CHIHANA offers classic Kyoto cuisine, closely guarding the tenets of seasonality and drawing out the very best of each ingredient’s innate flavors. Opened by the present chef’s father and loved by literary masters and politicians alike, the second-generation chef at CHIHANA has the weight of expectation on his shoulders. Three signature dishes are unchanged since his father’s time: fresh yuba – the layer that develops on the surface of gently boiled soy milk; the rice course using sticky rice; and a glass of freshly squeezed juice to complete your meal. Every other dish has been created by Chef Katsuyoshi Nagata, striving to surpass even his father’s famed cuisine.

Kaiseki is often enjoyed in a private room with your server quietly shuffling in and out, each time appearing with new elaborate dishes. At CHIHANA, while private rooms are available, the kaiseki experience can be enjoyed at the counter, in full view of the chef’s swift hands at work, allowing for pleasant interaction and better understanding of the details behind each dish.

The delicate and intricately prepared dishes begin to appear, and every course has a flash of green, reminding you that you partake in the goodness of nature with each bite. In early summer, a golden-edged glass dish has a sunset-like glow and holds shrimp, lily bulb, grilled conger eel, sweet potato and okra in a translucent golden gelée. Sashimi of flounder from the Seto Inland Sea is accompanied by umami-rich julienned strips of dried kelp, followed by escabeche of succulent fat greenling fish served with junsai watershield plant, prized for its unique texture and cooling effect. The hassun course follows with its array of seasonal foods in many small dishes, including fresh yuba with firefly squid, sea bream roe, blood clam with vinegar miso and green onion topping and Kyoto Manganji peppers. Next, a sumptuous yuba dumpling filled with fresh green soybeans, followed by salt-grilled ocean trout. Then, the pop of flavors from pickles and freshly sliced shiso perilla leaves served with sticky rice completes the meal. The only thing left to savor is a refreshing glass of freshly squeezed mixed orange and apple juice.

There is an extensive selection of sake for pairing with your dinner, but the wine selection is exceptional. The chef has gathered many personal favorites, and the collection has gradually grown with his customer base and their preferences too.

INGREDIENTS
Chef Nagata sources his ingredients each morning at the Central and Nishiki markets, which buzz with the energy of chefs, locals and tourists, all seeking the best ingredients. He also talks to fisherman and farmers regularly, sourcing freshly harvested produce which is sent straight to the restaurant. He is very keen to stress that his focus is not simply on the origin of the items; the key is in the flavor.