Perfecting an ancient ritual

Perfecting an ancient ritual

Kinu by Takagi's new seasonal menu highlights spring produce from Shizuoka prefecture

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Perfecting an ancient ritual
The platter of Japanese spiny lobster, fresh snapper, snow crab and herring roe.

Takagi Kazuo, the chef-patron of two Michelin-starred Kyoto Cuisine Takagi restaurant in Ashiya, Japan, and founder of Kinu by Takagi at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, is a recognised master of Japan's super genteel kaiseki cookery.

Meticulous cooking methods and fine, sometimes unconventional, ingredients are essential to his work that celebrates Japan's changing seasons.

That, plus his extensive travelling to showcase his kitchen flair -- a dozen times a year prior to Covid -- makes Takagi a highly regarded ambassador of Japanese culinary culture.

The spring menu, which is available at his 10-seat Bangkok restaurant, revolves around seasonal produce from Shizuoka prefecture. The lush green vicinity is home to Mount Fuji which provides to it clean snow water and lava-filtered spring water.

Working closely with Shizuoka authorities, Takagi presents to his guests at Kinu by Takagi some of the prefecture's most exclusive harvests. Among the highlights is kirapika, a new breed of strawberry launched for the first time in the world.

Takagi Kazuo at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok's Kinu by Takagi. photo: photographer

The meal, in authentic kaiseki style through a chef's table experience, is offered in a six-course lunch (4,500 baht) and 10-course dinner (7,500 baht).

The dinner features the likes of gigantic pen shell clam with fresh yuzu-infused egg yolk sauce; Japanese turnip with kuruma prawn quenelle and Sturia caviar in clear dashi soup; sashimi of baby maguro tuna and swordfish with fresh Shizuoka wasabi; and Hokkaido oyster with ponzu vinegar jelly.

Wagyu beef teriyaki with fresh shavings of black truffle.

There is an exquisitely-arranged platter that showcases Japanese spiny lobster, Japanese snapper, snow crab and herring roe. The lobster meat is flame grilled with Yamari white miso, an artisan soybean paste prepared to a Kyoto family's century-old secret recipe and available only to an exclusive number of restaurants. The snapper fillets are marinated with Shenso oil and offered on a sushi rice, while the crunchy herring roe comes laced with wasabi tofu sauce.

From Shizuoka coast is wild-caught kinmedai (golden eye red sea bream). The springy meat of the fish is cubed and cooked as a tempura with Shizuoka matcha green tea batter before being served with a garnish of fresh Bafun sea urchin roe from Hokkaido.

Japanese turnip with kuruma prawn quenelle and Sturia caviar in dashi soup.

Takagi's much-glorified signature dish of Okushima abalone dressed with an emulsion of abalone liver and sesame oil and fresh shiso florets is also featured in the dinner menu.

As are thick, supple and super flavourful slices of wagyu beef teriyaki that come with fresh shavings of black truffle.

The dessert is represented by Shizuoka's first harvest of kirapika strawberry, which is supplied only for the restaurant.

Titled "Shizuoka kirapika strawberry salad", it features strawberry granita with white chocolate-sake lees ice cream, fresh strawberry slices, strawberry jelly, miniature mochi and cream.

The kirapika strawberry salad prepared with strawberries from Shizuoka.

Despite its simple look, the dessert promises an ethereal taste and multilayers of true palate ecstasy that will make you cry tears of joy.

The dinner is wrapped up with ceremonial matcha to honour Shizuoka as the green tea capital of Japan. The fresh-brewed tea with its characteristic froth surface is accompanied by a strawberry mochi and miso caramel chocolate bonbon.

The spring season menu at Kinu by Takagi is on offer until the end of March upon the availability of selective ingredients.


The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. Advance reservations are required. For more information or reservations, contact Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok at 02-659-9000 or email: restaurants-mobkk@mohg.com

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