Kida

Ayu, eel and matsutake mushrooms bring a different seasonal character to each course. One visitor’s account of a kaiseki meal at Kida ranges from chilled abalone with sea urchin to soup with matsutake and golden-eye snapper, and Akashi octopus. The dishes are served in small portions, letting the ingredients’ own qualities come through.

What stood out to the diner was how the flavours shifted from dish to dish. The aubergine served with the matsutake and golden-eye snapper soup had been simmered with vinegar; they found it refreshing without detracting from the flavour of the broth. The Akashi octopus, described as having been simmered for hours in plum vinegar, had a pleasing texture. A boldly seasoned Chinese-style stir-fry of squid and scallops offered a dish they thought would go particularly well with drinks.

Later in the meal came a small blackthroat seaperch rice bowl with shiso and other garnishes mixed into the rice, spiny lobster simmered with white miso, and matsutake rice. The same diner noted that the ayu was wild and caught that morning, then cooked slowly at a low temperature. They enjoyed the eel down to its liver and found it a good match for sake—a picture of an evening spent taking time over the food and drinks.

Some diners have described listening to explanations of the ingredients and cooking methods while eating at the counter, where they could also watch the dishes take shape. Several comments mention that the courses were substantial in both number and portion size, making this a meal to savour at an unhurried pace. Reservations are required, and booking ahead is recommended for dinner. One visitor also reported finishing with peach jelly and vanilla ice cream, extending the seasonal meal through to dessert.