Saturday, May 22, 2010

japanese restaurant: kakomi

Yesterday, the sun came out and I met up with my friend, Kazumi for lunch.

She had heard nice things about the Japanese restaurant located in the basement area of the Hotel Elsereine. The hotel, as well as the restaurants, opened up about a month ago.

This was the first time I've asked if it was okay to take photos, though sitting at the counter in front of the chef, I felt it was kinda necessary.

Our lunch started off with a clam steamed in rice wine and served with a tomato gelee.

Next came the sashimi course. Besides a delicious piece of cherry smoked hamo (pike conger) and fresh hamachi (yellowtail), this course had an interesting item, graptopetalum paraguayense or grapara leaf as the Japanese like to call it.

I recently saw this on television and this succulent is apparently edible. My mom has tons of this plant in her garden. It tasted like watery celery.

Next came an assortment of various little bites. I particularly enjoyed the tsukune (minced chicken meatball) topped with Tasmanian seed mustard.

We also had some tai kamameshi (rice cooked in a clay pot with snapper, fish stock and burdock root) and this delicious pea soup, Japanese style, topped with sea eel.

For dessert I chose the apple ice cream with salt and pepper tuile. This was refreshing and delicious.

Kazumi had the custard pudding. We loved how it was served in the egg.

Lunch ended with a nice cup of coffee. (This photo doesn't do the cup justice, it was a nice pale blue.) I particularly liked the cup that it was served in, though the head chef had mentioned that he had some complaints about it not being practical to drink from.

We had a nice time and the food was very delicious. (Thank you for a great day Kazumi!)

Japanese Restaurant Kakomi
1-5-25 Dojima (Hotel Elsereine B1)
Kita, Osaka
Phone: 06.6136.3135
Closed Sundays
Open 11:30-14:00, 17:30-22:00

11 comments:

Dennis K. said...

Wow such beautiful dishes!

Deb in Hawaii said...

It looks like a wonderful lunch--the custard in the egg is so cute.

I am loving the look of that coffee cup too--who cares whether it is practical or not?! ;-)

K and S said...

Thanks Dennis, eating with the eyes is definitely part of Japanese cuisine :)

Thanks Debinhawaii, actually if you held the cup with two hands it was okay :)

Take care you two.
Kat

Unknown said...

That looks so good, I think it would even get me to eat all those fishy things that I wouldn't normally eat! Wow!

K and S said...

Thanks Rick, I hope you try more fishy things :)

Take care.
Kat

Rowena said...

Everything looks so dang...GOOD! I thought that was pea soup from the beginning, but when I read that it came topped with sea eel....wow...that's my kind of dish.

K and S said...

Thanks Rowena, it was neat how they mixed Western styles with Japanese styles.

Take care.
Kat

KirkK said...

Hey Kat- That looks like a lovely lunch!

K and S said...

ooh you're back Kirk! I wonder where you've been vacationing!

Take care.
Kat

Barbara said...

The food looks wonderful Kat.

K and S said...

Thanks Barbara, it was different but delicious :)

Take care.
Kat