Kappo Muroi

1 Star • Japanese. Drawing on techniques honed in Japanese cuisine and guided by a keen curiosity, the chef explores inventive approaches to ingredients from his own unique perspective. Served as an interlude, niebana, half-steamed rice, is cooked in kombu dashi to incorporate its umami. Fried dishes are coated in rice flour and prepared as kosen-age, speckled with cracker crumbs, for added aroma. The chef learned tradition at a Kyoto ryotei and innovation at a Tokyo kappo, a journey reflected in his menus.