As summer approaches, so does the stifling heat and humidity that make us reconsider our Tokyo lives. It’s at times like these that we need to be reminded of the small pleasures which make it all worth while. One such reminder is dinner at Kin No Saru on the fringe of Kichijoji’s Inokashira Park.
Located on the second story, Kin No Saru is less of a restaurant than a gourmet’s tree house: Glass doors swing open and the entire dining room is rendered al fresco in the blink of an eye. As the breeze filters through the outer bamboo garden, diners want for nothing, save one of the coveted outdoor tables on the veranda. We were a bit late arriving, so had to be content to enjoy the view from a close distance on the tatami mats indoors.
The food is no less appealing than the view, and the izakaya-like menu allowed us to casually pick and choose as time slowly slipped away. Yuba and tofu (¥740) was refreshing and light, punctuated by the green flavor of spring scallions and spicy grated ginger. A healthy portion of domestic beef tataki (¥980) paired with pine nuts and fried onions melted on our tongues. Kin No Saru’s cuisine begs for sake, and the managers have assembled an impressive list. Aizu Musume (¥850) was slightly sweet, while our second choice, Hayase Ura (¥900) leaned towards the dry side: two unique vantage points from which to experience this new kaiseki cuisine.
Of all the flavors that we enjoyed perhaps the best was a dish called mizore-nabe (¥980). The name translates as “sleet storm nabe,” clearly a reference to the garnish of snowy grated daikon which concealed the succulent duck meatballs and fried mochi buried below. The rich earthy flavor of the dish was balanced by the sharp ponzu which had been soaked up by the daikon. We would have enjoyed the dish over again if we hadn’t been expecting our final course of roasted sawara (¥1,050), Spanish mackerel.
Sadly our last course hit an off note, as a slight miscommunication between the service staff and the kitchen lead to an unexpected thirty minute delay. The waiter apologized for the inconvenience, and when the chef personally delivered our fish he presented us with an unusually large portion as his way of saying sorry. Despite expanding stomachs, we were grateful as the fish was perfectly moist and sweet, with just a hint of bitterness in crisply roasted skin. Well worth any wait.
As we descended back to street level from among the tree tops, we smiled contentedly to ourselves, thought of all the dishes that we had yet to try, and wished for a long, hot summer.