restaurant review: sakamoto

During a recent trip to Kyoto, there was a dish I ate (I still don't know which one) that didn't agree with me. It was very sad because that meant I was sidelined for one night and couldn't join Mr. Sazy Rock during his food and drinks research. (And, to be honest, I think he was sad too because he couldn't research as much because he couldn't order as much.)

But, I was in town for business. So, I was a good little trooper and went with Mr. SR to help him research the cocktail scene in Kyoto as soon as I felt a little bit better. Bartender extraordinaire Kenji Tsubokura of Bar Rocking Chair recommended that, if I was up for it, we should have a Kaiseki meal at a restaurant called Sakamoto. Kaiseki is essentially a Japanese high end small plates dining experience that has origins in tea ceremonies. Nowadays, it's very modern and based on entertainment and not ceremony. 

I was a total trooper and joined Mr. SR for a Kaiseki meal. We didn't have a reservation but Mr. Tsubokura kindly called the restaurant and got us a table. He also printed out directions so we wouldn't get lost. (As a side note, I'd just like to say that I really, really loved the people we met during our trip - so hospitable, so friendly, so helpful.)

The entrance is at the end of a long hallway.

So, off we went to Sakamoto, which I later learned has a one Michelin star. 

The Scene

The chef.

Sakamoto is a family-owned restaurant and has been open for 37 years. The Chef, Ryuta Sakamoto, took over the kitchen from his father. He follows his father's recipes (while adding his own touch) and uses seasonal ingredients. His mom still helps out - she wrote the beautiful menu and served us food.

The menu.

The restaurant sits 14 people - six of them at the bar. We later learned that there's only one seating. 

Small room.

The Food

• Our meal started with an aperitif.

Aperitif.

• Sour Plum (great way to excite the palette).

Sour plum.

• Small salad with strawberry sauce and mashed potatoes (yam) and Japanese broccoli with bonito flakes and monkfish liver hand roll (using blanched lettuce) and pickles. This dish had a well balanced sweet and sour flavors - kaiseki style. 

Salad.

• Turtle soup with steamed pudding (light and delicate) and Japanese leeks.

Turtle soup.

• Japanese amberjack (so light and meaty!) and fu (like tofu and chewy like a rice cake) with radish.

Amberjack.

• The Oysters from Issei on Pacific Ocean were fresh and juicy.

Oysters.

• Mr. SR can't eat oysters (so sad for him), so he had mackerel instead. It was from the inland sea and was meaty and tasty.

Mackerel.

• Seared duck with avocado and tomato and mustard - great combination and the duck was cooked perfectly.

Duck.

• Pomfret in miso marinade jelly (using a fruit in the apple family and mixed with agar) and house made miso.  I loved this dish. It was essentially like a the black cod miso that Nobu popularized in the United States. Is it possible that Nobu got that style from Kyoto? 

Pomfret.

I should note that because of my funny tummy, I stopped eating at this point. But, Mr. SR didn't and had the following:

• Plum jelly (a palette cleanser).

Plum jelly.

• White fish and shishito pepper tempura (using Japanese flour).

Tempura.

• Yuba made from soy milk skin in water and sauce (mirin, soy sauce, bonito flakes). Mr. SR noted that it was subtle and delicate.

Yuba.

• Akagai clam and Japanese grapefruit.

Clam.

• Vinegar rice mixed with fried, blanched and lightly dried baby anchovies, as well as baby eggplant, julienned nori and egg whites. Okay, I tried this dish and all those flavors - salty, sour, sweet - were so pronounced yet went well together.

Rice.

• Kumquats.

Kumquats.

The quality of ingredients was high and the execution of the dishes almost flawless. I wish I could have eaten more.

The Service

Chef Sakamoto was so friendly. He happily talked to us about the restaurant, the dishes and his other recommendations. He also seemed genuinely concerned when there was a point in the meal when I wasn't felling well - a lingering consequence of the bad food that gave me a funny tummy - and gave me tea to settle my stomach. He also discounted my meal because I simply couldn't eat the other courses.

His mother was also very friendly. I took lots of pictures (as you can see) and she helped position the dishes so I could frame the dishes better.

At the end of the meal, they gave us keepsake chopsticks. Definitely a great reminder of a tasty meal, and great hospitality.

Keepsake chopsticks.

When we left the restaurant, Chef Sakamoto walked us out and bowed to show his appreciation for our visit. We bowed back in return to show our appreciation.

The Price

We received a discounted meal because of my funny tummy but the tasting menus have a set price, as seen in the picture below. It was not cheap, but the food and the hospitality was well worth the price.

The English Menu.

The Verdict

I definitely want to return. The food was delicious and Chef Sakamoto was so personable and accommodating. It was a great dining experience and I only wish I was well enough to fully enjoy the meal.

Have you dined at Sakamoto? If so, what did you think?