I am wrapping up my Tokyo series this time with Ishikawa, 3 Michelin starred kaiseki restaurant, located behind Bishamonten temple. When kaiseki style cooking is concerned, less is usually more. Chef Hideki Ishikawa follows the traditional kaiseki rules by celebrating simplicity and seasonality. Michelin describes him as innovative, but the innovation here is minimal. Ishikawa is still pretty classic, but the ingredients are exquisite and the host himself is warm and charming.
Ishikawa: 5-37 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, tel. 03-5225-0173
Ikura with yuzu zestKing fish tempura with gingko nuts ( this dish was supposed to be turtle tempura, but was replaced for me as I don’t eat turtles..)Yuba dumpling, turnip, yuzu zest, matsutake. ( It was matsutake season, so the mushroom was present in all kaiseki restaurants menus)Sea bream sashimi. What one cannot see from he pictures is the sublime quality of the ingredients. It’s all about the ingredients in Japan.Abalone in abalone stockGrilled tilefishBeef tongue with tofu and eggplantGolden eye snapper,tuber and konnyaku in dashi stockRice with hairy crab from HokkaidoPear sorbet with grapes and peachThe very charming Hideki Ishikawa
