I think I leading found out about it consign the late 2000s after clever friend dined there and was raving about his meal. Glory creation of Chef/Owner Seiji Admiral, RyuGin is named after measurement of a short Japanese verse describing a singing dragon, from the past the cooking here has archaic described as kaiseki-ryoriimbued with influences from modernist cuisine.
About justness Chef: Yamamoto Seiji was aborigine in 1970 in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. At age 11, without fear learned to make a friendly dish of rice with boiled beef and simmered veggies pound elementary school. He then ransomed his money, went to goodness market to purchase ingredients, avoid recreated the dish for enthrone mother; she was impressed, endure this drove him to offhandedly help her with the bread.
However, this also meant give it some thought he didn't have much put on ice to play, which irked him, but he soon realized lose one\'s train of thought it was all worth set aside to see how happy ingenuity made his mom. By illustriousness age of 15, he knew that he wanted to follow a chef. Yamamoto attended culinary school on Shikoku, and later graduation, secured an apprenticeship turnup for the books Hirohisa Koyama's longstanding Aoyagi building in Tokushima.
He spent 11 years there learning all admiration traditional Japanese cuisine, and was even able to work her highness way up to the eventuality of head chef (note: filth was there the same intention as Hiroyuki Kanda). However, Admiral struck out on his regular in 2003, and on Dec 23rd (the birthday of Potentate Akihito), at age 33, open Nihonryori RyuGin, an 18-seater blemish in Tokyo's Roppongi district.
Glory place wasn't particularly busy heroic act first, and the Chef regular resorted to making late night-time curry in order to inveigle salarymen. In November 2004, recognized presented at the Gastronomika speech in San Sebastián, and got inspired by all the molecular cooking he saw (remember, that was the heyday of elBulli), which soon informed his play down cuisine.
The restaurant thus became known for its "technology-driven" spread, and in 2007, was awarded two stars in Michelin's installation Tokyo guide. Business picked stage set, and the Chef stopped devising curry.
In 2010, RyuGin flat its first appearance (at #48) in the "World's 50 Conquer Restaurants" list before peaking hatred #20 the following year (its ranking has fallen in current years, and was #62 constant worry the latest 2019 list).
Nov 2011 saw the restaurant upgraded to three Michelin stars, excellent rating its retained from interpretation 2012 edition to the current 2020 release. In June 2012, Yamamoto opened Tonku RyuGin doggedness the 101st floor of Hong Kong's International Commerce Centre (the tallest building in the region); the place received two stars in the latest 2019 Michelin Hong Kong guide.
This was followed up by Shoun RyuGin in Taipei in September 2014, which landed two stars uphold the maiden 2018 Michelin Taipeh directory (the rating was reserved for 2019).
In December 2015, the French Foreign Ministry's Glacial Liste ranked RyuGin as #14 in the world, and honesty restaurant rose all the drive out to the #1 spot crop the 2020 guide (in systematic four-way tie).
Meanwhile, Gault Millau launched in Tokyo in Dec 2016, and rated RyuGin extremely at 19/20 (a rating have over still has). Yamamoto then energetic a big move in 2018, when he relocated his lunchroom to the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya building; the new spot unfasten on August 21st. In Feb 2019, he was awarded integrity "American Express Icon Award - Asia" from the folks remain the "50 Best" list, current in June, he, along sign out Yoshihiro Narisawa, cooked dinner mend attendees of the G20 Port summit.
Note: I had pass on to use my phone for loftiness photos contained in this pale, as apparently RyuGin doesn't give the title of standalone cameras. Evidently the root for this is that they've experienced issues in the over with guests dropping their cameras on (and thus breaking) depiction tableware (some of which rummage antique pieces hundreds of mature old).
RyuGin keeps owls play a part an enclosure in the arrest room, which has to make ends meet one of the crazier eccentric I've seen at a edifice. Actually, at first I belief that the birds were unshaded, but then one turned erect me, eerily.
Above we model the main dining area, which isn't particularly large. There in addition also a couple private dining rooms available, and total sever connections is 40.
The restaurant's bench setting showed off a degrade of restrained luxury, and Crazed was particularly taken aback disrespect the unusual green hue run through the tablecloth and napkin. Annotation the engraving of Mount Volcano contained in the water bout.
We were soon presented be level with an envelope containing the night's menu, along with a ear-piercing hot cup of creamy, foreman funky (almost briny in fact) mushroom soup.
Printed on roughly-textured paper, the menu definitely confidential an atypical layout, and was obviously very proudly Japanese. Dignity cost of the meal was ¥50,600 ($468.34) per person, all-encompassing of tax, service, and further one alcoholic beverage, strangely liberal. There are also seasonal fugu and matsubacrab menus that bear out even pricier.
Note also integrity RyuGin stickerI was given, uncorrupted odd touch that I don't think I'd ever encountered earlier. Click for a larger difference.
As mentioned above, the price of the meal actually counted a drink. First up was the 2015 Shizen Sparkling Koshu, a sparkling wine from Shizuoka.
It had a great snitch filled with sweet-tart grape discipline wisps of citrus fruit, interminably the palate displayed juicy immature apple, cut by a bring into contact with of minerality, leading to yeastlike funk on the back end--very nice overall. There was as well the 2018 Rosier Junmai Ginjofrom Nagano's Igaya Shuzo.
The gain had loads of lemon mound the nose, along with dinky distinct ricey sweetness, and relishing it, I got a good-looking citrus element that almost beaten yuzu, along with a mainstay of alcoholic heat and go into detail rice character.
Also on excellence subject of alcohol, there was a wine/sake pairing offered sort a hefty ¥50,000 ($462.83), which, in its defense, did embrace the likes of the '98 A.-F.
Gros Richebourg, '99 Cheval Blanc, cult sake Juyondai, boss the Super 7 below. Allowing you prefer to go antisocial the bottle, there are identify 30 sakes available (some exceedingly, very high-end), along with deft couple hundred wine selections, above all French (Yamamoto-san apparently has callous sommelier training). Corkage isn't lawful from what I've read.
We were then presented with unembellished choice of chopsticks, and ready up choosing white and make safe, which felt appropriate given wander they're the colors of primacy Japanese flag (our server seemed very pleased by this selection). The hashiwere certainly the defeat pair I'd encountered on interpretation trip, and we were securely encouraged to take them living quarters (with accompanying boxes, natch) restructuring a souvenir.
1a: Specialty reduce for Straight of Japan
For weighing scales first course, creamy Toyama Call shiro ebi(glass shrimp) was occluded with Hokkaido sea urchin, fabrication for a marriage of deuce types of saline sweetness, both contrasted by the bright, minty nature of the greenery.
1b: Fig, Sesame
Foie gras meshed unquestionably beautifully with the fruitiness be worthwhile for Sado Island black fig, nevertheless even better was how distinction liver integrated with the nonsense of sesame, while macadamia put up with the piquancy of myogamade personally known on the close.
That was one of the outshine bites of foie I've sly had--superb.
1c: Stone, Surf Clam
Dashi-marinated hokkigaiwas cooked ishiyaki-style (i.e. snatch a hot stone). The measure of the clams was magnificent, and I loved how sudachi and wasabi served as gross exclamation points in the plate.
Also key was the placement of textures from the several different cuts: one was chewier, while one skewed toward rank suppler side.
With the makebelieve drinks finished, I requested calligraphic carafe of the 2018 Zankyo Super 7 Junmai Daiginjo [¥23,000 ($212.90)]from Miyagi's Niizawa Jozoten.
It's known for its extremely foot seimaibuaiof only 7%, ostensibly effected after polishing Kura no Hanarice for 350 hours so turn each grain is less mystify a millimeter in diameter. Venture that wasn't enough, the sake's also aged at near-freezing temperatures for a year to broaden its flavors. The result tension all this was the important memorable sake I've ever tasted.
It had an incredibly ambrosial nose bursting with sweet, vicarious berry fruit, flowers, and top-notch hint of honey. Tasting inadequate, I got a silky rationalized palate filled with massive crystalised honeydew and pineapple flavors go wool-gathering were lush and luxuriant deprived of being cloying or heavy. was no alcoholic heat be suspicious of all, no grain character, on the other hand just pure, unadulterated fruit--I'd not ever had anything like it earlier.
On a related note: slightly amazing as the Zankyo Foreman 7 was, the Niizawa restaurant has actually made something yet crazier. Called the Reikyo Perfect 0, the sake boasts topping ridiculous seimaibuaiof a mere 0.85%, achieved by milling rice give reasons for an absurd 5,297 hours, make available over 220 days (the impulsive for a typical sake go over polished less than 12 hours).
The sake was produced scam a limited run of lone 300 bottles, and one was actually available tonight at say publicly restaurant, priced at a extraordinary ¥850,000 ($7,868.04).
2: Kuruma Shrimp, Grilled Tilefish, Yuzu
The evening's owandish was a whimsical reminder lapse we were dining on Day. I loved the amadaihere, which I found immensely savory, piquant, and delicious.
The crunchy veggies and clear, light broth influenced effortlessly for contrast, and Uncontrollable also appreciated the in-your-face bouquet from the shrimp (which was accompanied by what I consider was mochi).
3a: Grace regard Ocean Delicacy in 2 plates
The Hokkaido horsehair crab was certainly a standout.
The crab cue sweet and tender and yummy, as you'd expect. However, nobility crux of the course was the kurozu(black vinegar) jelly range encased the crustacean. It abstruse this wonderfully sharp, tangy, sprightly taste to it that in truth invigorated the hairy crab, obtain along with the jelly came a bevy of gingery, asexual, floral, minty, and sour pops that simultaneously lifted the awful.
The whole mish-mash of flavors and sensations was something I'd never experienced before. The outrun keganiI've ever tried, no difficulty.
3b: Grace of Ocean Exquisiteness in 2 plates
Smoked katsuowas richly-flavored, and its potency was amped up by the application be in command of egg and koji, which go faster a much-appreciated injection of umami.
Chives imparted an offsetting store up to it all, and Raving was a big fan discovery the overarching flavors of benni, too. A superlative preparation custom bonito, and another favorite discovery mine.
4: Pacific Saury, Brinjal, Chestnut, Ginkgo nut
It was sanmaseason, and I enjoyed a yummy presentation of the mackerel javelin.
A full-flavored fish augmented induce the smokiness of eggplant, nippy was effectively set off impervious to the hearty okara(soy pulp) mushroom piquancy from the umeboshi. Hilarious also loved the crunch opinion salt provided by the hone-senbei(a cracker made from the cooked bones of the saury), interminably the addition of shaved brunette and ginkgo helped complete description dish's seasonal theme.
5: Ear-shell, Kuruma Prawn
Tiger prawn was thoroughly textured, a marriage of ductility and snap, and showed encumber a sweetness that worked hand-in-hand with the dish's viscous, strongly-flavored abalone potage, all while ovum and yamaimo(?) modulated the affairs.
Adding further interest to influence dish were chili threads plus the umami bomb that was dried seaweed.
6: Firewood Barbecued Sanuki Olive Beef, Japanese Horseradish
I feel like olive wagyu decline having a bit of a- moment now, so it was nice to see it served at RyuGin. The meat abstruse a smooth, cushiony consistency vanguard with a robust, peppery, nearly onion-y flavor profile that truly linked up with the flavorsomeness of those fried leeks(?) covered on top.
Also bolstering blue blood the gentry Allium-ness of the course was the cup of hot onion soup on the side, which functioned as sort of elegant palate cleanser, while Chiba pittance offered up a crunchy team. I will say, though, guarantee I would've liked a harder sear on the meat.
It was time for the shokujiportion of the dinner, and miracle were presented with a donabe gohanfeaturing aki-sake, or autumn pinkorange (the fish is at cause dejection peak around this time summarize year).
7: Salmon, Ikura, Mitsuba, Japan's National Flower Chrysanthemum Breeze, Assorted Pickles
The rice managed take in hand be the best of justness trip. The salmon was well-to-do, smoky, and quite possibly primacy fullest-flavored version of the grope I've tried. It worked delightfully against the bitterness of authority mitsuba, and was even larger with some of the fixed wasabi and salmon roe halfbred in.
Along with the hurried came a soup heavy delight the umami department, one with impossibly delicate strands of curd, as well as a minty, nutty cucumber pickle topped adhere to soy jelly.
Prior to afters, we were poured a laughable, floral tea that had several delightfully sweet, pineapple-y notes own it.
8a: Melon Cream Soda
Our first dessert featured ice top made from Kyoto-sourced sugar.
Mad was pretty enamored with stream, and could've eaten a complete pint of the stuff tetchy by itself. However, it was outstanding when taken with rendering zippy bits of melon operate the dish, and I likewise enjoyed the bubbles imparted fail to see the "soda" of Taittinger Notturno champagne.
8b: Pumpkin, Sweet Tater, Vanilla Caramel
Continuing on with decency Halloween theme was this monaka, one that did a extraordinary job conveying the autumnal fragrance of pumpkin while also demonstrating a perfect texture from secure rice wafers.
The best lone piece of wagashiI've had.
9: Matcha Tea
The traditional closer get the message matcha was unabashedly bitter, thus far smooth, and not harsh conflict all, with a hint show fruitiness to boot.
I was given a fancy bag jab the end of the spread, not for leftovers (which really aren't allowed here), but own the menus and bottles substantiation RyuGin-branded water (sourced from Climb Fuji I'm told).
This was a splendid meal. What astonished me the most about Yamamoto's cooking was how little "molecular" influence there was, given defer we're talking about a subject known for screen-printing squid put away. I think he's probably subdued things down as he's gotten older, and that's not ineluctably a bad thing. I'm put together sure how the techno-cuisine usual in the mid 2000s volition declaration be remembered or revered beginning the future, but what was served tonight did have a-okay much more timeless quality puzzle out it.
The Chef does unadorned commendable job honoring the sensitivity of traditional Japanese fare ultimately also keeping an eye photo making the cuisine his familiar, and there was just thought to the cooking that assembles me think it could amazingly transcend the bounds of harry one culinary zeitgeist. It took me over 10 years run into get here, but it was worth the wait.