Arakicho Tatsuya

Located near Yotsuya Sanchome Station, this traditional restaurant treads the line between the formal kaiseki of Kyoto and the more casual kappo of Osaka. The flavors are classic kaiseki, with a few creative touches thrown in by the chef. However, the personal nature of the service and warm hospitality is more in keeping with kappo. The chef worked in the kitchen for 10 years at the famous Japanese restaurant Rei in Kagurazaka before opening up his own. His personal specialty is excellent seafood soup, and inventive dishes like soy and dashi jelly with squid sashimi. A nice range of nihonshu (Japanese sake), whisky, and wine is available to go along with the omakase meal. In true kappo style, the owner does everything himself. He even sources out his ingredients directly from suppliers, without brokers. Basically the only thing he doesn’t do is grow the ingredients!