good eats: taneda sushi in kaiseki

oh man, where do i even start with this one? if you know me or have been following along, it’s no surprise that i love experiencing new food. and my recent experience at taneda sushi in kaiseki was one of the more special experiences i’ve had recently.

taneda is tucked away in a small street between other business in capital hill. unassuming on the outside, but well presented inside, it’s like you’re being transported to a whole different place. it’s only a nine seat counter, so plan ahead for reservations!

i took a picture of everything i had, but only shared a few memorable shots below, so you’re not bombarded by lots of single photos of nigiri. they were all incredible, but photos just doesn’t do it justice.

unlike more traditional sushi restaurants who offer omakase, typical served edomae-style, taneda runs their courses kaiseki style.

kaiseki on the other hand, is a prescribed set of courses that is dependent on the seasonal produce. “kaiseki cuisine is considered to be Japan’s top fine dining cuisine because of its beauty, intricacy and the amount of thought and effort put in - from conceptualizing to cooking the dish.”

andy and i are HUGE fans of chef kotaro kumita’s omakase at Wataru (served edomae-style). and i can truly say that i don’t prefer one experience over the other because they’re both so different and special in their own ways. if you’re looking for just sushi, go the edomae-style. if you’re looking for a mix of sushi and dishes, with a lot of fine plating, go kaiseki. either way, you won’t be disappointed.

photos from iphone xs max.