TBA
n/naka
Managed to do two things that have eluded me til now, finding a reservation at n/naka and find friends available who wanted to go. Actually Christina and Stanley might have been the ones driving this bit of insanity... and unfortunately none of the usual suspects were available to join as a fourth, but fortunately after asking around, Rebecca was able to join.
Stepping foot inside n/naka for the first time, the restaurant is both about the same size as its unassuming exterior suggests, as well as bigger than expected, with seats for 24 or so diners. The drink menu is well-curated, although the sake of choice was unavailable, so we went with the Kagatsuru, Umeshu, Yachiya Shuzo, Ishikawa (plum sake) for tonight. Chef Nakayama's staff also looked us up and noted we were repeat customers (having previously done to-go boxes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) and brought out extra sake for us as well-- an unexpected touch.
Service the whole night was excellent, and every course was a blend of harmony and art. The sakizuke opener set the tone for the night, Caledonia blue shrimp with corn panna cotta, tomato jam, caviar, and eggplant where every ingredient, every flavor, every texture was appreciated and in balance. The many-individual-dishes zensai was next, and while the waygu nikomi could have overwhelmed with the smoke, it somehow did not, particularly next to the tamagoyaki with spiny lobster. The least interesting item of the whole night was here, a tiny little buri spring roll.
Modern zukuri-- sayori (Japanese halfbeak) was perhaps the most difficult to photograph, but a very interesting bit for the first sashimi dish, followed by the much more familiar owan, a light clear broth poured over lobster, hakusai (Japanese cabbage), shimeji (mushrooms), and carrot. Somehow the blend of cabbage with lobster atop just works, despite my preparing to be underwhelmed. The delicacy continues, with otsukurui (traditional sashimi)-- I think it was hotate, hirame, hamachi? While you can get good, even great, sashimi many places, n/naka continues to deliver as promised, although the bed of ice might have been a bit much.
The next course, yakimono, was amadai (tilefish) with a crisped cabbage on top-- simply superb in both taste, delicacy, and presentation. The unexpected start of the entire meal was next, mushimono: a squid, clam, and taro ball that had everyone redefiniting how tasty taro could be. This was followed by shiizakana, n/naka's trademark abalone, cod roe, and truffle spaghetti. It had an intensity (saltiness, really) not yet present in the meal. I found it excellent but opinions in the group were mixed. Niku (Miyazaki waygu A5) followed, which was solid but not quite as special as it used to be, given the spread of Japanese beef imports and American hybrid competitors the past few years. Still, in a meal dominated by seafood, it was a welcome dish.
Palette cleanser of a sunomono, with oyster, citrus ponzu, and namasu oroshi (daikon and carrot salad?) followed, then it was on to shokuji (sushi). Hirame (halibut), aji (Japanese mackerel), otoro, were all excellent, with the aji being particularly good. A quick prawn miso soup was flavorful and not too rich in-between, then a very fine piece of kamasu (barracuda) followed, accompanied by katsuo (bonito), plus uni and ikura. They then asked if we wanted blue crab hand rolls next, to which everyone said yes except Rebecca (and Rebecca was happy to give hers to Christina), and which continued the excellence so far.
Two mizumono courses for dessert were next. First was a bergamot sorbet, sweet ginger gelee, lime meringue that was both a little sweet and a little sour, absolutely worth it. Second was rum baba, cheesecake ice creeam, miso crunch, blood orange and mango, which compared to the delicacy just before, felt too sweet by comparison, particularly the rum baba, but the contrast was still nice. Some chocolate truffles and then a matcha followed, before we were then graced by Chef Niki Nakayama's presence. Like many guests it was our first time here so we tried to avoid too much gushing (or for Christina, outright fangirling), but Chef Nakayama accepted it all with grace.
Before departing, they gave everyone menus of the night's meal and a little gift box, with a small red bean taiyaki inside (nom) and a bag of green tea. Then... crazy as it may sound, they still had to get ready for the next seating (we were 5:45pm, they have a 9:00pm as well). n/naka is an amazing experience, and holy cow they work hard to keep it that way. Some restaurants seem overrated, but n/naka absolutely is not one of them-- they are perhaps the finest Michelin 2* I have yet experienced.