Japanese · Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo
with Chef Yuki Tanaka
Ise Sueyoshi is Chef Yuki Tanaka's ten-seat kaiseki counter in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, built entirely on the produce of his home prefecture, Mie. He visits the growers and fishermen himself and works by a phrase he calls the circulation of the heart: carrying the producers' intent to the guest, and the guest's thanks back to the producers. The kitchen keeps its own vegan and gluten-free courses, which is where Chef Elliot's plant-based kaiseki begins.
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The counter
Ise Sueyoshi is a ten-seat kappo counter in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, reservation only. Guests sit at the hinoki counter and watch each course made in front of them while Chef Yuki Tanaka explains it, in English when the table needs it.
Mie Prefecture
Every ingredient comes from Chef Tanaka's home prefecture of Mie: Ise tuna, Kuwana hard clams, abalone from the ama divers of Shima, Iga rice, kabuse tea. A book on the counter introduces each producer by name, and the card asks guests to send their impressions back to them: the circulation of hearts.
The courses
The omakase changes monthly with the season. It opens with a small cold bite, moves to the seasonal tray, the raw course, and a clear soup built on dashi, each dish shown before it is served.
The grill and the main
Yakimono over charcoal, a fried course, the vinegared course that resets the palate, then the main: wagyu torched over turnip in an amber bowl.
The close
Kaiseki ends quietly. A lotus leaf lifts off a lidded course; the sweet is a baked matcha custard or a jelly in a ceramic cup, then a bowl of tea.
In the kitchen
Chef Elliot cooked in this kitchen with Chef Tanaka and the Ise Sueyoshi team. The restaurant keeps its own vegan and gluten-free courses, which is where his plant-based kaiseki begins.
The card on the counter
“Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese multi-course cuisine that expresses the beauty of the seasons. Each dish highlights natural ingredients, delicate flavors, and Japanese aesthetics. Originating from the Japanese tea ceremony, Kaiseki reflects harmony between food, nature, and hospitality.”
Omakase means "I leave it to you." There is no ordering at Ise Sueyoshi. Chef Yuki Tanaka writes the menu from what Mie Prefecture gives him that week, and the guest trusts him with the whole evening. A folded card on the counter names each course and explains it; this is that card.
What stayed with Chef Elliot: the same seasonal menu is composed three ways, a vegan version, a gluten-free version and the meat-and-seafood version, course for course, served side by side at the same counter. That is the discipline Roots Alchemy cooks by.
Ikkon (first sake) 一献
Ikkon means the first cup of sake. Today, kon is used to mean "to drink sake together", as we say "Let's have 1 kon (ikkon)." Please lift the cup, and say "Kan-pai!" (it means Cheers!)
Saki-zuke (appetizer) 先付
An appetizer similar to the French amuse-bouche. The other name is "Tsukidashi".
Hassun (seasonal small foods) 八寸
Hassun consists of smaller dishes which have seasonal themes. "Hachi" means 8 and "sun" is a traditional unit of length: originally the appetizers were served on a tray of 24 cm in old Japanese cuisine.
Mukou-zuke (sashimi) 向付
Mukou-zuke is a thinly sliced raw fish. In other words, it is "Sashimi." Surrounded by oceans and rich with fish, such unique dish became indigenous to Japanese cuisine.
Wan (simmered food) 椀
This dish is designed to highlight the seasonal flavors and aromas of "dashi," the delicate Japanese soup stock. Please take a moment to enjoy its fragrance before tasting.
Shi-zakana (side dish for sake) 強肴
Shi-zakana is served after Mukou-zuke and Wan. It is often said to be the finale of the cuisine, and this food goes well with drinking: "zaka" is sake, and "na" is side dish. Shi-zakana is the side dish for drinking.
Meshi (rice) 飯
Rice and pickles are served at the end of kaiseki cuisine. In Japan, it is said that if you leave even a single grain of rice in your bowl, you will be punished by heaven.
Kan-mi (dessert) 甘味
Please eat them before you drink matcha. Keep the sweet taste in your mouth until the matcha is served.
Matcha 抹茶
Matcha is the top quality tea, using young leaves that are available in May. It is a special tea that is essential to a tea ceremony. The sweet taste in your mouth perfectly complements the matcha's delicious flavor.
From the producers of Mie
Chef Yuki Tanaka's own dishes, photographed at the counter. Names describe what is on the plate; the restaurant composes vegan and gluten-free versions of the same menu.
A whole peeled tomato set in dashi jelly, micro-greens, served in cut cobalt glass.
Tomato and silken tofu in cold dashi, in kiriko glass on a silver chrysanthemum plate.
A course hidden under a lotus leaf, a bead of water on top, unveiled at the counter.
The wan: sea bream and winter melon in clear dashi, kinome on top, black lacquer.
Seared scallop, snow peas, carrot puree and sea grapes on an iridescent abalone shell.
Seared Ise tuna from Kamisaki-ura with fresh wasabi, on a star-shaped Kutani plate.
Grilled fugu with ponzu, shiso and a nest of shredded daikon.
Kuwana hamaguri clams over udon in a red lacquer bowl, wakame and herbs.
Torched Iga wagyu over Yokkaichi turnip puree, black pepper pearls, amber glaze.
Ise-ebi spiny lobster and green tempura on a black tray.
A whole green plum in syrup, served on ice in gold-rimmed crystal with a maple leaf.
Kan-mi: a clear water-jelly manju wrapped in bamboo leaf, with a gilded spoon.
Baked matcha custard with a leaf-wrapped red-bean mochi, before the tea.
A reservation-only kappo counter in Nishi-Azabu, open since 2015; the chef explains every course in English at the counter.
Born in Mie in 1988 to a chef father whose restaurant Sueyoshi opened in Yokkaichi in 1983, Chef Tanaka trained at Kikunoi and cooked his way around the world; everything on the menu comes from Mie and he visits the producers himself.
Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best: No. 1 restaurant in Japan 2024, No. 2 in the world 2023. The omakase changes monthly and has its own vegan and gluten-free versions.
More of where I trained