Kaiseki literally means “bosom pocket stone,” and the first kaiseki meal was coined by Sen No Rikyu, tea master who lived in Kyoto, Japan, from 1522-91. He was the tea master to Oda Nobunaga and then, after his death, to Hideyoshi Toyotomi. However, as Toyotomi’s tea master, he had a statue of himself and because it seemed to have upstaged his shogun, was ordered by Toyotomi to commit hara-kiri, or suicide.
The word kaiseki started out as the frugal meal served in “chanoyu,” or tea ceremony.
The literal translation was because Zen monks placed warm stones into the front folds of their robes near their bellies at night to stave off hunger, as they were not allowed to eat later in the evening.
Kaiseki is an art form of eating with your eyes, as it is so beautiful to look at and yet balances taste, texture, appearances and colors with the freshest available ingredients.
I did not think I would be having a kaiseki meal while in Kyoto as it is very expensive, but we instead got to eat in one day — a kaiseki soba lunch and a full traditional kaiseki dinner.
Our soba kaiseki lunch was at Sawasho, in a 90-year-old building; although, the restaurant is only 13 years old. The family has been making soba boro, or soba cookies, for 105 years, so the family tradition of soba has been carried on through this wonderful kaiseki restaurant.
First course:
• Spring cabbage and strawberry soup.
• Burdock root with bacon on top.
• Carrots and broccoli flowers.
• Spring vegetable tempura with soba flour.
• Soba bread with scrambled egg on top.
• Apple and shingiku (chrysanthemum leaves) in tofu (shirae) Sauce.
• Fresh takenoko ( bamboo shoots) mitsuba, bababy scallops in clear broth.
Second course:
• Takenoko, kikurage, shiitake mushroom, soba an (white insides of soba).
• Steamed surimi with takenoko.
• Nanohana (rapeseed greens).
Third course:
• Spring cabbage soba in katakuriko.
• Cauliflower croquette.
• Koya dofu (frozen tofu to change structure).
• Cabbage cole slaw.
• French salt on side of plate.
Fourth course:
• Hot or cold soba with sansho and togarashi.
Fifth course:
• Yamaimo tororo rice with miso.
Sixth course:
• Cream cheese inside soba skin, dried sakura (cherry blossom) leaves powder scattered on top.
• Soba boro.
We took a boat ride along a river to view the beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom and then for dinner, a traditional Kyoto kaiseki, at Seiwasou. Owner Tetsuo Takenaka is the third generation of chefs in the family kaiseki restaurant, which has been in business for more than 60 years.
First dish: Sashimi Platter (Kyoto prefers white flesh sashimi to red flesh so no ahi, but just delicate white flesh sashimi).
Second dish: Takenoko (Tetsuo uses takenoko, or bamboo shoots, only for two weeks of the season when the takenoko is most tender and delicate) and pickled myoga (type of edible ginger).
Third dish: Idako (small octopus) in miso and nagaimo (long taro) in gelatin sauce.
Fourth dish: Takanome (devil’s straw shoots), seasoned kombu (seaweed) and tsukemono.
Fifth dish: Surimi with shirano (tiny white fish).
Sixth dish: Udo and shiitake mushrooms and Kyoto red carrots.
Seventh dish: Tai (red snapper) rice.
Eighth dish: Miso soup and hot green tea.
Dessert: Green tea mousse, wasabi mochi and strawberries.
It seems like a lot of food, but every dish is just a bite and not filling. It was important to savor each bite and enjoy the foods of the season.
The next day, after being served tea by Maiko Ichitaka and listening to a naga-uta (singing) lesson in the Nishi district, we went to eat bento, but their bento is nothing like what we think about. The restaurant, Hei Hachi Chai-Ya Yama Bana, is a 400-year-old restaurant along the river. Saba, or mackerel, was transported in the old days and this restaurant served the travelers and transporters of saba.
The bento was presented in a two-tiered lacquered box with a carrier. The top layer had three small dishes with ikura with daiko (radish) oroshi (we call it suri, but it is improper), miso shirae with seasonal vegetables and nitsuke (seasoned with soy sauce and sugar) clams. The second layer contains a dish with yuba (tofu skins), a kombu roll with vinegar-pickled white fish, famous Kyoto eggplant pickled, egg roll, broiled salmon, shrimp, saba (mackerel) and the tender tip of myoga (edible ginger).
There was a clear soup with mushrooms and takenoko, a separate bowl of rice and another bowl of yamaimo (mountain yam that when grated is slimy) with nori tsukudani in the middle. This rice dish is called gohan tororo and mixing the yamaimo with the rice was absolutely delicious.
We thought that was the end of it, but then came a dish of shrimp tempura, Kyoto eggplant and sweet pepper tempura. The Kyoto eggplant is a special variety that is so delicate and tender. One of the shrimp tempura was coated with what looked like Rice Krispies and the other was coated with shredded yuba.
Lastly, dessert of a very delicate custard with a strawberry was served.
Small bites
Sen no Rikyu’s Urasenke School, headquartered in Kyoto, is responsible for the Tea House at Liliuokalani Park.
There are five distinct areas in Kyoto of the Maiko (in training and younger than 22 years old) and the Geiko (22 years and older) district. We went to the Nishi area and drove along the Gion area Saturday, with at least three young couples in kimonos taking their wedding photos along with the rice with cherry blossoms.
Foodie bites
• The takenoko was in season in Kyoto when we were there. The food purist boils it in water and nuka within two hours of picking.
• This weekend is the start of the Ka‘u Coffee Festival and next week Sunday is The Rotary Club of South Hilo’s Hilo Huli at Coconut Island. Hope you got your tickets already.
• This week, The Bamboo Hale is featuring the food of China. Please call 934-2791 for reservations.
Email me at audreywilson
808@gmail.com if you have questions.
