Our best restaurant experience in our visit to Japan! Keiji and his team really excelled in every aspect -- the food (of course), the atmosphere, the professionalism and friendliness of the staff, the mastery of the chef, and finally, Keiji himself. If you're visiting Japan, I recommend you make a special effort to eat at this place -- it will be worth it.
First, the ambience. When you make a reservation, you have to show up at pretty much exactly the time you reserve. No earlier. And when you go in, it makes sense. The place is fairly small, but very cozy and very intimate. (It sits about 10 people total). Decor is tasteful, lighting is perfect, and there's pleasant music at a low volume. You and your party are then seated, all facing the chef's station, from where you will see the chef being an absolute master at his craft. (The chef has been doing this for over 40 years, and his mastery shows!)
The staff is exceptionally professional. Very polite, courteous, and most of them actually speak English. They are pretty much perfect. They are attentive so that you almost always have food and drinks, but they're also not in your face or overwhelming. They are also very nice about taking pictures, and will even take your party's picture with staging! Incredible!
The food is probably the main reason why people go here. Keiji is dedicated and serious about his passion for -- and knowledge of -- high quality beef. And, while I'm not a connoisseur or some professional food critic, this is the best beef I've ever had in my life. But it wasn't even just the main piece of beef -- all of the food was delicious. From the salad, to the (beef) sushi, to the dessert, it was all fantastically delicious. I didn't get to try the sake but from what my friends told me, it was great!
I keep talking about this Keiji person. Well, he's the owner of the restaurant, and he almost singlehandedly made this an experience we'll never forget. You can tell he's very passionate about all aspects of his restaurant, and it shows. He actually spent a great deal of time interacting with us during the dinner. He gave us a background on his restaurant and his philosophy on beef quality. He made a lot of jokes with us (in English! his English is great!) and he's the funniest restaurant owner I've ever met. He made sure to ask our names, even our hobbies; the whole experience was very personalized, and very genuine. At times the conversation with Keiji was informative, at times it was funny, and at times it was touching.
Our group is so impressed with the restaurant that we plan on coming back to it every time we visit Japan. Again, if you're in Japan, make sure to check it out. Even if your stay is only in Tokyo, hop on the Shinkansen and make a day trip out to this restaurant. It's not just the Kobe beef, which is the best. But also, the entire experience -- the ambience, the staff, the amazing and talented chef, and of course, Keiji. We sincerely and wholeheartedly wish Keiji and his team all the success they so clearly deserve. Because this restaurant is truly special.
