Tempura Yaguchi

A single issue of a cooking magazine led Kazuki Yaguchi onto the path of the tempura artisan. Apprenticeship under his mentor taught Yaguchi to find his own style while inheriting his master’s culinary philosophy. His tempura is deep-fried in oil at high temperatures using a high proportion of cottonseed oil and features generous portions of vegetables. The batter is fried to fragrant perfection, drawing out the flavour of its contents. Sea urchin is wrapped in perilla leaf to avoid overheating.

What makes it worth the detour

• Technique first: high-heat frying that drives off moisture for a fragrant, crisp coating.
• A quiet manifesto: a calligraphy piece on the wall reads "Menkyo Kaiden", full mastery, setting the tone for apprentices at work.

Ingredient stars

• Shrimp: Fried in different temperature passes to push contrast, rare versus medium, in back-to-back bites.
• Squid: Sometimes served as two different pieces, each with its own texture and flavour.

Format

• One-star tempura counter focusing on crisp, high-heat frying and a tight sequence of pieces.

What to expect

• Shrimp served in succession at different temperatures to contrast rare and medium textures.
• Depending on availability, two preparations of squid can appear in the same meal to show how differently it eats.

Booking note

• The restaurant manages its own bookings.