Tokyo eats: 開花屋 [Kaikaya]

Been meaning to blog about Kaikaya for the longest time, but never quite got round to doing it.  This time round, I’m determined to share the dining experience and update what we thought about the place since our last visit 2 years ago.

This casual eatery that serves up pretty awesome meals primarily made of seafood has been on the top of our favourite places to eat in Tokyo.  We try to head back there when we pay our annual visit to Tokyo.  This time, it was no different.  I missed the place for its food but more so its bustling vibe.

Upon our arrival from Hakuba back to Tokyo, we headed there for dinner.  A table for 4 subsequently became a table for 8 as we roped in other friends to join in.   I was pleased to see my favourite dishes still on the menu with a couple of new ones which we didn’t really venture to try.  I was also surprised to find that the place has expanded for we thought we went into the wrong place.  Gone are the dingy and tight seats that the first restaurant housed its diners.  The neighbouring facility seats more comfortably but the busy vibe was somewhat missing.

After settling down, the Man placed the orders.  We had sashimi and 2 different types of carpaccio (Sengyo no Carpaccio and Sengyo no Bentonamu-fu) to start off first.

Another one of our favourites is this fried prawn dish.  Be warned, the sauce is pretty addictive and you can hardly stop at one.  Love that the chefs play on spices and experiment with different herbs when it comes to cooking here.  So don’t expect traditional Japanese food for you will be slightly disappointed.

If you are a cheese lover like we are, then order the gorgonzola risotto in pancake-style, topped with sliced scallop, baked on griddle.  The gorgonzola taste is evident on first bite.  Not for the faint-hearted if you are not a fan of smelly cheeses.

And last but not the least, save stomach space for this beautifully done seafood miso soup.  When the bowl is placed in front of you, don’t be alarmed if you see random types of fish heads thrown into the soup for that’s what makes the broth uber tasty.

Verdict?  Well, the food was just like I remembered fondly, homely and tasty but I’m was also a little disappointed with the quality in taste.  It didn’t quite match up to the standards that we were used to previously.  The expansion or the change in chefs perhaps?  I don’t know but maybe it’s time to just hang on to the pleasant memories we had and not bother to revisit.

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