First reaction - wow! What an incredible dinner. Almost all dishes are hits. After much deliberation since the beginning of the year, I finally have the chance to try this fabled mecca of ultimate Japanese cuisine. This has been a long time in the talking and waiting too (reservation made a month in advance.). And thus, I am particularly excited. For me, this is undoubtedly one of THE meals while I am on my holiday in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, and somewhat regrettably, the Hong Kong head chef Hideaki Sato (佐藤秀明) left not long ago to open his own shop Ta Vie (旅). But that does not matter as I know I will still be in good hands under the new chef Hidemichi Seki (關 秀道).
Located on the 101st floor in the ICC as one of the few eateries, Tenku RyuGin (天空龍吟) occupies a rather quaint spot in the corner. A long, dimly lit passage way, adorned with a wine and sake cellar, separates the entrance and the main dining room, which is equally dimly lit. The main dining room has only about 6 tables, with most of them bordering the ceiling-to-floor window panes overlooking the harbor. There is a private dining room as well which is occupied that night. Without further adieu, we are whisked to our seats by our maitre'd. Surprisingly enough, I feel that the seat is slightly cramped given the caliber of the restaurant. But that does not matter as I am coming here more for the food than for the ambiance. Nonetheless, I already spot many small attention to details, from a mini envelope containing our menu to RyuGin-monogrammed platter upon which the napkin lies. Hopefully, the food contains as much attention to details as the crockery does.
We do not feel like drinking tonight. Nonetheless, leafing through the bottle menu, I do spot a sake brewed by Kokuryu (黑龍) specifically for Tenku RyuGin. I make a mental note to myself that this is a bottle I must try next time. Before long, we are presented with our first dish of the 10-course Kaiseki (懷石) menu.
Sakizuke (先附) - Deep Fried Shirako Cod Milt with Kabu Soup
The first bite of the evening is a lump of cod milt, or shirako (白子), that is coated in a mixture of bread crumbs (?) and crushed Japanese rice crackers. This ball is then deep fried. Biting into it, the milt is incredulously hot and creamy. There is even steam escaping from the center! The textural contrast between the crusty, crunchy coating and luscious center makes this morsel immensely enjoyable. I also pick up some umami and spiciness from the kaki-no-tane (柿の種), or those Japanese crescent-shaped rice crisps, too. As for the soup, it is made with a base of dashi mixed with grated daikon (大根) from Shogoin (聖護院) and a dusting of pepper powder. This makes for a thick, peppery, umami-laden soup that is moderated by the sweetness from the daikon. In fact, it tastes like Cantonese turnip cake (蘿蔔糕) without the preserved meats and seafood. This soup exhibits good balance of flavors, not too salty, heavy or sweet, and works as a solid complement to the fried ball of cod sperm.
Hassun (八寸) - Premium Monkfish Liver with Aori Ika Squid
The preparation of this dish is superb. We are presented two sticks of Hokkaido monkfish liver, or ankimo (鮟肝), each. Each stick is wrapped in a thin sliver of big-fin reef squid, aori ika (アオリイカ). Look at that incredible scoring on the squid itself! The roll is then topped with chopped chives, house-made soy sauce and sesame oil, and finished off with a dehydrated oyster mushroom (雞尾菇) chip. Combining the elements together, I first get an incredibly creamy, earthy liver with a big umami kick, supported by the inherent salinity from the seafoods. The squid is particularly on point, essential even, as it provides form and chew to the otherwise opulently luscious liver. The beautiful scoring does make the squid extra tender, while the mushroom chip provides textural contrast. The best part though, is the in-house made soy sauce and sesame oil. It is the delicate balance of flavors that strikes me most. The sesame oil itself is incredibly fragrant (probably the most fragrant one I have ever come across), while the soy sauce is substantial (rather thick) and exhibits a balance between sweetness, umami and saltiness. The combination of both just elevates the inherent flavors in the seafood to another level. What a hit of a dish.
Futamono (蓋物) - Charcoal-grilled Alfonsino in Ichibandashi Soup
Absolutely stunning, and for me, the dish of the night. The components are simple, but each of them is executed to perfection. We have a sliced portion of kinmedai (金目鯛) beautifully grilled over binchotan (備長炭) and impeccably seasoned, with a smokiness and oiliness to it that is wrapped in fishy goodness. Although it is placed in the soup, I can see that the skin must have been beautifully crisp from the grilling. Accompanying the fish are three types of plants - a baby Tokyo turnip along with its leaf, daikoku-shimeiji mushrooms (大黒しめじ) and a cubed portion of winter melon. The cooking is flawless, as the mushrooms and turnip both have their colors preserved and are crunchy in texture with a bite to them. But it is the soup that is the king. Made out of ichibandashi (一番出汁), which I am told is similar to first-pressed juice, the broth is super fragrant with an earthy depth to it. And when paired with fish oils, yuzu zest and coal smoke, the soup is multi-faceted and wonderfully layered with notes of sake in the finish. This is not your ordinary dashi. Rather, the expansiveness in flavors almost reminds me of a double stock. It is so incredibly flavorful and heartwarming. A perfect complement for the cold weather. What a memorable dish.
A note on the Ichiban dashi as I learned from the staff after the meal. In making the dashi, only top ingredients are used. The kombu is a combination of four different types - Rishiri (利尻), Hidaka (日高), Rausu (羅臼), Makombu (真昆布). This is then soaked for six hours to extract the maximum flavor. As for the katsuobushi (鰹節), the exterior of the block is shaved so only the center, red part remains (around 60% of the original block remains). This is to remove all the exterior impurities and remaining mold that clings onto the block. To flavor the dashi, Mataichi salt from Itoshima in Fukuoka is used, along with soy and daiginjo (大吟釀) sake. These top ingredients certainly flex their weights, as the resulting dashi broth has such an unrivaled depth and nuance to it. Really incredible.
Mukozuke (向付) - Assortment of Sashimi
We have a selection of five different types of seafood. Going clockwise, we have hirame (平目), grilled hokkigai (北寄貝), hotate (帆立貝) from Hokkaido, shiro ebi (白海老) with grated sudachi (酢橘) zest, and saba (鯖) marinated in salt and vinegar.
A fine selection of sashimi along with house-made soy.
Hirame - Just what you would expect from the halibut - chewy with a delicate fishy flavor. The wasabi and soy sauce are both on the sweet side. And this combination definitely accentuates the inherent flavors of the fish.
Grilled hokkigai - Done mi cuit. Biting down, I can see a layer of translucence. The shellfish itself is naturally sweet with a smoky kick from the grill. Delectably crunchy in texture, the hokkigai goes well with the salt, which for some reason, is not that salty. Quite nice.
Hokkaido hotate - Never quite had scallop sashimi the way it is done here, even at high end sushi shops. The scallops are delectably sweet. But what strikes me is the texture, as the RyuGin scallop has a bite to it while the those at other shops are soft and supple, kinda like butter. I can even distinguish some of the abductor muscle fibers. I cannot point my finger to it, but I believe that the difference in texture has to do with the Chef's slicing technique to create a larger surface area. Very interesting and I quite welcome the difference in style.
Shiro ebi - Creamy in texture and sweet in flavor with a saline freshness to it. The sudachi provides a citrus tang and astringency. Delicious but nothing too special here.
Saba - The mackerel is especially fishy and even somewhat sour. Despite that, it is buttery in texture which goes well with the grainy rice, also vinegared, in the center. The rice itself also contains seasame and thin chiffonade of shiso (紫蘇), imbuing it with a toasty, citrus fragrance. Such delicate knife skills! It is worth noting that only the exterior of the fish is cured, as the inside is still beautifully pink like raw fish flesh. Very nice, and certainly a far cry from the other sabazushi at other sushi-ya's. My guess here is that the Chef tried to mimic Edo-mae sushi, a style popularized during a time when fermented rice is packed within the fish's stomach to prevent it from rotting while imbuing the fish and the rice a sour, umami taste. Perhaps that explains why in RyuGin's version, both the rice and the fish are cured (vinegared).
Yakimono (燒物) - Charcoal grilled Amadai Brushed with Miso-yuan Sauce
For the grilled dish, we are presented with a slab of binchotan-grilled amadai (甘鯛), or tilefish, brushed in a miso-yuan (味噌幽庵) sauce. Accompanying the fish is a chip made out of flattened, dehydrated sardines, confit ginko nuts, and a sunomono (酢の物) of daikon (大根) and kombu (昆布). The fish itself is grilled perfectly at the right temperature and duration to draw out copious amounts of oil, all the while leaving the flesh tender and supple. Normally, I am not a fan of miso-based sauces as they are invariably sweet. But this sauce is great as it strikes a balance between sweetness, umami and smokiness. In fact, the sauce is so fresh that I can even taste the graininess of the individually chopped soybeans within the miso. As for the accompanying condiments, the sunomono has a distinct yuzi (柚子) undertone but is dominated by the big, bold flavors of the kombu. The ginko nuts are superb as they are super soft and sweet. And finally, the sardine chip is crispy and tastes like grilled fish bones with a dried fish scent, like those in a Cantonese dried seafood shop. Tying all the pieces together, we get a piece of impeccably grilled fish with both sweet and sour condiments to cut on the oils. Perhaps it is my dislike for grilled fish. Or perhaps it is my general dislike for miso-based sauces. I only find this dish great, but not wow.
Su-zakana (酢肴) - Cold Kegani Crab Egg Custard with Grated Fresh Apple Vinegar
Never had something like this before, especially cold chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し) paired with acidic condiments. In the tea cup rests steamed egg custard topped with sudachi (or yuzu?) zest, apple cider vinegar, Hokkaidao kegani (北海道毛蟹). The apple fruit is diced finely into a puree and mixed with apple cider vinegar gel. This is then frozen and grated into shards over the egg custard. Clean, fruity flavors indeed that goes well with the sweetness of the crab meat, the fleshy fibers of which clearly separates inside the mouth. To provide textural contrast, there are even cubes of cucumber to provide the crunch. All in all, a very calming, palate-cleansing dish balancing between sweet and sour. However, I feel that the cold temperature, along with the other elements, just kills the inherent aroma and delicate texture of the eggs, which frankly, taste more like the base/condiment rather than the main ingredient.
Shiizakana (強肴) - Wagyu Beef Shabu-shabu, with Lotus Root Cake and Onion Ponzu Sauce
In a earthen-colored bowl lie thin slices of wagyu beef (黑毛和牛) that are lightly simmered. We are told that the restaurant uses A3 grade rather than the customary A5 grade as the latter is too oily for the dish. Accompanying the meat are lightly boiled mitsuna (水菜) stems and a croquette of lotus roots and taro (a special type of imo called 雞丸芋). Tying everything together are garnishes of chopped chives, shiso sprouts, kadaif (traditional Middle Eastern dessert pastry that looks like thin threads of phyllo) and an onion jam made with pureed onions mixed with ponzu and grated radish. There is so much going on in this dish. The beef itself is done medium rare with a moderate amount of marbling. Thus, the meat is not too fat and the meaty flavor and texture are preserved. The beef goes so well with the onion jam as the onions provide sweetness while the ponzu lends an acidic cut. Needless to say, there is plenty of umami in the dish. Meanwhile, the kadaif, as well as the mitsuna, provides a crunch to liven up the otherwise mushy textures. The best, however, is the croquette that is nestled in the base of the dish as it soaks up all the flavors from the beef fat and onion jam. Biting down, I can even taste the distinct cubes of lotus within the taro paste. Super delicious. This dish is whimsical to the point of borrowing ingredients from other cultures, turning an otherwise traditional dessert pastry into a condiment, and yet at the same time preserves the balance of flavors and textures. This is what RyuGin truly excels in.
Gohan (御飯), Ko no mono (香の物), Tome-wan (止椀) - Simmered Anago Sea Eel with Arima Sanshou Flavored Steamed Rice
The final savory course before the desserts consists of three components, with each executed excellently.
The gohan is all about the sourcing of ingredients as well as cooking techniques. The rice itself is of the Koshihikari (越光米) strain which is a specialty of Niigata (新瀉). The grains are cooked in a dashi flavored with Arima sansho (有馬山椒), which itself is a paste made from sansho seeds simmered with sake, sugar and soy. As such, the sansho flavor, although mild, is definitely present in both the smell and taste.In fact, upon eating, there is even a numbing sensation along with a delicate smokiness. The rice itself is done al dente and has a good bite to it. As for the anago (穴子), it is gently simmered for a very long time (surprised not sous-vide) to accentuate the flavors. As such, biting down into the conger eel fillets is like biting into clouds. The fish is so succulent yet airy. Plenty of umami here; and thankfully, the richness is tempered by a dab of wasabi. Every flavor and texture is just so precise and balanced. What more can one ask when such delectable fish is paired with a delicious, spice-laced rice?
The ko no mono is made out of shredded daikon and Japanese cabbage. This is then topped off with a dab of ume (梅) jelly and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The pickling process is probably quite short, as I can definitely taste the inherent freshness of the vegetables. Nice, clean delicate flavors here with a sweetness imbued from the jelly.
The tome-wan is probably the best miso soup I have ever had. RyuGin's version of miso soup is made with a mix of red and black miso. Compared to white miso, the black miso is made with a higher proportion of soybeans than koji (麹). As such, the resulting soup is so much more complex, smoky and yet not overly salty. Such a hearty soup with a depth of flavors. Beautiful.
RyuGin Specialty -196°C Pear Candy and +99°C Pear Jam
Ah. The infamous RyuGin dessert that takes close to a day to complete, and one that truly showcases the whimsical nature, creativity and technical ability of Chef Yamamoto. To make the ice cream, pears (洋梨) are sliced, macerated and cooked sous-vide. It is then mixed with cream and gelatin and blended at high temperature and high speeds. The resulting pear cream is strained before being piped into a tub of liquid nitrogen through an iSi siphon. The immediate low temperature freezes the liquid "clouds" instantaneously, which after crushing, becomes the powdered ice cream.
As for the shell, a super concentrated pear syrup (added with gelatine?) is made. It is then cooled, kneaded and portioned into small lumps. Each lump is then wrapped around an air pump. By blowing air into the candy, a spherical shape is formed, creating the hollow candy shell. The shell is then broken off by a blow torch-heated needle to create the opening. The powdered ice cream is then spooned inside.
To finish off the dish, the shell is cracked and piping hot jammed pears is lathered on. Visually it is dramatic to crack open a "pear" only to find powdered pear ice cream. Taste-wise, it is superb as the powdered ice cream gives a super concentrated, clean and refreshing pear flavors. The dish also features a multitude of textures too as the crunchy sugar shell intermingles with the chewy ice cream and mushy, jammy stewed pears. The temperature contrast is just as exciting. There is so much going on in this dish and so mindbogglingly delicious.
There is no doubt this dish is immensely complex. There are so many technical details in each step. Surely, this is molecular gastronomy at its finest. And a clever play on form and flavors indeed.
Mizumono (水物) - Chestnut Ice Cream with Roasted Chestnuts Biscuits
It is winter so chestnuts are in season. A pity as I am not a big fan of chestnut-based desserts. Nonetheless, this final dish is executed well and I enjoyed it.
Essentially, this is a dish consisting of many representations of chestnuts. The main object is the chestnut ice cream, which is simply using cream infused with chestnuts. Accompanying this is a chestnuts sablé and candied chestnuts stewed in whisky and syrup (糖漬栗子). The dish is then finished off by having steamed chestnuts shaved on top like confetti.
The chestnut ice cream is delicious as the concentrated flavors point to high extraction levels. It is milky and nutty, with a vanilla, beurre noisette undertone. I can even taste the minute graininess within the cold cream, which contrasts well with the flaky nature of the shaved chestnuts. The stewed chestnuts are also done well as they possess a strong, sweet nutty flavor with a whisky, sherry aftertaste. As for the sablé, I cannot make sense of it as it tastes more like butter than chestnut. Other than for adornment purposes, I am not sure why it is there. Either way, this is just a minor quibble in an otherwise fabulously executed dessert that goes well with the accompanying hot cup of tannic, bitter matcha.
What an incredible meal. So much in the talking and the restaurant duly executed and fulfilled expectations on so many levels. At certain times, the meal is whimsical while at other times, it grounds itself in tradition. This is a truly modern kaiseki experience that excels on so many fronts - the balance of flavors, the technical accuracy as well as creative details. It is also nice to see molecular gastronomy being incorporated into a traditional core, which allows it to stay down-to-earth without being overtly gimmicky. To borrow from Pete Wells's review on Betony, "the food is fussed over, but [the menu] isn't fussy". And for me, RyuGin truly hits it out of the park. Until next time. (12/12/15)