SHÓKUDŌ YArn

The element of surprise is what raises any good dining experience to the next level. While plenty of chefs employ a few novel ingredients and flourishes, the husband-wife team behind SHÓKUDo YArn pull out all the stops to surprise you at every turn. Situated in Komatsu, Ishikawa, their restaurant is located on the site of an old yarn factory, and this fact is central to their concept — weaving strands of various cuisines together to spin their own unique culinary yarn. Together Yuji and Asami Yoneda have decades of combined experience in Japan and Europe, including at the three-starred El Bulli in Spain. Their experience with European gastronomy is applied to Japanese ingredients to create some truly amazing results. Among the highlights are a salad prepared like a bouquet of flowers and served on a a standing plate to look like a ceremonial wreath; light, crispy pieces of vegetable with the restaurant logo burned onto them; and a unique summer drink made with matcha green tea, ginger ale, and a secret third ingredient.