大阪帝国酒店

Located close to the beloved Osaka Temmangu Shrine, the ‘Yu’ in the restaurant’s name is a character in the name of the chef’s mentor. Apprenticing at an old-school Osaka kappo, the chef learned not only cooking skills but also the bold spirit of a chef who holds court behind the counter. Courteous yet charming, his gregarious manner keeps the conversation flowing. The format is omakase, but with the flexibility to indulge diners’ whims.

Japanese cuisine reflects a spirit of gratitude for the bounty of nature and of prayer for people’s happiness. The chef values that spirit, pouring it into every dish he makes. The menu, woven from annual festivities, unfolds as a tale of the seasons. Skills honed at a ryotei live in the chef’s painstaking preparation and every detail of arrangements. The origins and customary usages of each cup and plate, related by the proprietress, add grace notes to the meal.

‘Sui’ means ‘green’. The chef chose the name so as not to forget where he came from, as his birth month and the day he went independent were both in the season of fresh green leaves. Having apprenticed under a Naniwa kappo mentor, the chef believes in a Japanese cuisine that thinks outside the box. Guests can choose an extra side dish, with Western‑style options such as crab cream croquettes and beef cutlet also available. Enjoy pairings with not just sake but a selection of wines as well.

The low-profile exterior, small billboard and stripped-down accoutrements express an understated Japanese architecture aesthetic. The goal here is cuisine of which one never tires. Rishiri kombu kelp is selected for the dashi stock drawn for soups, reassuring with its light flavour. Fermented seasonings are handmade fish sauces, provide the subtle seasoning that enhances other flavours. Relying on patient craftsmanship rather than fancy ingredients, Katamachi Kawaguchi impresses with technique and singular character.

The chef interprets the seasons through kaiseki, adding twists and tricks that make the cuisine his own. To express each season, appetisers are accompanied by leaves collected on hill and dale and a slim strip of paper is inscribed with a seasonal phrase. White rice, cooked in clay pots, is specially selected and treated. Rice grown in serpentinite soil, with its rich mineral content, is seasoned with salt and soy sauce to bring out umami and flavour. In a unique touch, scorched rice is served like a rice cracker. The basics of Japanese cuisine are safely guarded, yet imagination has room to r

Sea bream is marinated in kombu, gizzard shad in vinegar; sushi rice is seasoned with red vinegar and salt. The scrupulous training the chef received as an apprentice pervades every aspect of the restaurant. Nigirizushi begins with pale white-flesh fish. Tuna, served three pieces in succession, leaves an impact. Sushi rice is served on the warm side, the better to bring out the sweetness of the fish oil. Simmered conger eel brings the meal to a close, as in the old days. The restaurant stands on the river’s edge, so you can watch the boats plying the waters below as you dine.

French cuisine and organic wine, presented by a nature-loving couple. Welcoming you into their parlour are the chef, a disciple of classic gastronomy, and the proprietress, a florist. To present the ideal bistro the name implies, the couple decorate the casual interior with flowers, fresh in season like the ingredients. Vegetables come from the good earth of their home farm in Wakayama, linking city and countryside through cuisine.