tesss

This visit to Tenshin was a surprise one as much as the Hubba hinted that we are going to a place we have been to and want to revisit. Our platter for the night and it's a joy watching these items get fried one by one. My only grouse is the meal always ends too quickly. Chef works swiftly and barely engages in conversation - maybe because we are not regulars. Yuki Tempura Course ($180) 6 kinds of seafood, 5 kinds of vegetables The last couple of visits I remember topping up for sea urchin and they were so good to miss! This time, it was included in our set meal - hooray! We always kick start our meal with spinach and tofu skins, no different this time and still as refreshing as ever.  Then comes the lacquer box filled with the season's goodies, we had an equivalent of a chut chut, a sea snail nicely curled up in its shell (that broth was heaping with umami), steamed squid and roe that was so tender, boo to all overcooked squids out there! Then comes the biggest surprise of th...

Revisiting Sumo Bar Happy for dinner was definitely on the cards, I was so blown away by lunch - how could I not return for dinner? With the ultimate foodie companion in tow and the toddler too, I was impressed how the team managed to slot us trio into their already cramped as hell hole in wall eatery. Kudos, there. Do give them some notice to get the baby chair. Happy hour nigiri sushi at $5 for 2 if memory serves me right. Spicy salmon over spicy tuna for me, else they were mostly forgettable. Grilled Baby Romaine ($10) Sudachi vinaigrette, confit egg yolk, truffle soy dip Burnt baby romaine got me questioning what surprises this dish could pull - and fair enough, the egg yolk and truffle soy dip was that eureka moment. Crunchy leaves meets a savoury splash and I get hit hard by a whiff of char. So yummy. Yuzu Pepper Chicken Skip Chips ($10) Nori wrapped, house blend of yuzu and pepper spice, served with sour cream, chives, shio konbu Black chicken skin is a first for me and I don...

Yoshikawa Tempura is lauded as Kyoto's best and with a no reservation over lunch policy, I have to thank my lucky stars when we got our seats without any waiting in the cold. House in an inn, the place exudes plenty of charm. The entrance to tempura heaven, or so they say. Japanese garden view in the quaint and cosy tempura restaurant with just 8 counter seats. The aged chef was the only one handling all the orders and bless that man with his perfect memory! Each of us came in at varying times and he could remember how far we have progressed with our courses. That pot of oil was kept bubbling throughout and the chef deftly handled his tempura pieces with such skill, I just wonder how many years of experience went into mastering this. From skillfully slicing the ingredients to equal portions and dipping them into the batter and finally slipping them into the cauldron of cooking oil, I was in awe. JPY 3,000 lunch set are the only option with top ups like those above.  My set came in ...