Modern Kaiseki and the art of Omotenashi
For better or worse, Kaiseki cuisine has a reputation for being at times somewhat stuffy, overly formal and difficult to understand for the uninitiated. Den in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward strips away much of the formality and pretense in favor of a joyful celebration of seasonality and unadulterated hospitality.
Chef and owner Zaiyu Hasegawa likes to serve dishes with a humorous twist. An amuse bouche comes in the form of a monaka, a Japanese Sweet usually consisting of two thin rice wafers and traditionally filled with sweet azuki bean paste. At Den however, the crisp of the wafers gives way to a dense and rich filling of delicious foie gras. A salad made from superbly fresh vegetables sports a smiley face carved into a piece of carrot. The much talked about Dentucky Fried Chicken, stuffed and intensely flavorful, is served in a fast food style cardboard box. These humorous plays on high-end Japanese cuisine never feel forced but are a genuine expression of the pride and joy taken by Hasegawa’s team in both their cooking and making their guests feel at ease.
But make no mistake, it’s not just fun and games. The technical level and quality of the ingredients are second to none and the food strikes a great balance between subtle flavors of the freshest seasonal ingredients and powerful umami. This is cooking at the highest level and it is very evident why Den has been a regular on the World’s 50 Best restaurant list for many years.
While the technical skills and flavors certainly impress, it may be the team’s dedication to hospitality that will accompany you long after your meal at Den. The staff are warm and forthcoming and make you feel at home from the moment you walk through the door. It’s a celebration of Omotenashi, the Japanese concept of mindful and selfless dedication to hospitality. This concept is perfectly encapsulated by the final savory course in every meal at Den: Donabe Gohan, a seemingly simple dish of rice cooked in a clay pot, enhance with ever-changing ingredients from the land or sea. It’s as close as any dish will get you to the warm and fuzzy feeling of a hug.
