Osaka

Tempura Hiraishi

天麩羅ひらいし

A traditionalist, Takayuki Hiraishi has spent over 16 years deepening his craft of tempura. His artistry makes sure the deep-fried tempura is light and crisp, allowing the guests to enjoy the meal to the very last dish. Also a passionate wine lover, the chef stocks an impressive collection of rare vintages that complements the cuisine. A continued pick, Tempura Hiraishi promises an evening of excellent food and warm hospitality.

Since opening in 2007, Tempura Hiraishi has been a cherished favorite for gourmands looking for an authentic experience. Tucked away in an alley behind Kita-Shinchi Station, the restaurant has an elegant interior with traditional Japanese details. Behind the open wooden counter, owner chef Takayuki Hiraishi warmly welcomes the guests as he prepares the day’s ingredients. Enjoy watching his skillful hands as he cooks each dish in front of your eyes.

It’s the simplicity of tempura that requires high levels of craftsmanship, he says. He is continuously revising his techniques. The tempura at Tempura Hiraishi is amazingly light. The airy batter, made with water, eggs and flour, is applied thinly over each ingredient. The chef prepares two frying pots, each filled with blends of oils and set at different temperatures for different ingredients. The oil is a special blend made of untoasted sesame oil, rice oil and cottonseed oil.

“We serve more than ten courses of tempura in a meal,” the chef says. “My goal has always been to cook a kind of tempura that won’t feel heavy on the stomach.” After having worked at a top kaiseki restaurant during his apprenticeship, Hiraishi is an expert of traditional Japanese culinary methods and knows how to bring out subtle and delicate flavors.

“I try to stick to traditional ingredients,” he says. “For tempura, I prefer small fish like kisu (Japanese whiting) and megochi (bigeye flatheads) instead of big filets. I like it when it has that slight brown color and a crispy bite.”

Light and crisp

Tempura Hiraishi’s omakase menu begins with a few seasonal appetizers, followed by more than a dozen tempura courses and some tempura on rice or noodles.

A beautiful appetizer to start the evening is steamed abalone with Tosa vinegar jelly. The shellfish is tender and full of flavor. The crunchy cucumbers add an accent. Boiled octopus is soft and sweet, glazed in a flavorful dashi sauce. The tempura courses are light and fluffy. For flavoring, guests can choose from between the dipping sauce or three types of salts: truffle salt, Okinawa sea salt and green tea salt.

Bigeye flathead is fried to perfection with a clean and light flavor. Enjoy the entire piece including the crunchy tail. Fresh asparagus is sweet with a slight hint of bitterness. Okra is fried just enough so that it is crisp on the outside but is rare on the inside.

Scallops, fresh enough to eat as sashimi, are cooked quickly to keep its flavor and sweetness. Long and thin Kintoki red carrots are fried whole for texture. Corn is bursting with sweetness.

INGREDIENTS
Hiraishi selects his ingredients from vendors he trusts and has known over the years. With tempura being a simple cuisine, the quality of the ingredients matter greatly. He looks for the best seasonal ingredients from across Japan. As a wine lover himself, he stocks an excellent collection of wines from all over the world. He likes to buy from multiple vendors as they all have their own specialty.

CHEF

Takayuki Hiraishi

Hiraishi was born in Ehime prefecture in 1973. He studied at a prep high school where he thought he would go on to college and end up in a government job. He then met a lecturer from Tsuji Culinary Institute during a recruiting event, where he was told that his personality may be suited as a chef. Sparking a new interest in him, he was excited to pursue something different.

After graduating from culinary school, he earned himself a spot at Kagaman, a kaiseki restaurant in Osaka with a top reputation. He spent the next 15 years there, mastering the techniques of Japanese cooking. During the last few years, he was in charge of its tempura team, which led him to discover his passion for the cuisine.

On days off, he likes to try different restaurants, particularly French and Italian, because he gets to enjoy some wine.

VISION
Hiraishi’s approach to his cuisine is simple - to perfect the traditional craft of tempura. “Rather than trying to incorporate new elements, I want to deepen what I have been doing already,” the chef says.

Now also an instructor at his culinary school, he teaches his students that tempura is a “simple but deep” art. He hopes he can contribute to guiding the next generation of top chefs in Japan.

WINE

Complementing his culinary knowledge, Hiraishi is also a wine expert. His love for wine has deepened over the years, making him a collector of rare vintages, many of which astonishes his guests.

Some of his favorite wines include Salon champagne from 2021, Chevalier-Montrachet 2002 from Donaine Leflaive and Chambolle Musigny 2007 from Georges Roumier. When asked to pair wine with the meal, he recommends Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs. “My real advice, however, is to just drink what you like best. That’s the best way to enjoy a meal.”