Kikunoi Restaurant, probably the most famous kaiseki restaurant in the world...

Time has come for my second kaseki dinner and this time around, at Kikunoi, which is considered as the best in Kyoto and arguable, it is the most famous kaiseki restaurant in the world. You probably wonder how I can possibly know this… Well, that’s simple. Long before I’ve actually went to Japan, I’ve made a thorough analysis, that is googling, and selected exactly this restaurant ;-)

Just a little bit of trivia, the restaurant chef, master Yoshihiro Murata has his own book and the introduction in the book is written by Ferran Adria, the famed head chef of the El Bulli restaurant. Today Ferran Adria is considered one of the best chefs in the world.

Journey by taxi cap from Nishiyama Ryokan to the restaurant, located on the hill of one the oldest parts of Kyoto is an adventure by itself, not to mention all enigmatic shrines and temples along the way…

Compared to Kyo Kaiseki KAKIDEN (see other post), I had a completely different experience.


On arrival we were greeted and ask to take our shoes off and we were shown our own private dining room.


Invited to a room in Japanese minimalistic style for tea ceremony, with a look of serene Japanese rock garden out of window. Pleasantly sitting in Japanese style for start :)


A traditional rock Japanese garden with a waterfall… The refreshing, rushing sound of the water had relaxed and soothes us during our dinner, simply amazing experience.

The courses


Treated with kobu cha (stock tea) and a steamed hand towel


Being served aperitif (white sake) and already feeling my troublesome legs =)

Hassun (the second course, which sets the seasonal theme. Typically one kind of sushi and several smaller side dishes.)

Down (from the front):
- Ebi kimi sushi (Shrimp with york past )
- Boiled bracken dressed with sesame seeds
- Banboo shoot, squid, clam with leaf bud sauce

Up (from the front):
- Ikura (salmon roe) on Yurine (bulb of lilium)
- Octopus ocellatus
- Squid legs
- Rapeseed with mustard

Same as above...


Front: (Mukozuke: a sliced dish of seasonal sashimi.)
- Shrimp
- Sea bream
- Sea weed jelly

Sakizuke (an appetizer similar to the French amuse-bouche.)
Cooked plum pickle covered with milt, head of field horsetail on top


Second Mukozuke (Top)
- Toro (Thon gras) with york soy sauce


The following is an observer's comment on the picture :p
At the point around 1/3 of the course has been served, Zoran's legs started to sleep, and he decided to pretend to be a ninja so at least Japanese people can feel familiar with ... yet still long journey ahead of him!

On the table : Futamono (a "lidded dish"; typically a soup)


Yakimono (Broiled seasonal fish)
Red sea bream with powdered mullet roe spices


Once more, an observer's comment :P
Ninja into an ordinary western guy with sleepy legs ... but still very entertaining :)


Bottom left corner was served with Yakimono:
- Giant Butterbur cooked in miso

Center: Naka-choko (palate-cleanser)
- Clam, Beans with tofu sauce, and sliced myoga on top


Down: Chinmi (delicacy)
- Yam, sea slug with Japanese herb flavor

Top: Naka-choko (another palate-cleanser; may be a light, acidic soup.)
- Shrimp soup with ginger


Shiizakana (a substantial dish, such as a hot pot.) *finished one
"Shin-nori Nabe" (Fresh seaweed pot)
- Orient clam
- Scallop
- Lobster
- Bamboo shoot


Left: Gohan (a rice dish made with seasonal ingredients.)
"Hime Chirashi" (Princess sushi rice) *cerebrating for the coming girl's day
- Sushi rice
- Boiled eel
- Shiitake (Japanese mushroom)
- Kinshi (fried egg sliced as string)
- Egg role
- Petal shaped ginger
- Bean
- Japanese pepper

Right: Tome-wan (a miso-based or vegetable soup served with rice.)
- Grilled leek with spices

Served with hot brown tea


Being content with the certificate :D Though obviously I can't read Japanese... I hold the paper in the wrong direction :-/


Mizumono (a seasonal dessert; may be fruit, confection, ice cream, or cake.)

Down: Yomogi mochi (mugwort rice cake) with sweet beans
Up: Hattaiko ice cream (powdered baked barley)


Mizumono (a seasonal dessert; may be fruit, confection, ice cream, or cake.)

Left: Sweet bean paste
Right: Powdered green tea

... and time to be kicked out nicely ...

Dinner was stuffed with unknown tastes for me, and I’m not implying that I’ve liked each and every single dish, for example boiled ell is definitely not coming on my diet list any time soon! On the other hand, Ikura (salmon roe) on Yurine (bulb of lilium) was excellent with perfect texture or crispy texture of Orient clam fantastically contra balanced by the fresh seaweed.

It was an astonishing experience as a whole, food, place, room, garden, atmosphere, a hostess, dressed in traditional Japanese kimono, who takes care of everything during the dinner… not to mention chitchat, my companion had with the mistress of the restaurant after she visit us and served sake.

In short, I’ll remember this dinner all my live.

It cost us about 200€ per person, including beer and sake, but taking in account the whole experience, I believe it is a fair price. Before you even try to reserve a table, or in this particular case a room, have on mind that no one speaks English around there.

Rating: 9.5 (out of 10.0)

Kikunoi
Makuzugahara, Maruyama
Gion, Higashiyama
Kyoto