Azabu Saotome

Five-star pedigree meets quiet conviction at Azabu Saotome. Chef Saotome Hiroyuki's career spans over 25 years and includes stints at London's Nobu, the triple-Michelin-starred Kikunoi in Kyoto, Tokyo's kaiseki restaurant Waketokuyama and Amsterdam's Yamazato. He earned Kaiseki Den at Hong Kong's Hollywood Road its first Michelin star, making it the first traditional Japanese restaurant in the city to do so, and maintained the accolade for another 10 years. So, when the Tochigi native opened his venue in a quiet Nishi Azabu neighborhood in 2020, it was no surprise that he effortlessly captured the refined spirit of kaiseki. Azabu Saotome's space is intimate, serene and adult, with an L-shaped counter cut from a single slab of wild Japanese hinoki cypress from Nara Prefecture and eight seats. The interior is focused on traditional aesthetics, featuring a wood theme and an earthen wall brought in from Kyoto. At the heart of every meal is an unwavering devotion to kombu. Saotome sources exclusively Rishiri kombu from Rishiri Island in Hokkaido — aged for approximately three years at a traditional wholesaler in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture. This patient curing process strips away any oceanic sharpness and concentrates a deep, luminous umami. For Saotome, kombu dashi is the lifeblood of Japanese cuisine: gentle on the body, indispensable to kaiseki, and the foundation of the ichiban dashi that defines the soup course — the centerpiece of the meal. That devotion flows through every course of his omakase. He creates a noodle-like soup by mashing deboned conger eel and includes sushi as a nod to his beginnings as an apprentice at Ginza Kyubey, like the marinated lean tuna nigiri. One of his standout creations is the truffle claypot rice, cooked using water pumped from Mt. Fuji with butter and thickened with parmesan — an idea conceived during his time in London at Tatsuso. Dishes like his namesake sukiyaki benefit from the meat he picks from trusted suppliers. The ambiance is relaxed enough to steer away the reminder that Azabu Saotome is tucked in Tokyo's most competitive fine-dining areas. It's perfectly pitched for the city crowd who appreciates technique-driven food. Perfect for a date and solo dining.