For those familiar with traditional kaiseki, the menu at Isoda may come as a surprise. While a typical meal begins with soft flavors, the chef likes to start with a seasonal appetizer, immediately followed by a heavier dish such as soft-shelled turtle and wild boar. The soup and sashimi, which are usually served at the beginning of the course, appear later in the meal.

“I think stronger-flavored dishes like meat should be enjoyed early when there’s still room in your stomach,” the chef says. “I think a lot about the flow and balance of the meal, and the portions as well, so the guests can enjoy the meal until the end.”

Sashimi of sea bream from Akashi in Hyogo and red shellfish from Ehime. The quality of the sea bream is excellent with incredible aroma and texture, Isoda says proudly.

The soup of pufferfish milt and turnips is fragrant and full of flavor. When you open the lid, the delicate scent of yuzu citrus fills the air. The creamy milt melts away in your mouth.

Grilled wild boar from Hiroshima is sweet and tender. The flavorful meat is served with water celery in a white miso sauce.

Tempura of Japanese icefish and tara no me buds. The balance between the bitterness of the mountain vegetables and the gentle flavor of the little fish is exquisite. The batter is light and crispy.

Served during the summer months, the sweetfish has become Isoda’s signature. While many chefs prefer a crispy finish, Isoda likes to keep the fish moist and rich using the flavor of the liver.

The grilled sweet sea bream is a work of top craftsmanship. Carefully cooked, the scales on top are lightly browned and crispy while the flesh remains moist and tender. The rice is cooked slowly in a clay pot. Served with small sides of pickled Chinese cabbage, dried baby sardines and minced beef, the small portions feel just right.

INGREDIENTS
Most of the ingredients come from Tokyo’s Toyosu market. The sea bream is a special catch, coming from a fisherman near the Akashi coast whom the chef has known for years. The fish is caught early in the morning and delivered that day. The sweetfish in the summer comes from the Mase River in Gifu. The chef likes to use larger catches that are as long as 20 cm.

The dashi, which serves as the base of all the flavors, is made using Rishiri's 2-year-old kombu and dried bonito flakes. For flavoring, the chef likes Fuji Izumi soy sauce from Shizuoka and Yamari miso from Kyoto. Wasabi comes from the waters of Amagi in Kagoshima. The rice is organic Koshihikari grains grown in Yamagata.