Shunsaiten Tsuchiya
Osaka, Japan
⭐2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
The menu is tempura kaiseki and the tempura of Yukihiko Tsuchisaka is the product of training in Japanese cuisine. Steamed abalone is ripple-cut to add texture, then fried in thin batter and served with dipping sauce made from its liver. Oil-and-coating combinations and frying methods are products of extensive research. Tsuchisaka makes conversation as he serves customers, an attentive practice he learned at a counter kappo. His motto is ‘true devotion’, and his sincerity permeates both service and cuisine.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Here are three unique and unconventional aspects of Shunsaiten Tsuchiya, the Michelin 2-star tempura restaurant in Osaka:
1. Zen-like Traditional Architecture in a Quiet Residential Area
Shunsaiten Tsuchiya is housed in a renovated traditional Japanese house featuring white stone walls and gray kawara-tiled roofs. The windows are set with white shoji screens, creating a simple, sophisticated, and inviting zen-like atmosphere that contrasts with the usual bustling city environment. This low-profile location in a quiet northern neighborhood of Osaka adds to its exclusivity and charm.
2. Unique Tempura Serving Style and Kaiseki Integration
Unlike many tempura restaurants that serve each item individually, Shunsaiten Tsuchiya serves tempura pieces grouped in sets of 3-4 items at a time. This method enhances the flavor and texture contrasts between the items, providing a more dynamic tasting experience. Additionally, the restaurant offers a "Chef Special Course" that combines traditional kaiseki techniques with tempura, blending two distinct culinary styles in one meal.
3. Exceptional Ingredient Quality and Seasonal Focus
The restaurant is renowned for its uncompromising quality and use of seasonal ingredients, which heightens the natural flavors of each tempura item. Examples include the sweet shrimp tempura, naturally sweet corn kernels, delicately fried scallops with a subtle pink interior, and the use of rare ingredients like Kegani (hairy crab). This dedication to seasonality and ingredient integrity is a hallmark of the dining experience at Shunsaiten Tsuchiya.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant Shunsaiten Tsuchiya in Osaka, known for its exquisite tempura and kaiseki cuisine, include:
- Sea Scallops: Used in dishes like sea scallops and yam tossed in vinegar-miso dressing, highlighting their delicate sweetness and texture.
- Yuba (Tofu Skin): Served as scooped yuba slices topped with sweet salmon roe, combining creamy and briny flavors.
- Fresh Wheat Gluten Mochi: Dipped in aromatic miso, offering a unique texture and umami-rich taste.
- Crab: Featured in the tempura course, showcasing the chef’s skill in frying seafood to preserve its natural flavor.
- Wagyu Beef with Mustard: A luxurious tempura item that balances rich meat flavor with a sharp mustard accent.
- Clams with Ginger and Dashi: Tempura that incorporates traditional Japanese flavors, enhancing the seafood’s freshness.
- Huge Tiger Prawns: A classic tempura ingredient prized for its size and sweetness, delivering a crispy and light texture.
These ingredients are carefully selected seasonally to emphasize freshness and umami, with the chef employing traditional kaiseki techniques and precise tempura frying to preserve and enhance their natural flavors. The tempura is known for its light, crispy batter that traps the full flavor inside, making each bite a refined experience.