Guchokuni

Guchokuni means ‘in simple honesty’, a phrase handed down from the chef’s two mentors. It is the favourite motto of the chef, expressing his no-nonsense approach to cuisine. A unique perspective on food preparation can be seen in the soup dishes. Crab dumplings are fashioned with generous amounts of crab. Fried items coated with rice crackers impart a fragrant aroma to dashi soup stock. Pureed soup made from vegetables in season is pure in flavour. A menu founded on a patiently built foundation and finely honed sensibility.

What makes it distinctive

• A small Kagurazaka room with an eight-seat counter and one table.
• The kitchen's signature runs through soup, from dashi to seasonal vegetable purées.
• A straightforward, technique-first approach, the name itself means simple honesty.

Ingredient stars

• Crab, used generously in dumplings.
• Dashi, the aromatic backbone of many dishes.
• Seasonal vegetables, sometimes served as a pureed soup.

Menu

• Kappo-style Japanese course that leans heavily on soups and broths, plus seasonal produce and carefully timed hot dishes.

Dishes to look for

• Crab dumplings packed with crab.
• Dashi-driven soups, including seasonal vegetable purées.