On October 9th of this year, I made a reservation to visit "Motomazabu Kushima," which just opened in Azabu-Juban, thanks to an introduction from Chef Kawada. Chef Kushima and Chef Kurogi from Daemon, who is also from Miyazaki Prefecture, are classmates. After working at the now-defunct Yaesu Fujiya Hotel and the prestigious Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel, Chef Kushima spent five years training at the highly sought-after Kurogi in Daemon before opening his own place. His cuisine focuses on meat-centered Japanese dishes rather than the typical meat kaiseki. The meal began with a lightly fried assortment of chrysanthemum greens, garland chrysanthemum, mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms, topped with bonito flakes. The greens and mushrooms were briefly grilled over charcoal and paired beautifully with the fried maitake, making for a delicious start. Next, the steamed corned beef topped with wasabi had an exquisite balance of flavors. The Miyazaki beef shabu-shabu salad consisted of tender Miyazaki beef lightly submerged in a rich soy sauce and mirin broth, enhanced with an original sesame and walnut dressing that complemented the beef wonderfully. Grilled shiitake mushrooms were simply seasoned with a sprinkle of salt, grilled over charcoal, and finished with butter and soy sauce, creating a juicy and delectable dish. The charcoal-grilled Miyazaki jidori chicken was simply seasoned with salt, served with sudachi citrus and yuzu pepper, offering straightforward deliciousness. The soup of mudskipper (known as "kue") and mizuna had a hidden hint of yuzu in its flavor. Horse meat tartare was prepared with chopped walnuts and shiso, enhanced with soy sauce and ginger. It could be enjoyed on a slice of charcoal-grilled toast or wrapped in shiso leaves. The dish combined marinated sea bream from Akashi with Kyoto's smoked duck, along with dried persimmon wrapped around cream cheese and crunchy ginkgo nuts, finished with the braised liver of kue. The Kyoto smoked duck was slow-cooked for 20 minutes to eliminate any gamey taste, resulting in perfectly flavored meat. The boiled kue liver had been aged for about a week before preparation, developing a unique taste. Salt-roasted ginkgo nuts were prepared by placing them in a frying pan over salt, allowing the inherent flavor of the nuts to shine. The deep-fried spiny lobster came with a homemade tartar sauce that included pickled vegetables and lemon juice, which paired perfectly with the succulent lobster. This tartar was so delicious it could even stand alone with rice. For the rice course, we were served “Yume Gokochi” rice from Kyoto, alongside pickles, followed by charcoal-grilled chateaubriand. The chateaubriand was grilled with a special soy sauce and served simply with fleur de sel from France and yuzu pepper, creating an exquisite dish. The second rice dish was a meat rice bowl, featuring ribeye and filet mignon mixed with special soy sauce and topped with bonito flakes. This unique flavor is hard to find elsewhere, and I went for seconds. The spiny lobster miso soup had an outstanding broth, and for dessert, we enjoyed sweet shiranami persimmons and frozen Shine Muscat grapes (I forgot to take a picture). The sweet persimmons had a pleasantly soft texture, while the frozen Shine Muscat was my first experience and surprisingly enjoyable—I’ll try freezing some at home. To wrap up, we had a salty ice dessert with soybean flour and black syrup (I forgot to take a picture). The salty ice was perfect for a palate cleanser. Chef Kushima's personality truly shines through in his cooking. While there are many restaurants focused on seafood, meat-centric Japanese dining options are rare, making this place stand out. The restaurant also features a wine cellar with a wide selection, making it a great spot for wine lovers. With private rooms available, it's an excellent choice for business meetings as well. Remarkably, considering recent rising costs, the course prices were very reasonable. I look forward to visiting again and am excited to support this new addition to the dining scene. Today's menu included the following: - Boiled chrysanthemum greens, garland chrysanthemum, and mushrooms with fried maitake - Steamed corned beef - Miyazaki beef shabu-shabu salad, lotus root chips, and original dressing - Grilled shiitake mushrooms with butter and soy sauce - Charcoal-grilled jidori chicken with yuzu pepper and sudachi citrus - Kue and mizuna soup - Horse meat tartare - Marinated sea bream with miso, smoked duck from Kyoto, dried persimmon with cream cheese, kue liver, and salt-roasted ginkgo nuts - Deep-fried spiny lobster with special tartar sauce - White rice with pickles - Charcoal-grilled chateaubriand with yuzu pepper - Meat rice bowl - Spiny lobster miso soup - Sweet shiranami persimmons and frozen Shine Muscat grapes (photo not taken) - Salty ice with soybean flour and black syrup (photo not taken)

On November 10, 2024, I visited Kurogi for the first time to celebrate the opening of an establishment by my friend Kushima, who has been working hard there for five years. After leaving Kurogi, it took him a year and a half to find a place, during which he worked part-time on a houseboat before finally fulfilling his dream. Jun, from Kurogi, is a classmate from high school in Miyazaki. It was truly a tough journey for him. When we arrived at the restaurant, there was an enormous celebratory flower arrangement from Kurogi. The interior featured a spacious counter with six seats, and there was a private room in the back. We toasted with glasses of champagne—specifically, Drammot. The restaurant's concept is "meat kaiseki," and the dishes piled up with a focus on meat, which is characteristic of Kurogi graduates (laughs). We started with a variety of dishes: blanched shungiku (crown daisy), tempura of maitake mushrooms, and a collaboration of maitake and button mushrooms alongside shungiku that was quite interesting. There was also a steamed rice dish with corned beef that they want to make a regular menu item, and shabu-shabu style Miyazaki wagyu ribeye served as a salad. The grilled shiitake from Tokushima was incredibly thick. Other offerings included grilled Tanba jidori chicken, horse meat tartare, and a soup featuring the Japanese cod, with a selection of sashimi: marinated white fish, fried ginkgo nuts, cod skin crackers, persimmon salad, fried lobster with homemade tartar sauce, and shrimp miso. I was completely full by this point. The rice was "Yume Gokochi" from Kyoto, served with a boiled finish. We also enjoyed an Omi beef steak and miso soup with lobster, followed by crab rice. At this point, I couldn't eat anything more (laughs). However, I did manage to have dessert, which was frozen Shine Muscat grapes and persimmon. In addition to the food, the bill for two came to ¥73,300, including the drinks. I'll be sure to return at another time. We arrived at 5 PM, and by 7 PM, the counter was fully booked. The private room might not be in use for a while. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

We celebrated our wedding anniversary by going out to eat. There is a Times parking lot right near the restaurant, making it easy to visit by car. This restaurant offers a course menu that features seasonal ingredients, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavors throughout the year. This time, we ordered a course that included Ise lobster and seasonal vegetables. The dishes were not only delicious but also visually appealing, showcasing unique combinations and cooking methods that highlighted the ingredients' flavors. The owner was very friendly and emphasized creating a pleasant dining experience, which made for a wonderful time filled with engaging conversation. It's a place we would love to revisit. Please note that the restaurant's hours are from 5 PM to 9 PM, but they currently have irregular closing days, so it's advisable to check in advance and make a reservation.

I chose this restaurant to celebrate my friend's birthday, as they love meat and I wanted to treat them to something special. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere, and we were able to enjoy our meal at a leisurely pace. The wine cellar is impressive, with a wide variety of drinks available. The roasted Chateaubriand we had with our meal was exquisite.

Located in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo, the newly opened Japanese restaurant "Mot Azabu Kushima" launched in October 2024. The owner, Mr. Kushima, trained at the popular restaurant "Kurogii" in Daimon and is a high school classmate of Mr. Kurogi. The restaurant operates on a reservation-only basis in the evenings and offers a single course priced at 22,000 yen. The atmosphere is designed to allow guests to leisurely enjoy their meals. The course primarily features meat dishes, allowing diners to savor various preparations of beef and chicken. One highlight is the charcoal-grilled chicken sourced from Mr. Kushima's hometown, Miyazaki Prefecture. Diners can also enjoy creative dishes such as a combination of rice steaming and corned beef, as well as Miyazaki beef shabu-shabu served with salad. Additionally, with advance reservation, guests can include fried spiny lobster in the course, which pairs perfectly with the special tartar sauce. Although the restaurant has just opened and is not yet widely known, it has the potential to become quite popular, making reservations hard to come by in the future. It’s worth a visit before it becomes more widely recognized.

I used this restaurant to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my husband. Compared to other places, the prices for the food were reasonable, and we were very satisfied. There is also a coin parking nearby, which is very convenient.