Konoha
Osaka, Japan
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Kaiseki meals puts the chef’s traditional restaurant experience to fitting use. Appetisers, soups and assorted side dishes combine with the serving vessels to paint a picture of the seasons. What really draws out the flavours is the familiar ma-kombu kelp dashi soup stock. Deep-fried items catch the eye, like tempura lightly coated and fried piece by piece. To boost flavour, extra egg yolk is used for a unique coating. Inflections in flavour and texture provide variety but the focus is always on seasonality and sense of ingredients.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
1. Signature Tempura Batter with Extra Egg Yolk for Richness
Konoha’s tempura is distinguished by its unique batter that includes a high proportion of egg yolk, which adds a delicate richness and thickness to the coating. This technique enhances the flavor and texture of the tempura, setting it apart from typical tempura preparations.
2. Kamigata Tempura Style Without Sesame Oil
The restaurant specializes in "Kamigata Tempura," a rare style originating from the Osaka region, characterized by its delightfully crisp and light texture. Unlike many tempura styles, Konoha’s tempura is made without using sesame oil, which is a hallmark of Osaka’s innovative approach to tempura.
3. Seasonal Kaiseki Presentation with Traditional Serving Vessels and Local Ingredients
Konoha offers a kaiseki-style dining experience that highlights the changing seasons through its menu and presentation. The chef uses local seasonal ingredients such as matsutake mushrooms in autumn and eel in summer, served in traditional vessels and baskets that reflect the seasonal calendar, creating a sensory journey through Japan’s seasonal flavors.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at Konoha, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Osaka, are:
Ma-kombu kelp: Used to make the dashi soup stock, this kelp is fundamental in drawing out deep umami flavors that underpin many dishes, highlighting the essence of traditional Japanese cuisine.
Egg yolk: Added in an extra amount to the tempura batter, the egg yolk enriches the coating, making the tempura uniquely rich, delicate, and crisp, which is a hallmark of Konoha's signature tempura style.
Seasonal vegetables and root vegetables: These are featured prominently in the tempura, celebrated for their natural sweetness and freshness. Examples include negi (Welsh onion) tempura and various root vegetables that can be eaten by hand, emphasizing seasonality and local produce.
Matsutake mushrooms and chestnuts (seasonal): Used in autumn, these ingredients reflect the restaurant’s dedication to showcasing the changing seasons through its menu.
Plump eel (seasonal): Featured in summer, eel tempura highlights the seasonal variety and the chef’s skill in handling diverse local ingredients.
These ingredients are used primarily in the tempura dishes, which are Konoha’s signature offering. The tempura batter is thin and pale yellow due to the extra egg yolk, and the frying technique ensures a light, crisp texture that enhances the natural flavors of the fresh, seasonal ingredients. The use of ma-kombu kelp dashi and seasonal produce throughout the meal creates a harmonious balance of flavors that celebrate traditional Japanese culinary art with a focus on seasonality and ingredient quality.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Tasting Menu
- Not specified in the provided sources.
Signature Dishes and Prices
- Tempura dishes (white sesame oil fried): ¥11,550 (lunch) to ¥20,790 (dinner)