Tenoshima

Japanese fine dining can often seem intimidating to outsiders. The austere, philosophical, deeply traditional washoku cuisine belongs to a world which is largely impenetrable — locked behind prohibitive referral-only booking policies and other huge hurdles. Ryohei Hayashi is a man on a mission — to change these perceptions Japanese cuisine and make it accessible. His other goal, which runs in tandem to the first, is to represent authentic dishes from around the country without pretension, simply as pieces of culture belonging to everyday people. This means that his omakase-only menu features authentic recreations of the culinary folk culture of Japan, like delicious dishes like sushi in the Tenoshima style — the island in Kagawa Prefecture from which Hayashi-san hails — and his signature tofu-skin rice balls filled with seasonal ingredients. The warm and contemporary interior represents the values the restaurants founded on, presenting a clean and comfortable space to welcome guests into. Sake pairings are available to match the dishes, with bottles sourced from around the country. Tenoshima is a kaiseki restaurant in a class of its own, dedicated to the highest level of quality and service, without sacrificing warmth, humility, or true authenticity.