Rice has been a staple food of Japan for centuries.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that there is a kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo (and Kyoto) that specializes rice, and its main course is...
A simple bowl of RICE.
Turned out, it was one of my best culinary experiences in this trip to Japan.
This small kaiseki restaurant, Kome Ryotei, in the middle of bustling Ginza district in Tokyo, serves a seasonal course menu.
Since it was April, the theme of the course we had was “Sakura”, cherry blossom.
As any other Japanese traditional kaiseki cuisine, each dish is like a piece of art , a gem, that you want to take some time to admire before you actually put into your mouth.
First course was a small glass of sweet sake, a perfect & appropriate aperitif.
Then came a small bowl of rice porridge, or kayu. Great way to prepare your stomach for the next 8 dishes.
It had fu (soft gluten) in sakura petal shape on top as if they were floating on the pond. And the salted sakura flower (real one!) adds a nice accent flavor to the simple porridge.
Next was a plate of multiple Kyoto heirloom vegetables (Kyo-yasai) with fermented rice dipping sauce.
It was like a painting palette.
Two more beautiful, meticulously plated dishes followed before the main course was served.
During the course, a rice maister (licensed rice expert or “rice sommelier” ), Mr. Matsushita-san, would come to our table and explained about the dishes, from the theme of each dish, its ingredients, sometimes even the story and history behind it.
He also told us how they were concerned about Japanese people these days eating less rice, and how it’s a crisis of Japanese culture, its identity, and even the health of the population.
So their mission, aside from offering such wonderful culinary experience, is to educate people, encourage and inspire people to eat more rice, "the gift of mother nature".
Before the main course was served, a waiter came to our table with a dozen of gorgeous ceramic rice bowls.
And you pick the one you like.
I chose a simple light blue one, while my dinner mate picked one with Mt. Fuji motif.
Then the chef appeared from the kitchen, with freshly & perfectly cooked rice in individual clay pot.
(they start to cook rice for each guest after they order).
He opened the lid right in front of my nose, then the steam came out, and I inhaled and savored the aroma of rice..... Heaven.
The rice would be served in the rice bowl we just picked up, and we enjoyed with some delicious condiments along with miso soup.
This sakura course finally came to an end with rice sweets with matcha green tea.
Coincidentally, I just read an interesting article in New Yorker Magazine, about how these young tech people in CA developed a formula that supposedly provide all 32 essential nutrients that human body needs (without “waste”), because they thought eating was just a waste of time and money in this crazy busy modern life.
And they claim that technically you can live on this formula (kind of like a protein shake) alone, and one of them has actually been just on this for the last one and half year! ("I'm feeling great", he said.)
Since I just had this amazing food experience in Tokyo, I found this article especially intriguing, and made me think a lot.
Is the food just to fill your stomach? or supply nutritional needs?
Should the food be reduced to it?
Tangible and intangible, aren’t we taking more from eating?
Well, I don't know about you.
But I don't think I can give up the joy and pleasure that eating & food could bring to my life.
More than the words can express.
I was also impressed by the fact that this rice restaurant is constantly looking for the better quality of rice, visiting small organic farms around the country. And they pick up a different farm every now and then, and serve the rice from there.
It’s also a great way to support and encourage small, struggling rice farmers to produce great quality of rice, the staple food of Japan.
We left the restaurant back into the neon flashing downtown Tokyo, but so fulfilled, not just stomach but on so many levels.
It was truly a holistic food experience.
link to Kome Ryotei
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that there is a kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo (and Kyoto) that specializes rice, and its main course is...
A simple bowl of RICE.
Turned out, it was one of my best culinary experiences in this trip to Japan.
This small kaiseki restaurant, Kome Ryotei, in the middle of bustling Ginza district in Tokyo, serves a seasonal course menu.
Since it was April, the theme of the course we had was “Sakura”, cherry blossom.
As any other Japanese traditional kaiseki cuisine, each dish is like a piece of art , a gem, that you want to take some time to admire before you actually put into your mouth.
First course was a small glass of sweet sake, a perfect & appropriate aperitif.
Then came a small bowl of rice porridge, or kayu. Great way to prepare your stomach for the next 8 dishes.
It had fu (soft gluten) in sakura petal shape on top as if they were floating on the pond. And the salted sakura flower (real one!) adds a nice accent flavor to the simple porridge.
Next was a plate of multiple Kyoto heirloom vegetables (Kyo-yasai) with fermented rice dipping sauce.
It was like a painting palette.
Two more beautiful, meticulously plated dishes followed before the main course was served.
During the course, a rice maister (licensed rice expert or “rice sommelier” ), Mr. Matsushita-san, would come to our table and explained about the dishes, from the theme of each dish, its ingredients, sometimes even the story and history behind it.
He also told us how they were concerned about Japanese people these days eating less rice, and how it’s a crisis of Japanese culture, its identity, and even the health of the population.
So their mission, aside from offering such wonderful culinary experience, is to educate people, encourage and inspire people to eat more rice, "the gift of mother nature".
Before the main course was served, a waiter came to our table with a dozen of gorgeous ceramic rice bowls.
And you pick the one you like.
I chose a simple light blue one, while my dinner mate picked one with Mt. Fuji motif.
Then the chef appeared from the kitchen, with freshly & perfectly cooked rice in individual clay pot.
(they start to cook rice for each guest after they order).
He opened the lid right in front of my nose, then the steam came out, and I inhaled and savored the aroma of rice..... Heaven.
The rice would be served in the rice bowl we just picked up, and we enjoyed with some delicious condiments along with miso soup.
This sakura course finally came to an end with rice sweets with matcha green tea.
Coincidentally, I just read an interesting article in New Yorker Magazine, about how these young tech people in CA developed a formula that supposedly provide all 32 essential nutrients that human body needs (without “waste”), because they thought eating was just a waste of time and money in this crazy busy modern life.
And they claim that technically you can live on this formula (kind of like a protein shake) alone, and one of them has actually been just on this for the last one and half year! ("I'm feeling great", he said.)
Since I just had this amazing food experience in Tokyo, I found this article especially intriguing, and made me think a lot.
Is the food just to fill your stomach? or supply nutritional needs?
Should the food be reduced to it?
Tangible and intangible, aren’t we taking more from eating?
Well, I don't know about you.
But I don't think I can give up the joy and pleasure that eating & food could bring to my life.
More than the words can express.
I was also impressed by the fact that this rice restaurant is constantly looking for the better quality of rice, visiting small organic farms around the country. And they pick up a different farm every now and then, and serve the rice from there.
It’s also a great way to support and encourage small, struggling rice farmers to produce great quality of rice, the staple food of Japan.
We left the restaurant back into the neon flashing downtown Tokyo, but so fulfilled, not just stomach but on so many levels.
It was truly a holistic food experience.
link to Kome Ryotei