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UrasawaI consider myself very fortunate to have dined at Urasawa five times ( August 2009 November 2006 ), and even more fortunate to have had my last meal here paid for. Thus, I never would've imagined that my sixth visit here would be gratis as well! Regular readers may recall my recent, epic 21-course meal at The Dining Room . Well, my two friends wanted to celebrate their newfound wealth in an even bigger way, and thus put me in charge of setting up a $1,000 per person (food only) dinner at Urasawa. Ecstatic with this idea, I called up Hiro-san, but he declined the offer, saying that raising up food costs to the $1k level would require the use of some "questionable" ingredients. Given the recent, well-publicized shutter of The Hump , I didn't press the issue, and "settled" on the standard menu. We still wanted the meal to be extra special though, so we decided to pair the food with an absolutely amazing horizontal tasting of 1995 Champagnes.Urasawa's interior space had been subtly upgraded recently: walls have been covered with new wallpaper, and new beams of cypress wood have been applied to various surfaces as well.We began with a welcoming glass of the 1995 Salon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil. This was actually my first time having Salon, and I appreciated its interplay between dry, toasty, biscuity flavors and floral, fruity flair, especially on the midpalate. Very nicely balanced, with pleasing acidity.- Urasawa remains the only place where I've had the summer delicacy of junsai, or water shield. The best part of the plant is the viscous, gelatinous layer that covers young sprouts, and here, the junsai was served, in shooter form, with scallop, wasabi, shiso, Kyushu turnip, and yuzu zest. I quite liked this dish, with its savory, umami-rich attack transitioning to a subtly sweet, lingering finish. I also enjoyed the junsai's slippery texture and the crunch of the radish. A great way to kick off the meal!- A traditional Kyoto dish, this wasn't really tofu at all, but a commixture of water, sesame paste, green tea (matcha), and kudzu starch. It came stuffed with uni and topped with wasabi and 23-carat gold flake. The flavor of sesame was strong initially, but this then gave way to the slight bitterness of the matcha, while the wasabi added a great burn on the finish. I really appreciated how the "tofu" emphasized the inherent sweetness of its uni filling.- Here we have a dish of monkfish liver (ankimo) and shiso, all wrapped in seared toro and senmai-zuke (pickled shogoin kabu turnip), topped with Petrossian caviar, in a yuzu-based sauce. An amazingly complex and balanced course, the maki was salty on the attack, no doubt thanks to the caviar, but then transitioned to the creaminess of the ankimo intermixed with the tartness of the turnip, while the use of toro grounded the dish.With our first bottle of bubbly dispensed with, we wanted to move on to sake, and thus asked for the off-the-menu, by-request-only, "special" collection of sake that Urasawa keeps. Above, Hiro-san shows us the two that he had in stock this particular night.Hiro-san recommended that we start with the Ichigin Junmai Daiginjo [$350], which I'd also had on my fourth visit here. Made by Saito Shuzo in Kyoto Prefecture, it's a 35% seimai-buai, yamada nishiki rice sake not typically found in the States; the Chef's mother had to personally send this particular example. As I said before, this was easily one of the best sakes I'd ever tasted. It was thick, viscous, and ever so slightly hot, with a strong, present backbone of rice intertwined with a soft fruitiness and floral character. Superb.- We couldn't have timed the sake better. The next course was karasumi, a delicacy of dried mullet roe that's meant to be eaten with sake. I've only had this in Japan previously. I first tried some alone, and found its saltiness surprisingly mild; I was also intrigued by its dry, grainy, almost cheese-like consistency. Next, I tried the roe with sake, and found that the sake actually intensified the karasumi's brine, while the sake itself had its alcoholic notes augmented.We brought three bottles of Krug, the first of which was the standard vintage 1995 Krug Champagne Brut. This was classic Krug: toasty, oaky, dry, with a hint of nuttiness and caramel.Hiro-san shows off a beautiful box of Hokkaido uni, to be used for the next course.- One thing you can always count on at Urasawa is the sashimi course, set in a hand-carved block of ice. Tonight, we had:Accompaniments included fresh wasabi from Shizuoka Prefecture, shoyu from Wakayama Prefecture (the birthplace of soy sauce in Japan), nori, red cabbage, grated daikon, cucumber flower, and carrot.- A heaping spoonful of wagyu beef, caviar, and pickled radish was presented with a singular piece of pickled red bell pepper. Taking it in one big bite, I first noted a tart attack, dominated by the radish. This was joined in the midpalate by the savoriness of the beef, which lasted all the way to the finish. The saltiness of the caviar, meanwhile, took on more of a supporting role. The most fascinating part of the dish, interestingly, was the bell pepper; pleasantly piquant, it cut the weight of the other ingredients nicely.Here, Hiro-san delights in cutting into a huge chunk of Kobe beef (the real deal, from Kobe--just look at that marbling!) for use in our shabu-shabu course.- We were presented with these lovely iron pots, to which Hiro-san subsequently added sake, resulting in billowing clouds of steam--nothing wrong with a bit of theatrics! We then opened the pots to find shrimp, shiitake, uni, shiso, and miyoga, all wrapped up in tai snapper and nori. The fish really served as a base to the dish, a place where the sweetness of the shrimp and uni played beautifully with the vegetal tang of the shiso. The briny counterpoint from the nori was commendable as well, as was the paired oroshi ponzu (ponzu with daikon) dipping sauce. I also loved the stark temperature contrast between hot and cold--the interaction between warm snapper and its cool accompaniments.- This was another brand new experience for me. Originally from the Hida region in Japan, houba-yaki takes its name from the houba leaf of the Japanese Magnolia. Various ingredients are cooked in the leaf, thus garnering some of its aroma, and served with tamamiso (miso with egg, mirin, sake, sugar). I first tried the shrimp, which came from Santa Barbara; it had a superb, crisp texture and light sweetness that was augmented by the sugary miso. Next up was the scallop, from Hokkaido, which had a very finespun, delicate sapor that was somewhat overwhelmed by the tamamiso unfortunately. Finally, we come to my favorite of the troika, more of that delectable Kobe beef; its rich, unabashedly ambrosial savor held up wonderfully to the sweetness of the accompanying sauce.We wanted to taste all three Krugs back-to-back, so the next bottle we opened was the 1995 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil, a single vineyard, blanc de blancs (100% Chardonnay) bottling. Compared to the preceding wine, this still showed plenty of that quintessential Krug character, but was steelier, lighter, and more mineral driven. I preferred it to the standard vintage Krug.- From Toyama Prefecture comes hotaru ika, or firefly squid, served here in tempura form. I really appreciated the squid's inherent brine, and how its flavor was so eloquently moderated by its crispy layer of fried tempura batter. Not surprisingly, the ika was served with a tentsuyu dip and a triangular mound of grated daikon and ginger. The sauce further enhanced the dish, contributing a tart and tangy component that paired quite nicely with the dish's salty character.- The shabu-shabu course, a holdover from the old Ginza Sushi-Ko days, is always one of the most hotly anticipated items at Urasawa. Either Hiro-san of one of his staff members will do all the cooking for you. First to take a plunge in the dashi bath was the red snapper. In and out in a jiffy, I loved how the fish's brininess was very succinctly preserved. Next to go was the French foie gras. It was cooked for a noticeably shorter time than in prior meals, resulting in a delightfully tender, creamy consistency and mild, pure, focused foie flavor that impressed us all--it's still some of the best I've had. Finally, we were presented with the wagyu, which had a subtle, yet profound savor that went beautifully with the tang of the included scallions.- The remaining shabu broth is always a hot, heartwarming, umami-rich treat. The key here is the foie gras, which provides for a heavy, hearty stock positively saturated with the essence of liver, but yet countered so superbly by the vegetal tang of scallion and kombu.As always, the presentation of the gari (ginger) signifies the start of the sushi.And finally, we come to the 1995 Krug Champagne Clos d'Ambonnay, a single vineyard, blanc de noirs (100% Pinot Noir). Released in April 2008, this is currently the only vintage of Clos d'Ambonnay available, and only 3,000 bottles were produced from a lone 1.69 acre vineyard, making it easily the rarest and most expensive Krug Champagne ever (and the priciest liquid to ever pass my lips). The nose on this one was Krug, no doubt, but on the palate, this was a much softer, rounder, more feminine sparkler, with surprising dark berry notes over a backbone of delicate toastiness. It was delicious, and actually the most approachable Champagne of the night!- As always, the sushi gauntlet begins with toro. Superbly rich, fatty, and melt-in-your-mouth (just look at that marbling), it was beautifully tempered by the rice and accented by the sharp burn of wasabi.- As unctuous as the toro was, the kama toro (a little known cut of fatty meat from the tuna's collar) was even more so. Yet, at the same time it wasn't overbearing, with the savory bitterness of the char adding a wonderful counterpoint to things. Arguably the most decadent piece of sushi I've ever had.- What impressed me here wasn't so much the flavor of the fish--though certainly it was quite tasty--but the kanpachi's impeccable texture, a fantastic mix of crisp and creamy. Nice.- This was a prototypical example of aji, one of my favorite types of fish for sushi purposes. As expected, it had a strong, but not overwhelming flavor, which was deftly tempered by the application of yuzu and wasabi.If you think that the 3,000 bottles of Ambonnay makes it rare, consider that only 300 bottles of Yukiyuzawa Junmai Daiginjo [$350] are produced each year. As with the Ichigin, this is a 35% polished, yamada nishiki sake, but the two couldn't be more different in terms of taste. This was a much drier, much more austere tipple, with just a hint of floral character interspersed with some juicy melon notes.- I loved the application of yuzu zest here, which gave the fish a delightful citrus tang. What was more interesting, though, was its consistency, which I found crunchy, snappy, even a bit sinewy. One of my dining companions likened it to engawa, or halibut fin.- Earlier in the meal, I was able to enjoy Hokkaido uni. The example used for sushi, however, hailed from Santa Barbara, and it was great to have an opportunity to compare the two styles back-to-back. We're talking a night-and-day difference: this was clearly creamier, more luscious, with a sweeter, less intense, more feminine flavor.- I often lament the fact that tuna is one of the more boring types of sushi around. This, thus, was a pleasant surprise to me, as I found the fish remarkably full flavored, with a sharp, salty savor that really got to me.- The shima aji at Urasawa has often times been the strongest sushi of the lot, and although it didn't achieve such heights this time, the striped jack was a valiant effort nonetheless: snappy, savory, with a subtly sweet shade. Nice.- Urasawa's squid always possesses a creamy, chewy, mouth-coatingly monolithic consistency. Taste-wise, I found it subtly sweet, aptly accented by the application of grated sudachi and salt.- One of the highlights for me is the shiitake nigiri sushi. The earthiness of the mushroom is so forcefully conveyed here, and yet is so beautifully accompanied by the wasabi and rice. I could've used more of this!- This was actually very close to the regular toro above in terms of tenderness; it was, perhaps, only a touch less oleaginous, but still very, very good.If Clos d'Ambonnay was the most approachable wine of the night, then the 1995 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut was easily the most challenging. It was tremendously dry, austere even, with loads of toast and yeast paired with an oxidative complexity and funkiness. Several of my dining companions did not like this one at all.- Kohada is always one of the more strongly-flavored fishes served, but this example was actually quite mild, with a delicate brine and a subtly saccharine savor.- Here was a maki roll of chopped toro, leek, and takuan (pickled daikon). I loved the great crunch and tang of the takuan, and how the astringency of the leek so deftly tempered the gravity of the tuna. The overarching flavor of seaweed was superb as well.- Shellfish time, starting with geoduck ("gooey duck"). A very firm, crunchy texture gives way to a briny flavor underscored by a subtle sweetness.- Abalone never fails to make an appearance at Urasawa, and always manages to demonstrate a certain fresh crispness. Grated yuzu, with its citric tang, is added to augment the awabi's natural sapor.- At this point, Hiro-san proceeded to bring out some live shrimp from under the counter, which he and Ken-san then broke apart--talk about fresh! This was everything that you'd expect from sweet shrimp: snappy yet creamy in consistency, briny yet sweet in taste. The amaebi was further elevated by the application of a sauce made from the shrimp's innards; this gave things a sweet-metallic tinge.- One of the highlights here is always the lightly-smoked beef sushi. I loved the zesty attack of the grated yuzu skin, and how this transitioned to the sweet-savory flavor of the meat. A real crowd pleaser!We ended our gamut of bubbly with the 1995 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. As expected for Cristal, this was light, creamy, floral, and citrus-tinged, but given its age, it also had plenty of toasty character as well. Tasty, but probably the least complex of the sextet.- Anago never ceases to make an appearance at Urasawa, and actually, this was one of the stronger versions I've had here. I found the eel light and lean, superbly accented by the application of sweet, sugary sauce and yuzu.- Urasawa has one of the more unconventional preparations of tamago around. Instead of an egg omelet, you receive something resembling a cake, sort of like a datemaki. It's a spongy, fluffy, moist contraption, with a sweet, yet eggy flavor.- What we have here was a slice of papaya, on which grapefruit jelly was somehow melded on to. The grapefruit, thus, added a fantastic sugariness to the dessert that complemented the papaya's naturally milder flavor. The mountain peach, or yamamomo, meanwhile, added a distinctly sourness to things. Absolutely delectable.- Next was a sesame pudding, topped with a layer of red bean paste, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and garnished with gold foil. This had a great base of sesame flavor, accented by the sweetness of azuki bean, while the sesame seeds provided a lovely earthiness to the dessert.- With the sesame pudding came this frothy bowl of matcha powdered green tea. Its astringent, bitter flavor did a great job in tempering the sweets.- A meal at Urasawa always ends with a bottomless cup of roasted green tea. I limited myself to only two servings this time around!Above, we see the lineup for our 1995 Champagne horizontal (along with our sakes). Here's the pricing (inclusive of tax and shipping), in case you're thinking about doing a tasting of your own: Cristal - $367.99; Bollinger - $219.49; Krug Clos du Mesnil - $763.44; Krug Clos d'Ambonnay - $2,617.38; Krug Brut - $285.34; Salon - $318.43 We also had an extra bottle of 1995 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (a late-disgorged version of the cuvée) that we didn't get to--we'll be saving that for another dinner.As is tradition for Urasawa, we close with the posting of the night's tab. It was $6,370.45 with tip, and adding in the $4,572.07 for the Champagnes brings the grand total to $10,942.52, officially making this meal my most expensive ever, easily eclipsing my first experience at Joël Robuchon And with that, another Urasawa dinner comes to a close. A visit here never ceases to bring a smile to my face, and what was supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" meal for me back in '06 has become at least an annual occurrence. I don't think that there's much more I can say about the place that I haven't already said, but I do recommend that everyone with an interest in food try to make it out here at least once--it's worth the wait, worth the effort, worth the cost.Thanks again to Eric and Minh for a wonderful meal.
Additional Information
Konnichiwa, welcome to Japan! Between the freshest ingredients and generations of culinary know-how, this is a country that really celebrates the art of eating well. And as for Tokyo, where your adventure begins - it's a food lover's dream. A welcome meeting will take place at 6pm tonight where you'll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you get to Tokyo with time to spare, you may like to head out to explore the different sides of the city, from fascinating museums to neighbourhood backstreets lined with izakaya and karaoke bars. After your meeting, it's time to get acquainted with local cuisine over a welcome dinner with your group. Fancy some perfectly grilled yakitori skewers or super tasty soba noodles? You're in the right place. Once dinner's done and stomachs are full, perhaps head out to explore Shibuya's tiny backstreets in search of sake or local cocktails.
Kick off the day with a walk around the famous Tsukiji Outer Market, where seafood from Tokyo's largest wholesale fish market is delivered and ready to sample daily. Afterwards, learn the art of sushi making first-hand - it's the quintessential Edo-era specialty and possibly Japan's most famous culinary gift to the world. Hear about the history of sushi, how to choose the best fish, learn proper slicing and rice making techniques and sample some seriously fresh sushi. Then, enjoy free time to explore the historic Asakusa area. Stop by Senso-ji, the city's oldest temple, founded almost 1400 years ago. If you've got a sweet tooth, then Asakusa is the place to get your sugar fix. Try fried sweet potatoes tossed in sugar and soy or sweet red bean paste sandwiched between baked pancake batter (yes, it's as good as it sounds!). Tonight, why not head to Tsukishima to tuck into one of Tokyo's most traditional dishes, monjayaki (a type of savoury pancake).
Leave Tokyo in your dust as you take a bullet train to the charming 17th-century Edo town of Takayama, located in the Japanese Alps. The region is famous for its traditional streetscapes, sake breweries and Hida-gyu (Hida wagyu beef), the beef from a black-haired cattle breed that has been raised in Gifu Prefecture for at least 14 months. On arrival, visit the nearby Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum where the traditional thatched-roof architecture unique to the area has been put on display. With each house like its own self-contained museum, discover personal items, traditional tools, and learn the techniques used to build farmhouses that could withstand fierce winters. For the next two nights, you'll stay in a traditional ryokan (Japanese inn), where you'll also get to dine on regional Takayama delicacies. Popular local dishes include mitarashi dango (rice dumplings roasted in soy sauce), houba miso (miso vegetables cooked in magnolia leaf) and chuka soba (Hida's favourite noodle dish).
The Gifu Prefecture is known for its excellent high-altitude vegetables, which you'll discover today on an exploration of the morning markets. Dating back 600 years, stalls of seasonal produce are set up by women from local farms early each morning. Look out for the unique local style of pickles, bags of miso wrapped in leaves, genkotsu ame (soybean candy), preserved fish, spices, and the delicious marshmallow treat of owara tamaten. Later, take a short local train ride to the neighbouring Hida-Furukawa, another alpine town known for its relaxed pace and tree-lined canals. Here, visit a local sake brewery where you'll learn the secrets of this culturally significant alcoholic drink (and sample some yourself, if you fancy). Gifu's alpine climate and crystal-clear mountain waters are perfect for creating Japan's signature liquor. Back in Takayama for dinner, you'll be able to sample some more of the town's iconic dishes.
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Take the train towards Japan's northern coastline to the historic city of Kanazawa. Having avoided much of the destruction of World War 2, it's a place where modern and traditional Japan go hand in hand. On arrival, join your leader on an orientation walk before visiting 17th-century Kenroku-en Garden, a highly intricate landscaped acreage of bridges, ponds, waterfalls, fountains and tea houses that are beautiful no matter the season. Perhaps stop for a cup of freshly whisked matcha tea on your stroll through the extensive grounds. If time allows, you might get the chance to visit the Chaya gai district, with its well-preserved streets of old wooden tea houses, and where geisha continue to perform music and dance for small private functions. In the evening, join your leader for an optional dinner to sample local dishes bursting with regional flavour, particularly fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan. The unique blend of warm and cold currents create the perfect conditions for a wide variety of fish and shellfish year round, including the famed Kano crabs and sweet prawns.
Hungry? Good! This morning you'll pay a visit to Omicho Market, where the city's quality food producers gather. Seafood from Ishikawa Prefecture is brought in from the port every morning and, as well as sold fresh, there are a number of restaurants in the market which whip it up into rice bowls or sushi - almost 200 stalls to get lost in! Later, hop on an express train to Osaka, Japan's third-largest city and unofficial culinary capital. There are sprawling shopping hubs and tiny backstreets full of restaurants and bars, serving up local delicacies as well as Japan's answer to fast food. Osaka is credited with the first kaiten-zushi (conveyer belt sushi) restaurants. The city is also renowned for its take on okonomiyaki (fried savoury pancakes), kushikatsu (deep fried meat and vegetables on skewers) and perhaps its most renowned dish, takoyaki (a hot snack of shredded octopus, pickled ginger and spring onion cooked into batter). After checking into the hotel, take a walk through Osaka's unmissable Dotombori district, sampling some street food as you stroll along its neon-lit canals.
Visit Osaka's lively Kuromon food market for a morning walk through the quirky Doguyasuji Arcade, where you can pick up some kitchen gadgets (or plastic food!) and all the Japanese bowls you'd ever need. Later, pop into a depachika - the food basement hall of one of Japan's department stores - which is a treasure trove for food lovers, given the endless range of products beautifully displayed. It's one of the best ways to understand what locals eat on a daily basis. Today, you'll also learn about one of Osaka's signature dishes and try your hand at perfecting takoyaki or noodles. This evening, take a dive into Osaka's twisting back alleys and experience one of the city's typical tachinomi bars (drinking while standing), perhaps sharing a few drinks with your travel pals.
Rise early, hop on the train and venture into an important region for Shingon Buddhism. Founded in the 8th century by the revered Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi, Koya-san has been a centre for religious activities for over 1200 years. On arrival, visit Okuno-in, the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. Your unique accommodation tonight is in one of the many temples still operating here. You'll stay alongside Buddhist monks and follow their routine of evening meditation and morning prayers. Temple lodgings, known as shukubo, have facilities similar to Japanese ryokans. Rooms are equipped with thin futon mattresses that are spread on tatami mats for a comfortable night's sleep. Tonight, enjoy an introduction to shojin ryori, or monastic cuisine, prepared by novice monks. Shojin ryori was popularised in Japan in the 13th century by Zen monks from China. Shojin ryori is plant-based, and prohibits inclusion of meat and fish, following the teaching that it is wrong to kill living animals. Instead, meals are prepared with seasonable vegetables and wild plants from the mountains.
Today you'll make your way by train to Kyoto, a city regarded as the cultural heart of Japan. Before Tokyo, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years. On arrival, get acquainted with this beautiful city on an orientation walk with your leader, taking a stroll through the glass-covered walkway of Nishiki Market. It's here that you'll find a range of Kyoto's regional specialities like pickled vegetables hidden beneath layers of fermented rice, ornate Kyo-wagashi (Kyoto sweets), Uji green teas, as well as souvenirs and a renowned hand-crafted knife shop. Later in the afternoon, take a step back in time on a walk through the narrow streets of Kyoto's charming Gion district and learn about the city's geisha culture. If you're lucky you might spot geiko (geisha) or maiko (apprentice geisha) in their elaborate dress and makeup. Join your leader for an optional dinner to sample some of Kyoto's trademark cuisine.
Kyoto is a city that takes food seriously. Today, you'll experience the simple pleasures of obanzai ryori in a cooking class. Perhaps not as well-known as kaiseki, this ancient style of a multi-course Japanese feast has strict rules that must be adhered to. It must be simple and follow a seasonal approach. At least half of the ingredients must be Kyo-yasai (Kyoto heirloom vegetables grown locally), and the meal should embody the spiritual elements of genuine things, such as balance. Obanzai is increasingly gaining popularity in Kyoto as people seek to ensure that this special culinary tradition is preserved. Once you've prepared your meal, you'll get to enjoy the fruits of your labour at lunch. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your own pace. You could find a theatre putting on shows of Noh, Kabuki or Bunraku puppetry, or a traditional maiko dance. If you're still hungry, why not try some yudofu hotpot, using Kyoto's smooth tofu perfected over centuries by Buddhist monks. With so many other options, your local leader is there to help you make the right choice.
Today you'll explore the traditions, culture and history behind tea, which plays a critical part in traditional Japanese society. Learn about the long-lived customs surrounding this brew, which is more than simply a drink, and discover the difference between the fine matcha powdered tea served in the tea ceremony and the other varieties of green tea commonly enjoyed in Japan, from everyday houjicha and genmaicha to premium gyokuro. The careful symbolism of Japanese society reaches its peak in the tea ceremony and today you'll attend a private ceremony with a long-time practitioner of this art in Kyoto. Learn about the importance of the preparation and cleaning of tea utensils, the bow on receiving a cup of freshly whisked tea and the three clockwise turns before a sip is taken. After this experience, take some time to explore this ancient city yourself before rounding off your adventure with a celebratory dinner with your group leader and travel pals.
With no activities planned for today, your Japanese food adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning.
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