We celebrated D's 30th birthday last year in Kyoto.. Not in Japan, but in Makati. KyōTo is a hidden Japanese restaurant along Palanca Street in Legazpi Village, Makati. We've been frequenting a few bars in Palanca during my time in the corporate world, but never did I imagine that one day, I will go back to the area not for some bar chows and drinks, but to dine at this very fine Japanese restaurant.
I was initially hesitant to push through with our reservation since 1. I don't eat raw fish or sashimi (except spicy tuna) 2. The price of the kaseiki menu was waaaay beyond our average dining budget.
D really wanted to dine here ever since it opened, but was looking for an excuse to justify the big dining splurge. Finally, his 30th birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to take me out on a fancy dinner.
Upon arriving, we were immediately led to the Kappo- a 10-seater open-kitchen bar area where Chef Ryohei Kawamoto was busy preparing the menu for the night. A staff handed the kaiseki menu that listed down all the dishes that will be served to us that night.
Kaiseki is an elaborate multi-course Japanese dining experience with menu that depends on the availability of seasonal ingredients. It exhibits the culinary techniques and skill of a chef who puts in a lot of effort and thought in creating the menu.