Takayama: a very different experience and one to thoroughly enjoy as well.
Let me start by saying that you will need to bring a big appetite to this diner. The amount of food is pretty impressive. The amount of different bites and dishes is almost overwhelming to be honest.
The skill level of the chef is amazing. His ability to overlay Italian cuisine with Japanese influences while staying true to the original dish is really impressive. The amount of work that must have gone into preparing all these little bites and dishes boggles my mind.
We truly enjoyed the experience. The food is lovely, the room and the setting is unique. I would say that it is almost impossible to truly appreciate all dishes due to the sheer amount of it.
Standout dishes were the Japan caviar, truffle, the fritto, the vegetable dish, the tagolini with uni and finally the risotto. And the home made bread was also pretty amazing.
Then the question is what restaurant would we prefer: Koke or Takayama? When you look at it from a “one time experience” it is hard to pick. Both are great and while in a way similar (European base, Japanse overlay), they are also very different.
If we were asked the question of where to go back in 12 month time the clear answer would be Koke. It seems a more genuine experience with less “show” to it. That being said, Takayama comes highly recommended and I would definitely try to go to both.
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Another diner in Kyoto after Koke yesterday.
Takayama: a very different experience and one to thoroughly enjoy as well.
Let me start by saying that you will need to bring a big appetite to this diner. The amount of food is pretty impressive. The amount of different bites and dishes is almost overwhelming to be honest.
The skill level of the chef is amazing. His ability to overlay Italian cuisine with Japanese influences while staying true to the original dish is really impressive. The amount of work that must have gone into preparing all these little bites and dishes boggles my mind.
We truly enjoyed the experience. The food is lovely, the room and the setting is unique.
I would say that it is almost impossible to truly appreciate all dishes due to the sheer amount of it.
Standout dishes were the Japan caviar, truffle, the fritto, the vegetable dish, the tagolini with uni and finally the risotto. And the home made bread was also pretty amazing.
Then the question is what restaurant would we prefer: Koke or Takayama? When you look at it from a “one time experience” it is hard to pick. Both are great and while in a way similar (European base, Japanse overlay), they are also very different.
If we were asked the question of where to go back in 12 month time the clear answer would be Koke. It seems a more genuine experience with less “show” to it. That being said, Takayama comes highly recommended and I would definitely try to go to both.