Stuffed from the stalls of Nishiki, still determined to hunt Oku down. With an enthusiasm rivaling my approach to Yasuda-san, I wade through the uniform back-streets of tourist-town Kyoto, looking for the one doorway with a telltale plaque.
I have neither the time nor means for Miyamasou's Michelin-approved chef, Hisato Nakahigashi, but I will make the time to test-drive both his dishes and his plates.
The day is hot and the sun is strong. Escaping the heat is an accomplishment in itself, nevermind successfully hunting down a cafe using a constantly-scrambled GPS.
My reward is the Koto Sake; dry, crisp, and refreshing. #daydrinking, #dontjudge
Kaiseki focuses on small plates with impressive presentation, and this lunch set is almost as pretty as the dishes that serve it.
The Braised Bonito Tataki is a breath of fresh char around the edges, bold and tender in the middle, and a dash of ponzu makes the flavors pop. Yomogi Tofu is a cohesive, gelatinous surprise, an herb bouquet replacing the neutral soy. Miso is a sweet hint on a chunk of Trout, bringing forth a salty, salmon-y taste. Bonito makes a boiled appearance next to a chewy bamboo shoot and brothy stalks of butterburrs that taste like celery.
The flavors are concentrated so it takes many alternating bites of rice to really make a dent in this modest-sized meal. But when it's over, it's over, as Yomogi turns from savory to sweet in a bean-sweetened ice cream sandwich.
By the end of this trip, I will have graduated from frivolous foodie to a bona fide stalker of chefs with an insatiable thirst for...well...anyone who can cook. I didn't see any dishes for sale or I probably would have splurged and walked out with an entire set as a souvenir. Fortunately, I didn't see any way to get to Miyamasou either or I probably would have walked out with chef Hisato Nakahigashi as a souvenir.
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