Kimoto

Kimoto (紀茂登)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🇯🇵 Kaiseki / 📍 Higashi-Gokencho

📓 Visits: 4 (2024 x1, 2019 x3)

Normally I update my reviews after revisits rather than making new posts but, despite three visits, I hadn't actually written a dedicated review of Kimoto, instead including it in my review of Tsukunoma which I originally posted in 2021 and significantly changed after a revisit.  Tsukunoma is no more with chef Daisuke Muroi going independent with Azabu Muroi.  It was just going to be too confusing, especially with my changed opinion again, to update the Tsukanoma post, hence this new one.

My first meal at Kimoto in crab season in 2019 was one of the best kaiseki meals I've ever had.  My second meal didn't quite live up to the first one: aside from the fact it wasn't crab season, the other dishes were very similar to those in my first meal and there was nothing as good as the duck and quinoa dish I had first time, which is one of the best things I've ever eaten.  My third meal was going to be my last.  While at that time I thought the food was the best I knew another meal would never be a revelation like the first one and with the cost of a meal so high (55K a pop) it was time to move on.  In 2023 I heard that Kimoto was going to close by the end of 2024.  Since my last meal was over three years ago and I might not get a chance to eat Kimoto-san's food again (more on that in a bit) I decided to go back just one last time.

There were some definite tens in this final meal which was again in crab season: the fugu, kani gohan, Ise ebi, kani miso, the beef and the warm warabi moichi.  Most other dishes were at least 9, perhaps 9.5, some perhaps 10.  The restaurant passes the "even things I don't normally like are good" greatness test, e.g. the warabi moichi.  There were also new dishes compared with meals in the past, keeping it interesting.  Despite all this, I did not enjoy my meal and even if the restaurant was staying open I would not be going back again.  Kimoto-san barely made it half way down the counter on my visit with all my dishes served by his sous-chef or an assistant.  The two assistants didn't smile throughout the entire meal and one attended to guests like a supermarket checkout assistant.  I could live with that if the food was sublime and, like I mentioned, while there were a number of perfect dishes there wasn't anything next level like that duck and quinoa first time around.  The soup at Kimoto is one of the best I've ever had in the past.  But this time, in another "is it me or is it them" moment in my fine dining life, the owan tasted like hot water.

Dishes are explained as briefly as I've listed them below.  I'd at least like to know the provenance of the key ingredients like the crab, takenoko and beef used on the day.  The dressings that come with some of the dishes are like you get nowhere else.  I'd love to know what's in these.  Perhaps Kimoto-san didn't bother to tell the assistants.  Perhaps he doesn't want anyone to know because he doesn't want anyone copying him.  Perhaps that's the reason why a photo ban was introduced in late 2022.  Perhaps he only cares about taking your money.  Mood affects enjoyment and I can only describe the mood here as transactional.

Kimoto-san's sous chef, Takahiro Matsuo, is a lot more friendly than any of the other staff.  One assumes he's going to go independent once Kimoto closes and that really will be a restaurant to look out for.  Until the end of the year, at times when Kimoto-san is away and much like with Tsukanoma previously, Matsuo-san runs 'Matsuo'.  The photo ban apparently doesn't apply to here so you can check out some pictures on Tabelog.  The complaint about dishes not being properly explained is repeated and the other restaurant assistants are still present, though a meal at Matsuo is much cheaper than a meal at Kimoto and many of the dishes are the same.  So if you want a Kimoto-lite experience I wouldn't recommend against it.

I rated Kimoto 5.0 in the past.  5.0 from me means cannot be improved or as good as it gets.  As I've mentioned, the food wasn't perfect and service was anything but, so I've lowered my overall score.

The course was advertised at 60k + service but with just water to drink the bill came to nearly 75K.  Kimoto is the kind of place where if you have to ask how much it is you probably can't afford it but for that amount of money a meal needs to be life changing.  My first meal at Kimoto probably was: kaiseki can often lack impact; no meal I've ever had at Kimoto ever has, but no subsequent meal has ever been as good as the first one.

If you've never been, got the cash and can snag a cancellation (the restaurant is fully booked until it closes) then you should probably go and make your own mind up.  Kimoto-san isn't retiring and will be back somewhere else in 2025/2026 so if you miss out you might have a different opportunity in the future.  If you've been before and were sitting on the fence about a return I'd jump back down and think about the all the other meals you could spend that 75K on.

📌 https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130905/13226856/

❓ My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.4 (food: 4.7, service: 2.6, value: 4.0)

📱 Booking: ⬛ The restaurant is 'fully booked' until it closes at the end of the year so the only way to get your own reservation is via a cancellation on Omakase.

📍 Location: 

5-5 Higashi Gokencho.  8 minutes walk from Iidabashi station Exit C1 or Kagurazaka station Exit 1a.  Shared street-facing entrance with Kasahara (it's the intercom button on the right if you can't read the kanji).
Map data ©2021 Google

📅 Visit February 2024

Awabi, renkon manju, nanohana, dashi
Fugu, tama negi
Kani gohan
Hotate renkon owan
Ise ebi sashimi
Meiji maguro
Yaki kani
Kani miso
Shiro amadai, takenoko
Yodo daikon
Hire niku shabu shabu
Awabi dashi chazuke
Ocha
Ichigo ice
Warm warabi moichi
Wagashi
Matcha

💴 Damage: 74,415 inc. one bottle of water
⏱️ Time taken: 2h30m