The chef’s heart and hands work in unison to further elevate exquisite produce from around Japan. Lunchtime at Cenci presents a choice of two chef’s courses containing seven savory dishes and three desserts each, but in the evening, all diners are served one chef’s degustation course of eight dishes and three desserts. The culinary journey begins with the velvety, mouth-filling flavors of Parsut prosciutto, then guides you through soup, salad, and vegetable, fish, and meat dishes, before arriving at three fruit-forward desserts. Every dish features umami-rich ingredients from that season in unique combinations with innovative seasonings for a feast that cannot be found anywhere else.

Your course may begin with an appetizer of filefish served with lacto-fermented turnip, filefish liver, a gelee of dashi stock extracted from the fish bones, and chives. A signature dish only available from September to October contains ayu sweetfish impregnated with roe. The time-consuming cooking process involves gently grilling the fish to first remove the bones before deep-frying. The fish is served with Yoshida Dairy Farm fresh cream, steamed Napa cabbage, celeriac puree, and the crisp-fried bones that were removed earlier – a delicious example of the chef’s philosophy of not wasting anything.

The soup course might feature the sumptuous flavors of native Okinawan Agu pork in homemade ravioli with Seigoin daikon in a soup made from chicken broth, kombu, and soymilk from Japanese soybeans. The gentle flavor of soymilk accentuates the pork’s umami. The chef’s incredible pasta skills continue to be on display with tagliolini in a sauce combining the innate sweetness of Seigoin turnip from Tazuru Farm with the briny sea flavors of bottarga and seaweed. The chargrilled duck breast is kept tender and succulent by first wrapping it in skin from the duck’s neck. A liver sauce, pear and bittercress puree, and cabbage salad beautifully complement its richness. Finally, for one of the three desserts, you may be treated to Apple Tarte Tatin made with tart Granny Smith apples arranged into an exquisite looking and tasting dessert served with Teiguanyin oolong tea ice cream and fresh cream.

INGREDIENTS
Cheese and whey from Yoshida Dairy Farm in Okayama Prefecture, Bon Dabon Parma ham from Gifu Prefecture, and Agu pork from Okinawa’s Takada Farm – these are some of the producers that supply Chef Sakamoto, chosen by him after visits to their sites for careful observation of their techniques and discernment of flavors. Many are so popular that they are almost impossible to obtain, but this chef never has trouble with supply because he has gained the trust of producers who know they can depend on him to maximize the flavors of the fruits of their labor. Each day, Sakamoto converses with his ingredients, checking their flavors and conceptualizing dishes that make them the star. The approach is one guests can fully appreciate through the style of his restaurant and his delectable food.

An extensive collection of primarily Italian wines can be enjoyed by the glass or bottle or in pairings. A tea pairing weaves Japanese and Chinese teas into the Italian course offering surprising new complementary flavors.