I went to dinner with my younger sister. We made a reservation for 3 people and were guided to a private room. The atmosphere was good. I had a highball, my partner had cold sake, and my sister had oolong tea for the toast since she doesn't drink. The first course was uni on grated yam with jelly, which was delicious. The soup was winter melon with soft-shelled turtle broth. The sashimi was tuna, sea bream, and squid, nothing out of the ordinary. The grilled dish was conger eel. This was followed by a simmered dish with lotus root. The main course was sweetfish rice porridge. For dessert, we had mango pudding. Overall, the portion sizes were a bit small, but the food was delicious with the signature taste of the restaurant.

At the Yoshikura restaurant in Shogatsu-ya, you can enjoy Japanese cuisine that truly captures the essence of the season. Located on the 7th floor of Eat Paradise, this restaurant offers a relaxed dining experience with delicious Japanese dishes. The menu includes a Hina doll-themed appetizer, clam soup, assorted sashimi, grilled saury, spring vegetable rice, red miso soup, and dessert. Each dish is beautifully presented and highlights the natural flavors of the ingredients. The timing of each course is impeccable, showcasing the expertise of this longstanding establishment. Overall, the exquisite dishes at Yoshikura truly evoke the feeling of spring and provide a delightful dining experience.

Kaiseki course "Gion" ◎ Hikari In Hachisun ○ Fugu fin sesame tofu ball ○ Three kinds of assorted sashimi ○ Buri teki ○ Daikon, horenso, sweet potato, and nanjing simmered dish ○ Blowfish porridge, pickles ◎ Today's dessert ¥14800/person Hikari In Hachisun had a variety of dishes from traditional to Western style, all of which were delicious. The tiger-themed dish for the year 2022 even had shirako! I don't get to eat Kaiseki often, so I enjoyed dishes like Buri teki and simmered dish. The blowfish porridge had plenty of blowfish and was very satisfying. The dessert was not just a traditional fruit dessert, but a jelly-like treat with berries and apples. This restaurant offers a taste of good fortune at a reasonable price. Even without a reservation, the service was smooth and the atmosphere was pleasant, showcasing the skills of this long-standing establishment.

I went to Kicho-san at Isetan Shinjuku for the first time. I often visit Isetan, so I was curious about this famous restaurant. This time, I ordered the Spring Special Set. It included sesame tofu, sashimi, soup, main dish, and dessert. The sesame tofu was average, the sashimi was not very generous and the quality was so-so, the soup was not very elaborate, and the main dish was bamboo shoot rice which was lukewarm and had too much wood sorrel, making it mediocre. I understand the elegance, but considering the price, I felt it was expensive for the portion size.

The way the dishes were prepared, plated, the colors, flavors, creativity, service, and ambiance were all amazing. It felt like there was a shining skill within the simplicity. It was a continuous pleasure to anticipate what would come next, allowing us to truly enjoy the essence of dining out and providing a great way to relax.

I felt that the elegant taste referred to this. Each dish was carefully prepared with just the right amount of seasoning, and I enjoyed many luxurious dishes. It made me feel like I was experiencing the goodness of traditional Japanese cuisine. Thank you for the feast. Thank you very much.

Today's cheers as well! Matsutake mushroom steamed in a tokkuri pot (￣∀￣) Oh my goodness, everything was truly delicious and beautifully presented, showcasing the skills of the chef... Everyone here is always so kind, allowing us to relax and enjoy our time. The wine today paired perfectly with the Japanese cuisine, making the dishes even more delicious. I will definitely visit again. I forgot to take a photo, but the sashimi was also delicious!

For the lunch kaiseki appetizer, rare ingredients like "tsukushi" and "shirauo" were served, giving a spring-like feel and visually appealing. The fried blowfish was thick and satisfying to eat. The steamed oyster with shingyo was fragrant and delicious. Dessert consisted of fruit jelly and sweet red bean soup with matcha. The elegant sweetness made it easy to eat without being too heavy.

Today was our second visit to the restaurant. We had a great time with our group of three friends, enjoying the seasonal course menu. The tofu topped with sea urchin and the bamboo shoots were both visually appealing and delicious. The scallops, which have been hard to come by lately, made a special appearance and added to the seasonal feel of the meal. We always feel the seasonal charm whenever we visit. We will definitely be back to try the firefly squid rice dish, which was so tasty. We always look forward to the rice dishes here.

I had been to this restaurant a few times before, and while it wasn't my favorite, it left a decent impression. This time, I tried the special menu priced at 12,960 yen. The meal included various dishes such as a crab and sesame tofu soup, assorted sashimi, grilled bream, shrimp and taro simmered dish, rice with root vegetables, red miso soup, seasonal fruits, and red bean soup with sweet rice balls. Overall, I found the meal to be lacking in standout dishes and was somewhat disappointed. The foie gras jelly in the appetizer was too strong in alcohol flavor, and the way the squid sashimi was cut felt odd. Additionally, unlike other restaurants, they did not offer to pack any leftover rice for takeout. While the service was polite, the quality of the food was not up to par with my previous experiences. It seems like the restaurant may have changed for the worse.

We used a private room for 8 people. We chose a lunch course that was a little over 10,000 yen, and there was no room charge. Everything had an elegant taste and was delicious. The rice was cooked in a pot, and the crispy rice at the bottom was really tasty. The abalone grilled on a stone was also very delicious. There were child seats available, and the room was spacious, so we could enjoy our meal at a leisurely pace. I would like to visit again.

We went to lunch with three women, and we ordered the lunch course which costs 1980 yen per person. We also added a plate of fried branzino for an additional charge. We had one glass of 90ml champagne for 1980 yen, two glasses of Ikkakuja's black label, and one beer. Due to the pandemic, we were seated at a large table with one seat left empty between each of us in a "V" shape. The vegetables in the lunch course were beautifully cut and the presentation was meticulous, reflecting the attention to detail by Yoshikatsu. The overall taste was gentle, and the combination of the dishes and the tableware was elegant and visually appealing. The dessert, featuring Shine Muscat grapes in jelly, was not overly sweet and very delicious. The meal felt healthy with plenty of vegetables, but it may not be filling enough for men. The selection of champagne and other drinks was impressive, with high prices matching the quality.

I often visit Isetan and frequently use the restaurant area for lunch or dinner. When I feel like having Japanese food or kaiseki cuisine, I highly recommend it. The other day, I had a fugu (blowfish) meal. The fugu tempura was absolutely delicious.

Having a meal at Isetan in Shinjuku. When it comes to Kicho, the strong impression of being the epitome of a bad restaurant due to the scandal that was widely reported, and the whispered advice to the son of the female proprietor during the press conference that was perfectly captured on TV, makes me hesitate about dining at a traditional Japanese restaurant like this. However, it may be unfair to judge all Kicho restaurants based on the scandal involving just one branch, such as the case with Funabashi Kicho. I ordered the seasonal special menu, and overall, the flavors were good and the prices were not excessively high compared to the quality and presentation of the dishes. Being inside Isetan, this Kicho may have a more casual feel compared to other branches, but the service was good and the ingredients were of high quality. Although I don't usually have experiences where the quality of ingredients is emphasized, the texture of the jelly-like part of the bamboo shoot was very firm, reminding me of the bamboo shoots I had at Kikuchi in Yushima. If I could afford to come to places like this more casually, it might mean that I have truly become an adult, but considering the price of alcohol alone, it is currently out of reach for me. Yes, it did not come from my wallet...

I had the Tokuyama course. It was delicious from the bamboo shoots and tree buds salad to the salmon roe rice. I also had a glass of champagne. Personally, I really enjoyed the squid sashimi, it was rich and tasty. The dessert was also good with just the right amount of sweetness. The service was perfect. I would love to come back again!

Lunch is here... I ordered the 13,000 yen course. For drinks, I had the original "Yoshikado Teiou" sake, which was rich in aroma and had a smooth taste that I really enjoyed. The quality here is top-notch. Each dish is different in its own way. For example, the "miso" in the "hoja miso" is different, and even the "hoja" itself is different... that's why the aroma is so good. I could easily have a cup of sake with this miso as a side dish... and the seaweed with the rice was a small detail but I appreciated the attention to detail. The broth in the soup was excellent! It's the real deal. The sashimi with the cuttlefish was also amazing. For dessert, I had chestnut tea. The service from the female staff was perfect. The final touch with the dessert and matcha... makes me feel lucky to be born Japanese. The meal ended with salted tea... they got me there. This restaurant was worth every penny for the enjoyment I got out of it.

I visited here while shopping at Isetan. It seems like a safe bet at Kichote, but the name "New Year Shop" had a celebratory head, so I confirmed that it is the name of the shop. As we enter August, there have been continuing hot and humid days. I wondered if I could have a refreshing meal, but every time I ate, I broke out in sweat. On this day, I had the Minikaiseki for 6480 yen. The meal included Tangmo tofu, which was not sweet like corn but had a slightly ancient Tangmo flavor. The tofu itself did not have a strong Tangmo flavor, so it was good that it wasn't overwhelmingly corn-flavored. The sauce was ponzu. The soup was conger eel and winter melon soup, which was delicious with the eel and refreshing winter melon in a rich broth that made me sweat. The grilled dish was Ma-Ya salt-grilled, which was easy to eat but hot after the soup. The simmered dish was made with taro, spinach, Nanjing, and red bell pepper, which was served hot and made me sweat even more. The meal also included white rice and a sashimi trio platter with red miso soup and pickles. The sashimi trio consisted of flounder, tuna, and slightly seared scallop, all of which were delicious but the hot miso soup made me sweat even more. For dessert, I had almond tofu with watermelon jelly topped with papaya, which had a subtle texture and was enjoyable. The air conditioning was working well, but my stomach was still warm, so I left early. The service brought me roasted green tea multiple times, all of which were too hot. I couldn't have a refreshing meal here. I should have just asked for water from the beginning. I remember visiting Kichote at the Imperial Hotel in the past, where they served beautifully decorated cold dishes with iris leaves at the end of April, emphasizing the seasonal aspect. I was impressed by how they valued the season. I was naive to think that every restaurant would put effort into creating a cool atmosphere during this time of year. I don't understand why all the dishes served at Kichote are so hot during the summer. The staff's service was very polite, and the food was meticulous and classical, but as the name suggests, I should have visited during New Year's.

I visited Kitcho on top of Isetan for a meal gathering. I did not pay for the meal, so I do not know the exact amount including alcohol. We had the course menu listed on their website. The sashimi was delicious, but the simmered dishes cooked with care in dashi broth were especially tasty. You could tell that each ingredient was cooked separately, which made it a luxurious experience. The staff was polite and the service was pleasant. However, being on top of Isetan, the atmosphere was bright and more table seating than traditional tatami seating, which was a bit disappointing. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, it might be better to reserve a tatami room or private room.