Hotel Itoh

The restaurant shares a site occupied by a sake brewery since the days of the shoguns. A black counter reflects the Japanese interior of this refurbished traditional house. Locally grown and raised ingredients are the star of the cuisine, with Nara-style pickled vegetables, Yamato beef and vegetables all expressing the terroir of Nara. Akitsuho rice, used in sake brewing, makes an appearance in prix fixe offerings, transformed into rice dishes such as paella and risotto. Sake pairings from the unique expertise of a sake brewer are another reason to visit.

The second-generation owner-chef welcomes you to his shop tucked away in a residential quarter of Abeno. Though the interior is newly renovated to serve as the chef’s own stage, the exterior, passed down from his father, deliberately retains a Showa era look. With roots planted firmly in the local community, the chef takes care to source his fish from Osaka Bay and nearby seas. He rests his fish to draw out the flavour, accenting it again by serving it on mildly vinegared rice. The friendly air of the gentle chef brings back nostalgic memories of the neighbourhood sushi houses of old.

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.

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 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 chef prizes his relations with food producers; the better to express the appeal of each region’s topography. Lega’ means ‘bind’ or ‘connect’: the restaurant binds together the food cultures of Italy and Nara and puts diners in touch with the thoughts of food producers. Sushi of uncured ham and persimmon leaf, venison senbei—a dish resembling Nara’s famous deer crackers—and other unique items overlay one tradition onto another. The chef honed his skills in Italy’s Piemonte region, which is why he devotes himself to making hand-rolled pastas such as tajarin and agnolotti in autumn and winter

The movements of the owner-chef’s fingers as he works are a marvel to watch. This deftness is apparent in his side dishes and sushi. His knife technique, informed by a deep understanding of the characteristics of each fish, raises the flavour to a new level. Sushi rice is changed frequently to maintain just the right temperature, that of the human body. Rice is gathered in the palm of the hand as if capturing air. Wasabi, applied with the index finger, is apportioned just right, as is the nikiri. Formed with practiced economy of movement, each nigiri is formed perfectly for true flavour.