The Bar Has Been Raised.

Last night we enjoyed our first three-star Kaiseki (multi-course meal) and going forward all other meals will have to work a little harder to live up to it.  A three Michelin star meal is defined by "exceptional cuisine and worth a special journey" and no where in the world is there more Michelin three-stars than Japan.  The bar has already been raised by proximity but Kikunoi in Kyoto is leading the pack.  Comparable only to our experiences at Brooklyn Fare or Eleven Madison the meal consisting of 11 courses served in artfully crafted ceramics and contact lens thin crystal via our two deferential geisha-like hosts who brought fine dining to a whole new level.

Kikunoi (we believe) means chrysanthemum and the flower made an appearance throughout the evening.  Etched on the bottom of glassware and petals floating in tastes of refreshing sake.  The menu doesn't change seasonally, it changes monthly and that fact alone has already sparked plans for a repeat visit.  During parts of the meal I actually felt myself hover off the tatami mat and watch as I ingested flavors and textured that made my synapses fire at rapid speed.  The lack of music and bright lighting was startling at first but once the food began I realized we couldn't have dined with such pedantic distractions.

The meal began with basic, fine ingredients taken to the next level and combined in dream like formation.  Walnut tofu, shaved grapes with a dashi en gelee, wasabi and shiso flower buds.  Each sweet and smooth bite rolled around our mouths and reminded us we are alive.  Next was sashimi of two types of spectacular tunas accompanied by soy-marinated egg yolks.  The sauce by itself was incredible but when complimenting its intended master a new height of taste was reached.  After several more traditional courses the meal fast forwarded to the future with an odd looking white mound of muscat grapes and persimmon dressed with a tofu, mascarpone and roquefort cheese sauce sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and black pepper.  I never though that a strong flavor like roquefort could be forced into a submissive role but in this dish it was so sweet and light; it's purpose had changed from central flavor into perfect complimentary character.  The meal continued with aromatic sticky rice mixed with heated chestnuts and grilled hamo (an eel-like fish currently in season).  Over and over we oohed and awed the flavors and presentations.  Finally a sweet delight of figs and giant grapes in a sweet gelee along with teas to compliment the conclusion and help our bodies relax and recover.

And as we sat in our room, pretending we were emperors and basking in the rarified air reserved for paradigm shifting experiences I noticed a quote by elBulli's Ferran Adria on a book nearby:

It seems fitting that Kyoto should be the home of a cuisine, which, like the city itself, is born of an intimate communion between the work of a man and the gifts of nature. This is what makes Yoshihiro Murata a truly unique chef.

Amen!

Kikunoi
459 shimokawara-cho, Yasakatoriimae-sagaru, Shimokawara-dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto