This spot has been on my radar since they opened in the Summer of 2018. They have been in the restaurant business for 20 years, they have their original location in Japan. We went on chilly evening, not too long after they opened for the day, so it was pretty quiet. They had a few tables to the left, and a large bar to the right. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by a manager (?) with a warm, welcoming staff. He took our jacket and hang them by the entrance.
The interior was simple yet elegant, clean lines with beautiful contrast of white and dark wood. The light fixture had the old-fashion Japanese style feel to it, with modern touch. Very relaxing atmosphere. We receive hot towels to cleanse our hands before the meal, which I always appreciated at traditional Japanese restaurants. I wish if all restaurants did that.
We had a carafe of sparkling nigori sake, didn’t get what kind it was…sorry. The waiter first brought a basket full of beautiful sake cups, and we got to choose which one we wanted. I chose a deep green/blue color one, and my hubby chose a pearl color one. Really pretty! Our server poured some sake into our cups, and we were ready to being our feast.
They had a traditional, half-moon, red lacquer placemat. I always liked the way these things look. Eating a dish off this placemat gives the similar feeling of getting the food served on a silver platter…
And did we receive something that is worth being served on a silver platter? I say yes!!! Look at these beauties! We had one of their course menu, Kai Course ($80), which is a five course menu. The first course was the appetizer, and all of these, beautifully plated on a thick stone platter is their appetizers. They had Spinach with Tofu Skin (square container), which was super refreshing with a nice kick from wasabi. Elegant and with so many flavors that were well balanced, it was a perfect pallet cleanser to start the dinner. Going counter-clockwise from there, next one was Vinegar Daikon Radish and Carrots. This one was super crisp and had nice crunchy texture. Ikura (salmon raw) was an interesting topping, but added nice salty flavor to it. Super refreshing too with the perfect amount of acidity from the vinegar. Then the Tamago Shinjo, egg with fish paste (surimi). As it contains the surimi, it was more firm than regular egg omelet. More packed and dense rather than fluffy. Because of that, it was also more satisfying, almost meaty. No, it does not taste like fish at all, just the mild sweetness of the egg. Next to egg was the Chicken Meatloaf with raisin and sesame. It was nutty and even more firm and packed than the egg. It was super flavorful without being too overwhelming. I loved the crunchy texture from sesame. The one on the bottom was the Mashed Sweet Potato. It was so creamy! It had nice natural sweetness to it, without much seasoning, it kept the real flavor of the ingredients. Really nice! Then the Lotus Root Daikon Radish Mochi, wrapped in seaweed. It somehow tasted like little crunchy shrimps cuddled in creamy potato blanket. I don’t know how or why…I just know it was tasty! The one in the middle was the Simmered Burdock and Beef. The beef was minced and it was delightful! Nice, comforting flavor, sweet and tangy. Everything was amazing, both the presentation and flavor, perfection!
The second course was indicated as “Daily Special” so I was not sure what it was going to be. Then we received sushi and sashimi on a bed of ice, shiny like precious gem stones…
They had Blue Fin Tuna, King Salmon, and Amberjack sashimi, and Blue Fin Tuna Sushi and Sweet Shrimp Sushi with Seared Urchin from Maine. They were so fresh and sliced thick, you could see and taste the freshness the moment you bite into it… They were like butter! Melt in your mouth good!!! Such high quality with great texture.
The third course was “Grill” and on this day, they had Chicken Hoba Yaki. The most interesting presentation of the evening. Hoba means Magnolia Leaf, and as you can see, they use the dried, and the food is cooked in the inside of the leaf.
The chicken and veggies were put on the hoba leaf with miso paste, and then slowly grilled. With that, slowly grilled chicken was so tender, juicy and plump! Loved the miso flavor, it was the perfect seasoning. Steamed veggies still had had nice firm texture, very fresh and tasty. From being cuddled in the leaf, it added nice smoky flavor to the dish. They also had Pickled Daikon with Salmon Roe, Pickled Eggplant, and Lotus Chips. The pickled veggies had deep, earthy flavor, and lotus chips which were super crunchy and delicious!
The fourth course was Ramen, which I thought was really interesting item to be served at such elegant, upscale, sophisticated spot. I was curious how they are going to elevate a ramen dish. The broth was almost clear, with light yet deep earthy flavor with great umami, dashi flavor. It had their homemade sansho pepper on the pork charshu, which added nice kick to it. Very comforting and perfect on a cold day. This ramen was certainly elegant, and made with love and care. I also liked the texture of the noodle.
Before receiving our last course, our waiter brought us their complimentary hot Oolong Tea. It had some kind of herb flavor to it, with subtle sweetness. What a great way to help digest the marvelous food we have been enjoying so far…
Last but not least, dessert! “Today’s Surprise” was three kinds of mizu yokan. It is one of the traditional Japanese desserts, usually made with red azuki beans, agar, and sugar. Here, we received regular or Traditional Yokan, Chestnut Yokan, and Chocolate Yokan. The way they were plated made me think of Stonehenge… The traditional one was sweet, soft, and goes great with nice hot oolong tea. Chestnut one was less sweet, could taste the real flavor of chestnut which was great. Chocolate one was interesting. It was really tasty, almost like a firm chocolate pudding!
Their bathroom is tucked away in the back, you get to peek through the kitchen a little bit on the way to the bathroom. The interior was interesting with the scenes from Japanese festival, rich in red color. Spacious, roomy, and nice aroma with the incent.
After the dinner, our waiter brought out another set of hot wet towel to clean our hands again. Nice! Service was impeccable, very polite and informative. After each course, he cleaned the placemat and re-setted the table. Full service from the beginning to the end. The music was nice too, mostly relaxing French chanson. The Japanese manager was very nice and made us feel welcomed and valued. And to our surprise, a Japanese chef came out to greet us when we were leaving, and held the door open for us. Very traditional Japanese style service, love it! We enjoyed the dinner tremendously, everything was prepared with high quality ingredients, beautifully presented like artworks, and flavor the match. They change the menu seasonally from what I hear, I would love to go back again for more of their delightful Japanese cuisine!
Kaikagetsu NYC – 162 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002