Imazato Ryokan

A ball of cedar sprigs hangs from the eaves of this traditional detached house. Accents such as an old chest of drawers and transoms fill the air with a nostalgic mood. It’s all courtesy of the proprietor, who was once a Chinese cuisine chef. Awakened to the delicious taste of sake, he switched to Japanese food, stocking local sakes from throughout Japan. True to the ‘shuko’, or appetizers served with sake, in its name, the omakase set menu consists of numerous small dishes. Friendly service creates a pleasant mood. Fill the belly, satisfy the soul: both are ‘manpuku’.

Yugen means ‘mysterious profundity’, grace whose depths can never be plumbed. It connotes the depths of Japanese cuisine, a product of constant refinement through the ages. Keisuke Mifune puts on display the skills and instincts he honed at a ryotei. He pays attention to combinations of ingredients and dishware, expressing the changing of the seasons through his menu. A Fukuoka native, the chef furnishes the bounty of Kyushu in the form of seafood from the Genkai Sea and the Goto Islands.

The stately tea-house interior and Japanese-style painting of the spray from a waterfall enfold guests in an atmosphere of tranquillity. Proclaiming a no-nonsense approach to sushi, the two chefs restrict seasoning and other preparations to the bare minimum. They add no sugar to the sushi rice, the better to draw out the natural sweetness of fish and rice. Tuna is marinated in soy sauce only briefly; conger eel dressed in sauce that is only slightly sweet. As they form sushi by hand, both chefs focus on the basics of rice, wasabi, vinegar and fish.

The owner-chef teases out subtle flavours with a versatile sensibility and technique honed in Kyoto. He takes particular care when blending his dashi. Prepared with a light flavour, it draws out the character of each ingredient. Flavours of other ingredients transfer to the dashi in wanmono, steamed items and takiawase, lending depth to their taste. Preparations are simple, yet unseen tweaks make each item unique. Admire antique serving-ware and vessels fashioned by modern artists as you savour the tastes of the season.

The deliciousness of chicken works its magic in the soup. ‘Chuka Soba’ is ramen served in a refreshing clear soup; ‘Noko Tori Soba’ is ramen in rich, creamy chicken broth. If you can’t finish your soup, ask for it to be poured over rice with Tsuruhashi kimchi to make rice gruel. The ‘hidden menu’ on the reverse side of the menu catches one’s eye. Together, the front and back menus tell you ‘all about ramen’, which is what the shop’s name means. Savour a bowl from a proprietor who devotes himself whole-heartedly to the craft of ramen.

The proprietor of this refined, modern sukiya-style structure displays a unique approach while honouring tradition. The wanmono broth draws in the sweetness of kombu and the sharpness of shaved bonito. Sashimi showcases the chef’s disciplined knife technique. Generous amounts of seasonal ingredients are grilled over bincho charcoal. Even the handmade soba imparts a sense of season. ‘Omogashi’, the main sweet served in the tea ceremony, and usucha draw the meal to a close. Service is in the spirit of the tea ceremony.

Situated in a quiet residential district, Sushi Sanshin is only open at lunchtime. The naturally lit interior presents an austere charm. The chef is schooled in the old ways of sushi-making, but weaves in a few tricks of his own. For example, the simmered clam nigiri is carefully prepared with precise knife work and finished with a hint of yuzu. The tamagoyaki, placed on top of the rice like a horse's saddle, conceals a touch of oboro within. Norimaki made with herbs to evoke vegetable flavours is a speciality found only here. Pursuit of the new, tempered by respect for the classics.