Nishiazabu Noguchi (西麻布野口)
⭐⭐⭐
🇯🇵 Kaiseki / 📍 Nishi-Azabu
📓 Visits: 1
The owan, stock in the takikomi gohan and miso soup were all weak in flavour. 7/10 for the owan, 6.5/10 for the rice. 'Fishy' is not a word you want to use when it comes to sashimi but that was the only flavour coming from the hirame, which had not been kobujime. 6.5/10. Gyuniku miso-yaki was greasy and not hot enough. 5.5/10. Tachiuo tempura was very over-salted and the batter needed to be slightly thinner or slightly crispier or both. 5/10. A simmered dish of kabu, yuba and kani had the consistency and flavour profile of something you'd give to an invalid. Perhaps if it had been cooked a bit less it might have been better. 6/10. Finally, the strawberry, in the very basic dessert, was the kind you'd buy in the supermarket only to feel, on tasting, a bit cheated that you'd spent the extra on the more expensive variety. 6.5/10.
The only dish I enjoyed in the entire meal was the meiji maguro sashimi with wasabi hana and the meiji maguro kawa that followed. It's possibly no coincidence that this was probably the most expensive ingredient used in the the meal. 8.5/10 for these.
Eating here was a bit like watching The Batman: you just wanted it to end. Noguchi-san has two assistants but plates all the dishes himself. This process can be a bit painful to watch and contributed to the length of the meal (and the beef dish going cold.) Rice was from two shared pots and diners were not given any onigiri to take home, which, perhaps cruelly, was the only other positive about the meal.
On my visit a diner directly opposite Noguchi-san chatted with him all evening. Noguchi-san attempted a little conversation with me at the end of the meal but my impression was that he's not particularly outgoing and (as mentioned) busy dealing with all the food rather than taking time to talk.
Omakase is JPY 22,000 inclusive and there was plenty of food. You can easily pay twice as much for kaiseki in Tokyo so comparatively this is not expensive but the food was just poor. For 2K more you could have a much better kaiseki meal at Guchokuni (review to come) and you might be out in half the time.
Shotaro Noguchi previously worked at Ginza Koju, Ginza Okuda, Higuchi, Suikoan and Akasaka Ogino (review here). These are all very good restaurants but how long he spent there and whether or not he was any good is another question.
My visit was two months after opening. Given the chef's background, the location and the low price I'd expect Noguchi to do well but I don't anticipate any improvements in the cooking and wouldn't recommend you visit.
📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13267556/
❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3.3
📱 Booking: 🟩 Easy. A week in advance by phone or TableCheck.
📍 Location:
Map data ©2022 Google
📅 Visit March 2022
Takenoko, wakame, dashi
Akagai, fugu shirako, soramame
Anago mushizushi, kuruma ebi
Guji, shin tama negi owan
Otsukuri: hirame
Meiji maguro zuke, wasabi hana
Meiji maguro kawa
Nodoguro shioyaki
Momo gyuniku miso-yaki
Tachiuo, takenoko, sansai tempura
Kabu, yuba, kani
Shiro gohan, gyu shigure-ni
Kamo takikomi gohan
Miso soup
Ichigo, kanpei, custard sauce
💴 Damage: 22,000 incl water
⏱️ Time taken: 3h of my life I'll never get back
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