Ohara

The titular owner-chef of this Tokyo kaiseki trained at one of the best restaurants in town, now putting his years of experience to work at a counter all his own. His is a focused and wholehearted approach to cooking, as shown by his dedicated trips to Toyosu Market early each morning to source fresh seafood. He and his wife serve up a feast of seasonal delights drenched in the humble and subtly beautiful artistry of traditional Japanese cuisine. This means delicious traditional dishes like whole-grilled trout, cooked for so long that the bones are broken down and become edible. The refined aesthetic sensibilities of the chef are also evident in dishes like the light soup broth with chrysanthemum petals. In true kaiseki style, he serves traditionally-brewed matcha tea to finish, giving his guests time to relax and reflect on the sublime meal they just completed. The best part is that it’s not prohibitively expensive by any means. In fact, the lunch courses offer a very accessible price point — you wouldn’t usually expect Michelin star dining at such a price!