Nov 29, '12

3* Azabu Yukimura

Lightly steamed sea urchin with lobster broth jelly and flying fish roe
Lightly steamed sea urchin with lobster broth jelly and flying fish roe

Michelin Tokyo 2013 is out and once again the Japanese capital has kept its position as the most Michelin starred city in the world. Azabu Yukimura is one of the 3 Michelin stars restaurants I’ve been recently. Like so many other top restaurants in Japan, it’s a small, minimalistic and design-wise modest place impossible to find. The chef, Yukimura san, is Kyoto trained, but I wouldn’t say that his cooking is traditional kaiseki. The presentation of the dishes is quite a freestyle and some of them,  like spring roll with Azuki beans, could even be considered as fusion. For one thing, Yukimura san is very traditional. The knife he uses for shearing pike bones is made by the legendary  Aritsugu knife producer (who used to make swords for the Imperial House of Japan and samurais). The knife as well as the chef’s shearing skills were impressive!

The menu ( translated for me specially as I was the only foreigner that night)
The menu ( translated for me specially as I was the only foreigner that night)
Pike eel, tofu and Japanese ginger Myouga soup (everything was cooked in front of you)
Pike eel, tofu and Japanese ginger Myouga soup (everything was cooked in front of you)
Horse mackerel with grated cucumber sauce and radish
Horse mackerel with grated cucumber sauce and radish
Soba with grated dried mullet roe
Soba with grated dried mullet roe
Charcoal grilled fresh river fish Ayu
Charcoal grilled fresh river fish Ayu
Shearing the pike bones
Shearing the pike bones
Pike eel Hamo with Japanese pepper leaf
Pike eel Hamo with Japanese pepper leaf
Aritsugu knife
Aritsugu knife
Pickles
Pickles
Rice with fava beans
Rice with fava beans
Grapefruit with jelly dessert
Grapefruit with jelly dessert
Spring roll with Azuki beans
Spring roll with Azuki beans
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