply satisfying deliciousness. A calming deliciousness. [Fried Dish: Bonito & Corn] ★★★ Drizzled with sansho pepper sauce, the clean taste of bonito enhanced by the umami of sansho pepper and sauce, with the acidity of vinegar citrus balancing well, smoothly blending deliciousness into the mouth. Juicy and moist corn, fresh and tender. [Sashimi: Abalone] Akashi ★★★ The moderately fatty and flavorful flesh, when chewed, intensifies in umami! A lively taste of summer. [Bowl: Eel and Winter Melon] ★★★★ A sip of the broth. The clear umami of kelp enters the mouth smoothly without any discord. The plump eel expands the flavor with a rich aroma, while the winter melon offers a green and earthy aroma and a refreshing sweetness, harmonizing with the broth, completing the deliciousness of the bowl! [Grilled Dish: Golden Eye Snapper] ★★★ The deep savory aroma of the scales evokes the taste of good shrimp, with the flesh rich in fat asserting its umami. The harmony with the greenness of tart vinegar enhances the flavor. [Simmered Dish: Herring Eggplant and Snow Peas] ★★★★ The juicy umami of the eggplant, absorbing just the right amount of flavor, and the dense animalistic umami and aroma of the herring. A wonderful compatibility of mutual affection, where eating eggplant makes you crave herring, and eating herring makes you crave eggplant. The balance with the tender greenness of snow peas is also excellent. [Fig] ★★ Steamed, chilled, and dressed in white sesame dressing. The sweet and rich fig enveloped in a mellow white sesame dressing, calming the mouth soaked in the deliciousness of the simmered dish. [Meal] ★★ Accompaniments: Beef in rain, pickles, and a flavorful rice cooked with small fish. [Fruits] ★★ Kyoho grapes, peach compote.

The dishes consistently used sudachi citrus, making even oily dishes refreshing. The delicate flavors and unique combinations were quite enjoyable. Highlights included white cuttlefish, okra, ginkgo rice, snapping turtle, abalone from Shimane, deep-fried egg tofu, grilled rockfish scales, corn tempura, tilefish sashimi, grilled conger eel with winter melon and golden eye snapper scales, eggplant with herring, fig and tofu salad, white rice, simmered chicken and vegetables, pickled cabbage, dried fish, red miso soup, peach compote, and 2014 Corton Grand Cru Le Rognet et Corton Ambroise. The wine had a feminine fruity aroma with a slightly sharp core, evolving into a clean and delicious taste. However, the strong acidity did not fully elevate the flavors, instead showcasing the wine's direct connection to the vineyard's potential.

Arita is located on the 2nd floor of a mixed-use building just a few minutes from Ningyocho Station. There are 8 seats at the counter. They start serving promptly at 6 o'clock. The head chef seems very young. The meal starts with dishes like crab with taro stem and okra. The beltfish is delicious with its fatty texture. The dish of sea eel and winter melon might be better without the eel. The Biwa Lake trout is excellently cooked with a hint of prickly mountain pepper. Corn tempura, sashimi, bonito, conger eel soup, sweetfish, and other summer ingredients follow, finishing with a comforting bowl of rice topped with raw egg. The seasoning is spot on, making it a great restaurant. Two highballs and 1.5 servings of sake for two people cost 72,000 yen.

Last summer, it seems that the restaurant was concerned about not being able to serve ayu due to heavy rain the day before, and they were even thinking of calling me if they couldn't get it. Haha. I'm really sorry for causing them trouble. They said the ayu is from the Mase River in Gifu Prefecture. Can't wait!! - Hairy crab with taro stem, mini okura, and cold dashi sauce poured from the top. Finished by shaving yuzu peel and squeezing yuzu. Delicious. The hairy crab, mixed with its meat and miso, combined with the umami and crunchy texture of the taro stem, makes the dashi sauce tasty, a perfect start! - Small swordfish rice steamed with mountain pepper soy sauce, grilled, and combined with steamed rice and onions. The swordfish is grilled plump and delicious! And the sweetness of the rice mixed with onions makes it like a Japanese-style risotto! - Kashiwa sea eel from Kashima and winter melon sea eel grilled white, with a thick sauce poured over it, making the skin moist and tasty! The winter melon is also deliciously tender. - Ayu tempura with Biwamasu dressing, fried for about 10 seconds, the meat is almost raw. Served with real mountain pepper soy sauce. A freshwater fish of the salmon family found only in Lake Biwa. It's a subspecies of yamame, like cherry salmon, but slightly different. The meat is raw but not raw! It melts in your mouth! Delicious! And the sauce is incredibly tasty! - Corn tempura sprinkled with salt. The texture is chewy, with a perfect balance of corn sweetness and saltiness. - Sashimi: Akou from Akashi and fresh squid from Koshiba. The fresh squid is served with yuzu salt, and the Akou is served to your liking. The fresh squid is delicious with a fresh texture and sweetness, excellent! When asked about the fish bones, they said they were for the staff meal. They won't serve them to customers... orz Akou is also a favorite of Mr. Isohata during this season, and it becomes more delicious as you chew it. - Katsunuma bonito tataki from Kesennuma, with a hint of blood taste, but light umami, combined with the crispy skin freshly grilled over charcoal, resulting in a delicious tataki. - Hamo from Awaji and Iwamizu cloud ear mushroom soup. The light-flavored soup is delicious. The hamo is plump with a sticky feeling from the arrowroot starch, and there are no bones at all, delicious! The crunchy texture of the Iwamizu cloud ear mushroom is also good. - Grilled ayu salted. It's big! The head and bones are removed before serving. Served with tadezu vinegar. It's said to be moistly grilled, and it really is! This texture is probably the first time I've experienced it. Delicious! The liver has not only bitterness but also sweetness, it's wonderful! The head and bones will be fried and served later. - Kamo eggplant fried and then stewed. Served with myoga and sansho leaves on top. It melts in your mouth and is delicious! - Ayu bone senbei. Salted ayu heads, bones, and tails fried with a coating. Fish bones are said to have a unique taste among fish bones, and it's delicious! - White fig ohitashi. The soft fig matches well with the white ohitashi, great! - Meal: White rice, simmered beef, shredded mountain pepper, pickles, red miso soup. Today's meal is a combination of white rice and the usual side dishes. First, enjoy the freshly cooked white rice with shredded mountain pepper. Then, have a second helping with the simmered beef. For the third serving, sprinkle bonito flakes and wasabi on top of rice with nori. In between, soy sauce is poured into the pot to create a scorched aroma. Finally, finish with tamago kake gohan. Full and satisfied! - Peach compote and Shine Muscat. Finally, I was able to enjoy Mr. Isohata's grilled ayu. I had pressed sushi when I came in June, but this was my first time having a whole ayu. Apparently, they don't want to grill small ayu. They are often grilled slowly for a long time, and many people enjoy eating them whole, starting from the head and bones. I haven't had much experience with moistly grilled ayu, but it was delicious. The only downside is that the head and bones will be served later.

In Ningyocho, Isoda Kegani Zuike Mini Okura offers a variety of dishes such as rice steamed with swordfish in sansho soy sauce, eel with winter melon, lightly fried Biwa trout with real sansho pepper sauce, fried corn, Kijihata (akou), Kesennuma bonito, conger eel and rock seaweed soup, ayu, and more. The food is excellent, with perfectly cooked meat disregarding the head and bones. The egg over rice with red miso soup and bonito flakes topping is delicious. The Shine Muscat and peach components are also great. The total bill was 34,000 yen, and despite some menu overlap from previous visits, the customer is very satisfied and wants to come back monthly.

Thank you for always checking out Itsumo! Follows are greatly welcomed ☺️ It's the summer Itsumo that I was looking forward to! Especially the eel, yamame trout, kisu, and sweetfish were delicious, and the deboned sweetfish was an amazing dish! Looking forward to this again next year... The menu for July dinner is below: Hairy crab with zucchini, mini okra and dashi ankake, steamed rice with beltfish and sansho soy sauce, white-grilled sea eel with onion, winter melon and yamame trout fried for 10 seconds with real sansho pepper sauce, Awaji akou (yellowback seabream) with salt and sudachi, Chiba bonito, Awaji kisu, Noto rock seaweed and Gujo Nagara River natural sweetfish deboned and served with tade vinegar, steamed fig with white sesame dressing, chilled once steamed and served with bamboo shoot rice and white rice, Uji Kyoto egg over rice, bonito rice, scorched rice, ochazuke, shredded mountain pepper beef, konomono, peach compote and blueberry.

I visited Isoda after a long time... I was looking forward to experiencing Isoda in the summer, but it exceeded my expectations in terms of deliciousness... From steaming to grilling, the timing of serving was exquisite, allowing the full flavor of the ingredients to come out. I am very satisfied. Reservations are not available until the end of the year... I will have to wait until the new year for my next visit. I am already looking forward to it.

Located just 2 minutes from Ningyocho Station, Iiota-san's dishes are becoming even more delicious. This season, they have ayu and unagi, which I love. The dishes I enjoyed included: satoimo with hairy crab and okra, rice steamed with beltfish, onion, and sansho soy sauce, Kagoshima sea eel with winter melon, Awaji Ako (Kijihata) with salt and sudachi, Lake Biwa trout with sansho pepper, fried corn, Chiba bonito tataki, Awaji conger eel, Noto rock seaweed soup, Ma-se River ayu salt-grilled boneless, ayu bone senbei and head, Kamo eggplant and myoga cooked together, fig with white miso dressing, white rice, beef shigure rice, small dried fish rice, katsuobushi rice, okaka rice, tamago kake gohan, okoge, peach compote, and blueberry soup. The rock seaweed still had a crisp texture and went well with the fatty conger eel. The ayu's bones add to its deliciousness, and turning them into senbei after grilling allows you to enjoy the taste twice. I was fully satisfied until the last meal today. 22:20 Kimika Matsuno Ma_Ki

This time, I had the summer course at a private party. The menu was full of summer dishes, very gentle and not heavy on the stomach despite eating a lot of Japanese food. Menu items included hairy crab, cutlassfish grilled, grilled eel, grilled blackthroat seaperch, corn tempura, gurnard sashimi, conger eel soup, grilled sweetfish, eggplant, fig, rice with mixed ingredients, egg, dried young sardines, bonito flakes, etc.

At Natsu no Iwata, I enjoyed a meal in a cozy and relaxing atmosphere as always. The steamed rice dish with hairy crab, okra, and swordfish was delicious, and my favorites were the hairy crab, steamed rice, and conger eel. The dessert of peach compote and blueberries was consistently delicious. The simplicity and deliciousness of the rice were wonderful. This is a restaurant I want to visit each season. Looking forward to my next visit.

As the title suggests, this is a restaurant with a Kyoto flavor. It is located on the 2nd floor of a building a 3-minute walk from exit A3 of the Toei Asakusa Line Ningyocho Station. The chef, Mr. Iwata, trained under Mr. Hoshino for 9 years before becoming independent in April 2021. It has already been 2 years. I have been visiting once every two months since the opening, as I have known him since his days at Shinbashi Hoshino. While he was reserved during his training days, he has now transformed his character, and his current self is his true self. On this day, I enjoyed delicate dishes that draw on the flow of Kyoto flavor with summer ingredients. The rice-steamed swordfish, deboned Ayu from Masegawa, hairy crab with yam stems, Awaji conger eel soup, grilled sea eel, Kamo eggplant assortment, and especially the white rice in the earthenware pot were exquisite. I even had a bowl of rice with raw egg. Thank you for the feast!

It was excellent! King crab and lotus root, beltfish and sticky rice, eel and winter melon, cherry trout tempura, corn tempura, monkfish sashimi, conger eel soup, grilled ayu fish, Kamo eggplant, fig with white miso, meal: white rice with beef simmered in sweet soy sauce, pickles, peach and blueberry. Total bill per person 36,000 yen.

This is my third visit to Isoda, a day to show appreciation to my wife. I was looking forward to enjoying ayu this summer, but unfortunately they were not available. Instead, we had masu from Lake Biwa. The conger eel dish was excellent, with a delicate sweetness. The softshell turtle ankake was also outstanding, the broth really makes a difference. Despite the scorching heat, we enjoyed a refreshing summer meal. We even took home the grilled rice cracker on the iron plate as a souvenir. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

I made a reservation during the sweetfish season. The dish with hairy crab, taro stem, and mini okura in a cold crab paste stands out with the rich taste of hairy crab, the texture of taro stem, and the depth added by the paste. The steamed swordfish with fatty swordfish mixed with sticky rice and sweet onion, along with the impact of sansho soy sauce, harmonizes well in the mouth. The softshell turtle with egg tofu in silver paste overwhelms with the umami of softshell turtle broth in the mouth, accompanied by a good aroma that makes this dish more than just about umami. The tempura of Biwa trout lightly coated in batter and fried rare, served with a sauce made of real sansho, melts in the mouth with a clear taste. The tempura of corn, a favorite for everyone, especially the sweet corn from Shizuoka, is excellently paired with salt. The sashimi of rockfish, served with seaweed, features Awaji rockfish that remains crunchy even with the heat of the broth. The salt-grilled sweetfish from the Masu River in Gifu is notably large and delicious due to its diet, especially the liver. The steamed abalone from Shimane allows one to savor the direct goodness of abalone. The soup with conger eel and rock seaweed combines the delicate Awaji conger eel with crispy rock seaweed, resulting in a clean and tasty soup. The grilled eggplant with wild ginger and myoga offers a refreshing taste when eaten together. The white miso-dressed figs served cold after a hot dish were perfectly balanced. The dried shirasu fish rice, not completely dried, is a favorite of mine from Isoda-san. The beef simmered in sweet soy sauce over rice has a balanced ginger sweetness in the mouth. The egg and beef simmered over rice is a delightful combination of cold simmered beef on top of the egg. Adding bonito flakes to the egg over rice is a recommended option. The burnt salt enhances the flavor of the dish. Coating rice with cold simmered beef fat is my go-to, providing a rich flavor. The tea-soaked dried shirasu fish and pickled plum rice is a special version with a refreshing taste from the plum and tea. The peach compote with a strong acidity refreshingly concludes the meal. Isoda-san was truly amazing!

Isonoya is a calm and welcoming Japanese restaurant in Ningyocho, known for its deep flavors that bring out the best in ingredients. It is considered one of the top restaurants in Ningyocho and is on par with top-class Kyoto-style restaurants in Tokyo. Today, I invited a friend to dine with me. We started with a toast of Oolong tea and enjoyed dishes like Hokkaido hairy crab with taro stem and mini okra, swordfish rice steamed with sansho pepper soy sauce, softshell turtle stew with winter melon and vegetables, crispy fried rainbow trout with real sansho soy sauce, and more. Each dish was a delightful experience. The meal ended with a comforting dessert of ripe and sweet white peach compote with blueberries and white wine jelly. The chef's personal farewell made the dining experience even more enjoyable. Thank you for another wonderful day at Isonoya!