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Chef Mikizo's extraordinary "hassun" course |
It was the last Saturday of March and the weather was beautiful.
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At breakfast at the hotel, I asked for a boiled egg and this is how it was presented. So pretty!
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Cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Tokyo. We walked along the Meguro River and enjoyed the beautiful trees. For lunch, we had ramen at Afuri, right by Naka-meguro Station. I had yuzu-shio ramen. It was very good. During the day, we met people (and also did shopping) at Tsutaya Daikanyama and Nagatani-en's iga-mono shop in Ebisu. It was great to see Isako (the youngest of Nagatani-en's 8th generation and runs iga-mono shop) back in Tokyo!
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For dinner, I was so excited to introduce them to my friend, Mikizo Hashimoto, at his restaurant, Ichirin, in Jingu-mae. We had a private and very special dinner there! Mikizo-san looked great as always. His kaiseki meal is so elegant and original, and every time I come here, it makes me feel like I'm invited to his home. His omotenashi (hospitality) is so warm and never stuffy, so I always feel so relaxed at his restaurant. We started with yomogi manju (jelly of kudzu, sesame paste, and mugwort), and shira-uo (ice fish), lightly marinated in salted cherry blossom leaves.
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Individual-size donabe over charcoal! He said he decided to include this dish for my donabe inspiration...how sweet! It was a very rare Taiza crab from Kyoto, simmered with its brain. This is such a special crab, only 10 are caught in 1 week during the harvest season, from Tango Penninsula of Kyoto. The sweetness and depth of flavor of the dish was incredible.
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Then, all the amazing seasonal dishes, one after another...with Mikizo's own sake selection.
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Mikizo's hassun course (plate of 8 small dishes) is always unique and amazes me so much. This evening was another full of seasonal surprises.
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The rice course was his donabe rice, topped with miso-simmered tai (sea bream), with tea poured over it. Desserts were all made by himself, too.
Just AMAZING!! Thank you, Mikizo-san!!