japanesecuisine – The Japan Set

A fifteen seats counter restaurant where you can order and enjoy authentic Kyoto-flavoured food in the way you like it.

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Recently, I have heard the name ‘Tsuroku’ many times from various sources.
Most of them were “a restaurant that Kyoto people go to secretly” or “It’s talked about a lot amongst food lovers”

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So when I called up the restaurant only a few days in advance, I was more than happy to be able to get seats, unlike these days in Kyoto or in the major cities in Japan, and I felt that this was the way of dining in this town, as often written about by the great writers of the past.

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This 15 seats, counter only restaurant TSUROKU is tucked away at the end of a narrow alleyway in Kyoto’s Sanjo area.
There are no set courses here, you can chose from 40-something dishes in the menu, that gave me a deepest delight.

The freedom that I can have whatever I like allowed me to be myself and thoroughly relaxed.

KAPPOU is the style to be called, compared to KAISEKI course.

This service style may put the chef and owner into more hard work, physically and financially, but Tsuroku’s chef KENTO UEDA san, who worked at the now legendary restaurant KYOAJI in Tokyo – has the spirit to accept this as he believes it’s more enjoyable for diners.

Ueda san’s thought was true.
All the dishes I chose for the evening perfectly fitted to my mood and appetite.
Besides, he brought me new surprises beyond my imagination.

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Lovely entrance, almost secret hidden place. The restaurant is located at the end of the narrow alley, which I spent some time to find…

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I was very happy when I found Shinjo dish in the menu, it’s a type of dish normally used pasted fish and make into a dumpling form, but Shinjo’s texture is more like soufflé, and often the main food for Wanmono, soup dish, that is the star dish of Kaiseki course. I chose Japanese icefish Shinjo. The dish canme with clear soup and its subtle taste slowly spread – it’s truly the embodiment of Kyoto flavour.

The crispy yet juicy Guji (Kyoto way of calling Tilefish) Matsugasa-yaki was worthy of special mention. The skin was grilled to really crunchy but the carefully maintained moisture content of the meat bring out the individuality of the fish. The flavour is light, clean and carefully constructed, without being at all intrusive, and even though chef Ueda san is a young man, I even get a certain sense of mastery.

These two dishes are regarded as his signature, and there, I fully noticed and received the rich yet tranquil flavours expressed by Ueda-san.

Sashimi of the day: tuna, sea bream and pen shell.

Japanese icefish Shinjo clear soup, served with seasonal bamboo shoots.

Matsugasa-yaki Guji (tile fish), which is the signature dish of Tsuroku.
The pleasantly crispy skin, the carefully maintained moisture content of the fish bring out the character of each fish.

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As I enjoyed the chef’s signature dishes to the full, the drinks and relaxed good conversation were well underway, the unforgettable these two dishes of the evening were served.

The first one was a small pot of sliced BEAR LOIN and HANA SAHNSHO pepper with bamboo shoots.

A small Donabe pot dish of the delicacy meat of bear simmering hot in an earthenware pot, with the broth also simmering and boiling.
After it’s brought out on the counter, it continued to dissipate the energy of deliciousness for a while.

The tenderness of the bear meat and the smooth melting of the fat…
The depth of the broth’s flavour.
Both the Hana Sansho and the powerful peak of the season’s bamboo shoots were even overwhelmed by the bear meat’s impression.

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And the other one was

KARASUMI MISO TEMPRA

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Karasumi is one of the most popular delicacies to go really well with Sake. It’s made by drying mullet in the sun and is similar to Italian bottarga, but Karasumi contains more moisture and has a very soft texture.

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This dish, combined with a bone china cup of the special Junmai Sake “Denshu”, was heavenly good and my friends and I had no choice but to exclaim in admiration again and again.
I could eat several more plates of this, even for a few hours… I was driven by such thoughts.

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The sake suggested by the restaurant were all good, well-considered.
The sake was poured into the glass generously, a service that would satisfy anyone.

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At Tsuroku, there is a warm atmosphere that welcomes everyone.
Conversation comes naturally, and you can enjoy the food and drinks in your own way, even though it is your first visit.

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There are not many such restaurants.

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It is the kind of place that leaves a long lasting aftertaste and makes you decide to revisit.

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TSUROKU
TEL +81 75 275 3926
51 Matsuyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, JAPAN
Opening: Mon-Sat Dinner 5pm-
Closed: Sun

www.instagram.com/tsuroku_kyoto/

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Visit my Instagram for more articles and videos about Tsuroku, Kyoto and Japanese food !!

www.instagram.com/the.japan.set_naoko

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【LATEST NEWS】 ROKETSU GOZEN BENTO by Chef Daisuke Hayashi.

京料理界を代表する、林大介シェフの新たなる懐石料理店「露結」の　御膳弁当。

（日本語記事は、英語版の後にあります）

“Absolutely Phenomenal ” is my heartfelt voice.

I clearly, confidently would like to say that the opening of Chef Daisuke Hayashi’s new restaurant ROKETSU (scheduled in Spring 2021) will be one of the most important and exciting events in Japanese cuisine for the coming year.

And this gorgeous Bento Box, limited numbers only each week, is a sneak peek of what it will be like.

Each “dish” of this Bento is absolutely phenomenal.

Chef Hayashi san is a genuine master of Kyoto cuisine, trained under Yoshihiro Murata of Kyoto Kikunoi, who holds seven Michelin stars and “The Don” of Kyoto Cuisine, for more than 10 years before moved to London in 2009.

There are not many chefs even in Japan, who are steeped in deep traditions, trained in the highest prestige and have mastered the art of cooking, Kyo Kaiseki.
Chef Hayashi’s classic Kaiseki technique is unparalleled, and the knowledge on Japan’s traditions and the cuisine is vast.

After Hayashi san moved to London, with his mentor Mr. Murata san’s strong desire to bring authentic Japanese cuisine to the world, he helped and worked for several new openings as the executive chef including Tokimeite in Mayfair.
At there, he and Murata san have explored Japanese dishes which would suit Western palates, but for this time, after waited for more than a decade, Hayashi san decided to open his own restaurant and he is determined to create authentic Kaiseki, just like the one served in Japan.

“ In making this Bento, I have simply followed the tradition and cooked it the way it was meant to be cooked.“

The chef says modestly that he just did normal thing, but as we all know, doing “normal” is the difficult thing.
And for me, someone who is living outside Japan and at least know the differences of the water hardness and the ingredients for example, to cook like in Japan seemed an impossible task…

This Gozen Bento took me straight to Kyoto.

It was surprising and inspiring.
Never before have I had such authentic and totally consistent Japanese food abroad.

Since I first arrived at London 1995, I have seen brutal reality of that it is extremely difficult to recreate real Japanese food outside Japan.
It is because, Japanese cuisine is hugely rely on its unique nature, so the further away you go from it, the more severe the condition becomes.

Master Murata told me that nearly 40 years ago, when he went to France to cook a Kaiseki dinner with other top Kaiseki chefs, he took all the water and ingredients with him from Japan.
He was devastated by the reality that he could not cook Japanese without bringing all of that.
Since then he has worked to make Japanese food using local ingredients, but I have been seeing that it is extremely challenging.

So, having this Bento in front of me, the taste of Japan, the taste of Kyoto, spread out in front of me and came back to life, and I wondered how it was possible to make such food.

It’s a Bento that seems to have magically appeared from somewhere else.

🍱 TO ORDER :

www.jgourmet.co.uk/exclusive

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露結　by 林大介　シェフ

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来春に開店が予定されている「露結」。

海外における日本料理界、来る０２１年の、日本料理の一つの大きな転換点、となるであろう、

非常に重要な意味を持つ、新たなお店。

記事巻頭の写真は、こちらの御膳弁当です。

この度、「露結」を立ち上げ、牽引されるのは、林大介オーナー料理長。

京都・菊乃井本店の村田吉弘氏の元で、１０年以上に渡り、確かな技術と伝統を身につけられ、2008年の北海道でのG8サミットの際には、この国際会議の料理を全て総指揮されました。

その後、2009年に渡英され、長きに渡り、ロンドン、欧州にて、日本食レストランの立ち上げ、料理長を務める傍ら、海外における日本料理の普及と啓蒙に尽力を尽くされてきました。

日本料理の伝統技術と深い知識、何よりも、日本料理の心を有する、数少ない、料理人さんです。

その林シェフが、満を辞して、ご自身のお店、ロンドンでは初のカウンター懐石料理店となる「露結」を、来年春ごろ、立ち上げられます。

この、御膳弁当は、その一端を、まさに垣間見れ、体験できる、貴重なお弁当と言えます。

長く、海外に住んでいらっしゃる方、海外でイベントをされたり、今、こちらで包丁を握っておられる料理人の方々は、きっと、深く頷いていただけると思うのですが、いかに、海外で日本料理を作ることが難しいか。。。

日本料理が、日本の自然と非常に親密に寄り添っているため、そこから遠ざかれば遠ざかるほどに、その、厳しさは増していきます。

私自身、１９９５年の初渡英より、これまでも、多少なりの現状を見てきましたが、心痛く思う現実に、何度も、打ちのめされることがありました。

それが、このお弁当を手にとり、今、驚きと、感動と、喜びに包まれています。

林さんは

「当たり前のことを、当たり前にやっただけ」

とおっしゃいますが、その、当たり前を遂行することが、どれほど難しいか。。。

こちらをいただいて、目の前に、口の中に、あの、日本の、京都の味わいが広がり、蘇り、全くもって、どうして、このような御弁当ができるのか、まるで魔法のような、別の世界からふと現れたような、奇跡、とでも呼びたい御弁当なのです。

この、普通でない２０２０年、最後の月に、突如、舞い降りた、希望とでも呼びたいような、一つのお箱。

この後、いくつかの投稿で、こちらのお料理の内容を書かせていただきたいと思っております。

🍱 この御膳のご注文はこちらより。

www.jgourmet.co.uk/exclusive

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TSUROKU – Kappo restaurant ｜ Kyoto

ROKETSU 　Gozen Bento by Daisuke Hayashi 　　　「露結」by　林大介　“京懐石の息吹”