I visited the restaurant "Kabi" in Meguro-ku, Tokyo. Although I initially thought it would be a French cuisine innovation, it leans more towards Japanese cuisine. It's categorized on Tabelog as creative cuisine, natural food, and wine bar. While the taste and concept differ, it reminds me somewhat of AKAI in Hiroshima. Kabi seems to challenge the notion of traditional Japanese cuisine, aiming to represent what modern Japanese cuisine means to them. The name "Kabi" may symbolize Japan's food culture rooted in fermentation, like koji molds. Despite some negative reviews, I appreciate their boldness. Success isn't guaranteed, but their philosophy is clear. It's been five years since Kabi opened in 2017, and I hope they keep evolving to avoid being left behind. The food was delicious overall, but having a standout dish could elevate the experience. The pairing was intriguing and successful in my opinion, reminiscent of NAKADO in Hiroshima. I admire the owner chef and sommelier, who also model for Paul Smith. It's inspiring for aspiring chefs, despite the tendency to criticize in Japanese society. I dislike such negativity and urge them to persevere.

Visited with my family of four for my eldest daughter's birthday celebration. The restaurant seemed to be a renovated old folk house along Meguro Street, boasting spaciousness with large windows and high ceilings. While the ambiance was quite dim, enhancing the atmosphere, it made reading the fine print on wine labels a challenge for those with aging eyes. We were initially handed menus listing only the ingredients, sparking excitement. The menu comprised mainly of hearty soup-based dishes, enjoyed with a spoon. Though each dish had small portions, we savored a variety of twelve ingredients. It was just the right amount for a nearly sixty-year-old man and women. Considering three of us opted for pairings, the bill was reasonable, given the location and quality of the cuisine.

The atmosphere, service, and cuisine were all fantastic with surprises at every turn! The staff and customers were mostly foreigners, creating a unique, non-Japanese ambiance. While I initially thought the portion sizes were small dish by dish, by the end, it was just the right level of satisfaction. The seasoning, highlighting the natural flavors of the ingredients, left no guilt. It's a bit pricey, so I'd like to visit again on a special occasion!

I visited the restaurant "kabi," a sister store of the highly delicious Caveman in Dodomachi. The name "kabi" comes from "mold," and true to its name, the restaurant emphasizes fermentation. Each dish is carefully grilled over charcoal, resulting in a delightful and aromatic flavor (similar to Caveman, where charcoal grilling makes a significant difference compared to pan-frying). The first dish was a luxurious eel, reminiscent of the quality served in eel specialty restaurants. Especially delightful was the corn short pasta—unusual in shape, it perfectly complemented the corn and had a rich and tasty sauce. Similar to Caveman, the main dish with butter and salted koji sauce was incredibly flavorful and delicious. I got the recipe to try making it at home, but it seems challenging to replicate the same taste, and I might not attempt it. The dishes were served on beautiful, earthy-looking plates specially crafted by Mr. Etsushi Noguchi from Tanegashima, as I learned when inquiring about them. The non-alcoholic drinks accompanying the meal were the best I've ever had in any restaurant. The first was a grapefruit, white asparagus, and hamanasu (Japanese rose) drink. The creativity in using asparagus peel discarded as broth and incorporating it into the drink's ingredients was impressive. The second was a beet and long pepper drink, where the smoke from searing the pepper before pouring it into the glass added a unique performance. Despite containing no pepper, the drink had a captivating peppery aroma with each sip. Not too sweet, it paired well with the dishes, unlike typical overly sweet non-alcoholic drinks. They create seasonal fruit and herb-based drinks, and I'm eager to revisit for these unique beverages. Sitting at the counter allows engaging with the staff, and I even learned how to make elderflower syrup from the lady making the drinks. It's the essence of dining out to discover recipes one wouldn't usually attempt at home. Though a bit inconvenient to reach from the station, it's a restaurant worth the journey. Thank you for the delightful meal!

Kabi is a restaurant located on Meguro Street. It's about a 10-minute walk from Meguro Station. The interior has a feeling of being renovated from an old traditional house. With a counter and two tables, there are also private rooms in the back. They retained the ceiling beams from the original traditional house, and combined with white plaster walls and wooden tables adorned with cloths, it creates a casual yet sophisticated atmosphere. The background music is ambient. The chef trained in Denmark, and the menu is influenced by Nordic cuisine. The dishes are served in small portions with a focus on seafood, mountain vegetables, and vegetables. Many dishes feature fermented sauces. The appetizers include tempura of northern clams and carpaccio of bluefin tuna. The tempura coating is light and crispy. The carpaccio, with added Danish pine nuts, undergoes flavor changes. The raw red clam is paired with slightly fermented vegetables. Raw sweet shrimp is combined with citrus to add flavor variety, and fermented sauce is used for seasoning. The texture combinations were excellent. Sea bream is prepared in a pine needle grill with kale on the side. The grill has a scaled texture, while the kale has a robust texture. Softening the texture a bit might improve the dish. Smoked mackerel is coated in something green. The clams cooked over fire are paired with vegetables and seasoned with fermented sauce. The clams have a strong elasticity, making them a bit challenging to bite through. The pasta is unique, incorporating butterbur sprouts. The palate cleanser, resembling Japanese pickles, is vibrant in color. Shinshu black pork is well-prepared, and the accompanying new onion is delicious. It was surprising to have rice porridge as the finale. However, it likely has oil kneaded into it, so it tastes slightly different from traditional Japanese rice porridge. The first dessert was excellent, combining various citrus fruits with yogurt, maintaining a delicate balance of acidity and sweetness. The service is not formal, but the staff is friendly, engaging in conversation, and provides detailed explanations of the dishes. The wine selection leans towards lighter flavors. Despite smaller portions, the dishes, incorporating fermentation creatively, are very distinctive.

The atmosphere is excellent. The staff's hospitality was also good. There are many dishes that make the most of the broth, and there are a lot of creatively crafted dishes. It's a restaurant where you look forward to what comes next. This time, we opted for the pairing, and I also liked the choice of drinks. They pour more when it's empty, so the drinks go down easily. I thought the cost performance was unexpectedly good. I would like to visit again.

(※The photo is just a part.) It's a very thoughtfully crafted dish, and it's cooked with care. It's not bad at all. However, the portion size gives a rather restrained impression. Considering the price, I felt it's a bit much... I understand there may be the restaurant's policies and thoughts, but I wish there was at least some bread as a side. Looking forward to improvements in the future.

Summer's delicious memories. Cool and refreshing, visually and tastefully pleasing. A long-awaited Kabi Dinner, requested for a birthday celebration, finally happened! The adorable green creature, their signature dish, turned out to be a sushi with sardines and cream cheese, creatively crafted. Portion sizes were small, but the variety of dishes was ample, making it an artistically delightful meal. I love such culinary masterpieces. The ambiance of the restaurant was chic and just to my liking. Couldn't stop chatting, so we headed upstairs to Kabinikai for some coffee. It was a wonderful birthday celebration.

This is my first visit. The interior is lovely! "KUE Soup" - Broth made from the head of a kue fish, garnished with chopped parsley, chives, charcoal, and truffle oil. "Shiitake" - Shiitake mushrooms confit grilled over charcoal, topped with dried powdered salted pig heart. "Anago" - Tempura of sea eel topped with tomato and plum powder. "Aji sushi" - Vinegar-marinated horse mackerel and sushi rice wrapped in shiso leaves, with a hint of cheese and miso. "Broccoli" - Scallop marinated in miso for a day, broccoli pickle with fermented green pea juice, clam sauce, finished with pine oil and mint. "Vegetables" - Boiled kale and spinach with emulsified butter, salted pufferfish ovaries, further fermented with koji to make sauce. "Tsukemono" - Daikon radish peeled in a katsuobushi style, on top of rice bran pickles with chrysanthemum pickles, a layer of thousand leaves pickles at the bottom, finished with fig oil and tomato extract. "Sawara" - Charcoal-grilled matured Spanish mackerel. "Kamo" - Roasted duck with Nara pickles. "Ojiya" - Ojiya (rice porridge) with crucian carp sushi topped with yogurt powder. "Pannacotta" and "Sake" - It was a great satisfaction! I will definitely come back again!

【Highlights】A next-generation style of cuisine crafted by a chef and sommelier with overseas experience. The interior, renovated from an old Japanese house, exudes openness and is filled with fermented elements. Non-alcoholic pairings are also recommended. --- We ordered the following lunch course priced at 8,800 yen: 1. Squid and seasonal salad 2. Eel and pineapple bean pasta 3. Lamb stew with rice porridge 4. Chocolate and cherry salad --- At first glance, the salad resembled pickles, but inside were vegetables like squid, kohlrabi, and zucchini dressed with cassis oil, showcasing delicate seasoning that brings out the natural flavors of the vegetables. --- Next up was an unusual combination of grilled eel with pineapple, accompanied by couscous and mayonnaise made with vegetable oil. The crispy eel and sweet pineapple pairing was innovative yet delightful. --- The third dish was a pasta made with fermented green peas and fig oil, featuring a colorful array of beans such as green peas and snap peas. --- For the main course, we enjoyed a lamb stew finished with a sauce made from lamb broth, complemented by various summer vegetables like zucchini, turnips, tomatoes, and fava beans. The dish was adorned with flowers, adding a touch of elegance. --- The rice porridge, made with Okinawan 25-grain rice and young corn, had a gentle flavor with a hint of sourness from the burnt butter, leaving a comforting sensation. --- Lastly, the dessert consisted of a cherry-based dish with sabayon sauce, mint sorbet, and baked chocolate, creating a harmonious blend of flavors where the mint wasn't overpowering but rather played a delightful melody. --- The dishes presented innovative and unimaginable combinations, offering surprises while emphasizing the essence of each ingredient. Looking forward to trying their dinner menu next time. Thank you for the exquisite meal. --- Check out my other posts if you enjoyed this one! @foodie_ol_diary

I visited this restaurant with my mom friends in April, a place I've been wanting to go for a long time. They serve lunch only on Saturdays, and getting a reservation was quite challenging, but we finally made it. We took a bus from Meguro Station to get there. The interior of the restaurant is spacious with exposed concrete walls, and there is an open kitchen along with table seating. The menu for April included: - Cherry Salmon and Citrus - Oyster and Snow-Covered Cabbage - Orecchiette Pasta - Roasted Shinshu Kurobuta Pork - Rice Porridge - Cherry Blossom Ice Cream We were pleasantly surprised to find not only wine but also sake for pairing with the dishes. The final pairing with Amami Black Sugar Shochu and coffee was delightful. The spring-themed dishes were all modern and fresh, providing a variety of sensory delights.

Visited a fermented restaurant and the famous KABI. It seems they renovated an old folk house, creating a fantastic atmosphere. There's a bar on the second floor, and you can hear the stairs creaking when you go to the restroom, which is amusing. In the middle of the restroom, there's a fermentation space where something seems to be fermenting, perhaps seasonings. Upon seating, you can enjoy watching the cooking unfold right in front of you. We ordered the alcohol pairing course and had beer, wine, sake, and cocktails, which paired excellently. While there wasn't much explanation about fermentation regarding the dishes, they were artistic creations made with a synchronized combination in the kitchen. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

I visited this restaurant twice for lunch and it quickly became my favorite. This time, I fulfilled my wish for a dinner visit. While the main seating is at the counter, there are also two table seats and private rooms at the back. The restaurant offers only omakase courses, priced at 7,000 yen for lunch and 13,000 yen for dinner (as of January 2022). On this day, my partner and I opted out of the pairing and enjoyed tea (800 yen) and a glass of wine (1,600 yen) each. Course Highlights: 1. Amuse-Bouche: A bite-sized pastry topped with turnips, sunchokes, and Nara pickles. 2. Razor Clam: Served with daikon radish in a Genovese sauce. 3. Yellowtail Sashimi: Served with arugula in a delicate broth. 4. Fried Prawns: Filled with prawns, lotus root, taro, and a vinegar-miso sauce. 5. Ankimo (Monkfish Liver): Topped with various ingredients like orange, kumquat, carrot, cream, and pumpkin seeds in a rich sauce. 6. Mackerel Sushi: With wasabi cheese miso and perilla leaves. 7. Fresh Oyster: With mayonnaise, herbs, orrechiette pasta, pickled radish, and cream cheese. 8. Saury: Grilled saury with charcoal-roasted vegetables, pickles, and green onion fritters. 9. Venison: Hokkaido venison grilled with Chiima di rapa (Italian turnip), served with deer broth, Jerusalem artichoke paste, black garlic, and fermented blueberries. 10. Rice Porridge: A risotto-style porridge with blowfish roe and topped with salmon roe. 11. Strawberry Soup: Featuring fig panna cotta, balsamic vinegar, and sorbet with fermented rose and lychee. 12. Black Soybean Ice Cream: A dessert with chocolate mousse, kumquat, burdock chips, and whipped cream. In total, there were 14 luxurious courses, showcasing the restaurant's unique and immersive dining experience. Kabi's cuisine is truly a genre of dining that engages all the senses—seeing, smelling, hearing, and tasting. No matter how many times I visit, it always provides a different and delightful experience. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Chef Shouhei Yasuda, who was also selected for Forbes' "30 UNDER 30," teams up with sommelier Kentaro Emoto. Both honed their skills abroad before returning to open kabi. They offer a unique style of Japanese cuisine using fermentation techniques from Denmark. The restaurant is known for its innovative pairings, not limited to wine, and has a strong emphasis on space and tableware. However, for someone like me, the cost-performance ratio is a concern. The portion sizes are small, the number of dishes is not high, and the lunch course is mainly chicken, yet the price is relatively high. With a large staff, one wonders if labor costs are significant. While the quality is high, it feels like a luxury brand with high prices, making it hard to justify a return visit among many other good restaurants.

The novelty of the dishes, the service, and the hospitality were all fantastic! Each dish incorporated the trendy fermentation element, and the pairing was spot on. Especially, the combination of the final droplets of aged sake and the special porridge was outstanding! The sweetness of the sake enhanced the richness of the porridge, making it truly delicious!

Kabi in Fudomae, Meguro. This restaurant is housed in an old building with a fair distance from any station, maintaining its original charm. Despite being in the heart of the city, it has an atmosphere that draws people specifically to it. When it first opened a few years ago, fermentation as a cooking method wasn't very common in French or Italian cuisine in Japan. It was pioneering in specializing in this modern cooking technique. Due to various reasons like the pandemic, I hadn't visited for quite some time, but I finally went back for lunch after a long while. SCALLOPS AND LILIES: This dish featured seared scallops with a hint of bitterness and umami from vegetables like (probably) arugula, lily bulbs, and Brussels sprouts. It was paired with a sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy. It had been disgorged after resting for an impressive 77 months, resulting in a wine with rich flavor and aroma. It was my first time trying it, and it was truly outstanding. Initially, they seemed to focus more on wines from Cross Wines, but lately, they seem to have expanded their selection. ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES: A dish of roasted seasonal vegetables with a sauce made from cabbage. It was accompanied by nasturtium leaves. The pairing was with a Gewurztraminer from Laurent Bannwarth. Although it's a dry wine, it had a lovely floral character, which was quite intriguing. They offer wine by the glass, and it's easy to get carried away with the pairings. TROFIE: Handmade trofie pasta with a texture that stood out. While trofie is often paired with tomato sauce, this variation with carrot and bottarga in an oil-based sauce was quite interesting. It was paired with a Maìgamà from Sardinia, which was my first time having a white wine from there. It had a firm structure with pronounced saltiness that complemented the bottarga well. ROASTED CHICKEN: The main course was roasted chicken, moist and tender. It was paired with a Burgundy wine, but it had stronger tannins than what I'd expect from the region. Burgundy is often associated with elegance, but many French actually prefer robust wines, perhaps indicating their ideal style. The tannins balanced well with the sauce and kale bitterness, enhancing the flavor. OJIYA: The meal concluded with Ojiya, a comforting porridge. Despite the small portion, it was satisfying. It was paired with Daiginjo sake from Terada Honke, which is a relatively straightforward pairing. They seem to use Terada Honke quite often, and while this one had a higher alcohol content, it retained the usual lactic and cheesy notes. Given its sweetness, it might be interesting to pair it with spicier dishes. BLACK BEAN ICE CREAM: A dessert of black bean ice cream with a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness from ingredients like chocolate and burdock root. The paired cocktail, made with black sugar shochu-based coffee, was skillfully balanced. The decision to serve it in a thin glass with ice was commendable. Overall, there's less emphasis on fermentation cooking compared to before, and the wine pairings are not overly adventurous, catering more to general tastes. Consequently, the excitement might have slightly diminished, but the overall experience remains enjoyable.

I visited this restaurant for the second time for lunch after falling in love with it during my previous visit in February. It's a creative cuisine restaurant with a theme centered around fermented dishes, and it has been a popular and talked-about spot since its opening. The atmosphere inside is casual and spacious, with a team of young chefs. They pay attention not only to the food but also to the plates and cutlery, providing a visually enjoyable experience. For lunch, there is only one set menu priced at 7,000 yen, with the option to add pairing. For reference, dinner also offers only one set menu priced at 13,000 yen, with non-alcoholic pairing at 20,000 yen and alcoholic pairing at 21,000 yen. [Lunch Course Structure] 1. Squid and Cheema Dip: Grilled Cheema dip (a type of vegetable) and squid served with Japanese sake sauce, yuzu and sudachi citrus sauce, and basil oil. The rich Japanese sake sauce and refreshing citrus aroma complement each other well. The grilled Cheema dip adds a delightful subtle sweetness. 2. Scallop and Vegetables: Scallops and vegetables from Tsumagoi Village (daikon radish, turnip, red turnip, spinach) served with butter sauce fermented with Chinese cabbage and emulsified juice sauce. Although slightly salty, the creamy and gentle sauce enhances the sweetness of the vegetables. 3. Trofie: Pasta shaped like trofie served with deer ragout sauce and carrots, topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese. The ragout sauce, simmered to perfection, is light due to the deer meat, and the cheese adds richness. 4. Grilled Chicken: The main meat dish is a simple presentation of grilled Kabi chicken, which is remarkably tender and juicy. Accompanied by three types of vegetables: Brussels sprouts, kale, and pumpkin. The sauce made from chicken broth, needless to say, pairs perfectly with both the vegetables and the chicken. 5. Ojiya (Rice Porridge): The finale is a fitting Ojiya, made with fugu ovaries topped with large flakes of dried sardines. Made with 25-grain rice, this Ojiya has a delightful chewiness and a strong acidity that also exudes a gentle warmth. It was my favorite dish this time. 6. Sweet Potato and Chocolate Banana Ice Cream: Chocolate banana ice cream served with sweet potato pound cake, whipped cream, nuts, and topped with Jerusalem artichoke chips. A delicious and generous dessert plate. The chocolate banana ice cream is exactly what you'd imagine, with just the right amount of sweetness and a refreshing whipped cream. The chocolate crumble adds a pleasant texture. Just like my first visit, I am continuously impressed by the unexpected flavors of the dishes throughout the meal. It's a restaurant that consistently delights and amazes, and I look forward to visiting again in a different season. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Descending Gonokosaka from Meguro Station and heading westward along Meguro Street, tonight we visit "Kabi," a restaurant that has become a topic of conversation in Tokyo for its rare Nordic style. It's located around Meguro Parasitological Museum and "Restaurant Unique" area. The establishment, renovated from a private residence, boasts a surprisingly spacious interior with around 10 counter seats and several table seats. There are also private rooms towards the back. The restaurant is led by the duo of Chef Shohei Yasuda and Sommelier Kentaro Emoto. Both garnered experience in renowned overseas establishments, then reunited in Japan to open this restaurant in 2017. The alcohol pairing tailored to the dishes costs around ¥10,000 including tax. They showcase treasures from around the world, including sake and cocktails, which, as a staunch advocate of French wines, didn't quite suit my palate. While I thought about just ordering a bottle of wine, I also acknowledge that the restaurant's concept thrives on its beverage pairings. We started with a dashi broth infused with the flavor of matsutake mushrooms, reminiscent of a soup served in an earthenware pot. The octopus followed, decent in taste but lacking in portion. Then came the bonito, sea bream, and fig tempura, each served in small portions that made it hard to remember what we were eating. The chicken liver had a decent portion and paired well with Japanese sake, but oddly, it was served with a Sicilian rosé. The mackerel, again in a small serving, included cheese, leaving us unsure of the appropriate reaction to its taste. There was a plate resembling a variety of simmered dishes, with scallops included as a token addition, but it lacked any memorable flavor. The anolini (a type of ravioli) seemed promising in direction but needed at least three times the portion. Finally, the horse mackerel arrived in a decent portion, yet the bland ingredients and subtle seasoning left much to be desired. The main dish was labeled as "beef," but what arrived was a thin slice of meat, leaving us exchanging puzzled looks. It felt like a pop fly before even discussing whether it was delicious or not. The finale, a dessert of ginger-infused Mont Blanc, finally provided a portion size worthy of discussion, the highlight of the meal. After consuming all this, with alcohol pairings, the bill amounted to around ¥26,000 per person. While neither the ingredients nor the wines seemed particularly luxurious, the price felt exorbitant. The abundance of staff somewhat justified the cost, though their slow pace in serving dishes raised questions about their efficiency. Furthermore, the variability in service quality, from overly verbose explanations to poor use of honorific language, fell short for a restaurant charging a 10% service fee. Nonetheless, Kabi stands out as a fancy and unique establishment, offering cuisine akin to imaginary numbers, challenging the norms of Tokyo's restaurant scene. While not recommended for those who prefer a single ingredient, sauce, and one glass of wine per dish, it might appeal to those with a worldview akin to Hiroyuki Machida. The restaurant's direction and establishment reminded me somewhat of Kyoto's "LURRA°." For the original blog post with photos, click here: [link to the blog post].

Two weeks ago, we made a reservation through TableCheck for a visit at 8:30 pm on Friday. Since the location was a bit tricky, we took a taxi. ☆＊ <Summer Kabi> Dinner Menu ×2 = 15,400 yen - Peach Soup - Fresh Tomato and Cheese - Raw Oysters and Summer Vegetables - Ricotta Ravioli - Ezo Deer with Fermented Blueberry Sauce - Somen Noodles - Peach and Plum Jelly ＊ Wine Pairing ×2 = 13,000 yen ＊ Additional Beer = 1,200 yen The total was 29,720 yen, and we paid with a credit card. The alcohol pairing started with Saison at an amazing intensity. It continued seamlessly even after we finished, making us quite happy! The Peach Soup and Fresh Tomato were refreshing, giving a sense of summer. The next pairing featured the trendy Mezcal in a cocktail with watermelon, seasoned with shichimi and salt—an exquisite combination! The oysters from a deserted island in Hiroshima were incredibly creamy. And finally, the beginning of Natural Wine—a Chardonnay from Burgundy, France, with a clean taste and a touch of acidity. The red was a Gamay from Beaujolais, France, by Baptiste Cousin—unfiltered and stemless. Despite not being a fan of the aroma, it tasted delicious. The Ezo Deer was tender, and the Manganji chili was refreshing. The finish was with Okayama's Kamogawa Somen, accompanied by shiso oil. The pairing was a Yamahai Junmai sake from Gunma's Shimaoka Shuzo—Maikaze! The dessert with plum and peach was refreshing, giving a true sense of summer. The last pairing was Capriade—a sparkling wine from the Loire region, France, made with Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes. It had a cool sweetness, refreshing acidity, and a tight, rich mineral character, making it truly outstanding. Each dish and drink was delicious, but the explanations varied depending on the server, and I wished for more insight into the pairing choices. Nevertheless, it was an all-around natural experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely want to come back next summer to Summer Kabi! The restaurant has a current rating on Tabelog of 3.63 (as of August 2021) without making it to the top rankings!

Restaurant located in Meguro. Visited for lunch on a weekday. Reservation only. Always fully booked popular spot. Usually open for dinner only, but offered lunch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning to regular operation on April 1st. Interior features a designer space with exposed concrete. Seating consists of an L-shaped counter surrounding an open kitchen. BGM varies from lively house music to Yuming's arrangements and folk songs, creating a free-spirited atmosphere. Staff are all young, and there are quite a few despite the small space. Clientele mostly comprises women in their twenties. Cutlery is simple, with only chopsticks and spoons provided. [Lunch Course] (6,600 yen): - Sliced Japanese citrus and squid with shaved kombu, Sichuan pepper, olive oil, and jasmine tea fermented sour cream. - Yellowtail tartare with grated horseradish, cheese, crisp lettuce, and mild-flavored rapeseed blossoms with fermented green pea and miso sauce, accentuated with a hint of wasabi. - Spring root vegetables with fermented rice sauce, featuring warm potatoes, carrots, and black cabbage in a butter sauce infused with water-soaked rice koji, complemented by the sweetness of the carrots. - Shabu-shabu of Ooyama chicken with Madeira sauce, perilla, rapeseed blossoms, and sansho pepper, evoking the scents of spring. - Bean rice porridge made with 25-grain rice, fava beans, green beans, burnt butter, Ooyama chicken shabu-shabu broth, and cheese acidity as a unique accent. - Ruby chocolate and cherry blossom mousse with butterbur ice cream, strawberry sauce, fresh and semi-dried strawberries, matcha sponge, and cinnamon galette. [Alcohol Pairing] Offers an interesting lineup, with the option to add more for those who wish. - Heretic LAGER (Germany): Craft beer with a hint of sweetness and a beautiful golden color. - Morillon vom Opoc 2018 (Austria): Rich and rounded, to personal taste. - Pale green Junmai Ginjo (Gunma): A dark-colored sake reminiscent of namazake. - Julien Guilot Cuvee Auguste Bourgogne 2018 (Burgundy): Smooth red wine. - Paradai Sake Junmai Namagenshu (Chiba): Sweet and dessert-like sake. - Festejar! (France/Auvergne): Gamay sparkling wine, light and gentle, suitable for women due to its overall light flavor and volume. The dishes were sensitive and evocative, capturing the essence of spring.

I had been curious about Kabi for a while and finally visited for lunch on Sunday. Even under a state of emergency, it's one of the places that has been creatively adjusting its operations, such as offering brunch and transforming into a wine bar. Recently, they seem to be serving brunch on weekdays and a special course menu on weekends. (Please check in advance as the situation may change.) As someone who enjoys Nordic-inspired innovative restaurants like Sublime and Crony, I've been wanting to go but never found the right time until now. It's about a taxi meter's ride from Meguro Station, with buses also available from the station. It's a bit of a walk if you're on foot. The restaurant boldly features floor-to-ceiling glass walls, with an interior that includes counter seats surrounding an open kitchen, table seats, and a second-floor seating area. Both lunch and dinner offer a single course menu, with a wide selection of drinks including pairings, alcohol, tea, and juices made with specialty domestic fruits. **Course Menu - 6,000 yen** 1. Sawara (Spanish mackerel) and lettuce 2. Carrot and couscous: Colorful carrots and nuts with couscous, served with a sauce seasoned with spices and wine vinegar. Sour cream at the bottom allows for a change in taste. 3. Ezo deer tartare: Tartare of Ezo deer with capers, topped with fried and sautéed Jerusalem artichokes. 4. Warm seasonal salad: A salad featuring turnips and spinach, underlaid with a sauce of clams and cream. The salad is impressively finished, rich yet not heavy, with the turnips soft yet crispy. 5. Roasted yellowtail from Oyama Fresh Fish Store: A large piece of yellowtail under red turnips, topped with basil paste and accented with green onion oil. 6. Chocolate mousse and red bean ice cream: Fluffy chocolate mousse with whipped cream, red bean ice cream, stewed red beans, topped with meringue and strawberries. The combination of chocolate and red beans is surprisingly harmonious, each not overpowering the other, creating a fusion that brings out the best of Japanese flavors with the comforting taste of stewed red beans. The course progressed in a natural flow without sticking to the traditional structure of starting with appetizers, then soup, main course, etc., showcasing their unique sense of style without any sense of discomfort. The presentation of the dishes, the combination of ingredients, and the utilization of textures throughout the meal constantly reflected a high level of creativity. The warm salad and dessert were particularly memorable for me among the uniquely delicious dishes at Kabi. Overall, the restaurant is filled with a sense of style and dedication. Just being there makes you feel as if your own sensibilities have been elevated. Yet, the warm atmosphere of the restaurant also makes it incredibly comfortable. Since the menu changes monthly, I'm already looking forward to visiting again soon. Thank you for the wonderful meal!