Eric55
On March 25, 2022, I had the rare opportunity to eat tempura. When I went to Tokami, the owner happened to be there, and we had a great conversation which led to us making a reservation. The course cost around 20,000 yen. Although the business hours start at 5:30 pm, it is strictly by reservation only, so if the first reservation is at 6:00 pm, they won't open until then. We had a reservation for 6:00 pm, but we arrived at 5:30 pm thinking they would let us in since they open at 5:30 pm, but they were still preparing and we had to wait. It was our fault for arriving earlier than the reservation time, so it was not a problem. When we made the reservation at Tokami, I mentioned that I would be happy if they had Kirin Lager beer, and they made sure to have it ready. The course was completely chef's choice. First, shrimp legs were served, which was quite interesting. Then came the appetizer assortment, including bamboo shoots and squid with vinegar miso, seaweed salad with wakame, and fiddlehead fern with fava beans. The presentation was beautiful. Next, vinegar shrimp with the whole shrimp body was served, followed by megochi and bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots were delicious. The tara shoot was huge. I haven't had firefly squid tempura before. A whole new potato was served with truffle salt, so be careful as it is hot. The combination of abalone and caviar was amazing. The abalone was of high quality. A throat blackthroat seaperch sashimi salad was served as a palate cleanser. Sweet potatoes and fiddlehead fern shoots were served, with sea urchin tempura being a first for me. Lotus root and conger eel, which is a classic, were served. For the finale, I chose between sweet tea and tempura bowl, and I chose the tempura bowl. The use of good oil prevented any stomach discomfort. They use high-quality ingredients. It was a bit pricey for me, but that's subjective. I wanted to try cuttlefish, not firefly squid. I realized that firefly squid may not be suitable for tempura. They have a good selection of alcohol and excellent service. It's great for entertaining guests. Thank you for the meal.