Perma_Naoshima (パーマ) — Restaurant in Naoshima

For my trip to Japan, I had quite a lot restaurants booked in advance, but this gem - recommended by my Airbnb host - turned out to be the highlight. It all started with the setting: incredibly intimate and relaxed, almost like having a friend cooking just for you (albeit a very talented one ;)). The decor is young and cool, with artsy lamps and an olive-green bar. Sitting at the bar, we indulged in delicious sake and Japanese natural wine - never tasted anything like it before! Every dish was a hit, but we'll especially remember the homemade miso, crispy yet tender fried tofu, handcrafted ramen (with amazing toppings like pickled eggs!), and the coconut-fermented rice ice cream that was even better than any gelato we've had in Italy. We could taste the meticulous care and love put into these dishes, so we definitely hope to come back someday. Lastly: the price point for a meal of this quality was unbelievably good! Thank you for the...

Reservations pretty much required. I turned up at 5:30pm on a Wednesday and lucked out - they had one non-reservation seat available. The setting is very intimate. This place has a set omakase menu. The food is incredible and each course is unique. The owner/chef grows much of his own produce. My favourite was the ceviche (the fish used changes depending on what is available) and my least favourite was the ramen as the broth was too light for my taste (the handmade noodles were delightful). The service was great considering the chef was cooking multiple courses at once, washing dishes, and contributing to a lively dinner conversation. He seemed very knowledgable about wines and sake. It would be nice if there were non-alcoholic drink options apart from...

Incredible! One of, if not the best meals I’ve had in Japan. We stumbled across Perma for dinner in its second week of opening - and it did not disappoint. The chef used local ingredients for the 5 course omakase and was so accommodating for menu changes as we were pescatarian - the chef kindly changed all chicken to fish and it was delicious. All five courses were amazing but the seaweed and spring onion entree, plus the handmade ramen noodles and friend tofu with miso paste were all standouts! The cocoa in the desert is harvested on Naoshima - a real highlight! The design of the restaurant in an old hairdresser is seriously cool. This is sure to be an island favourite in no time - surprised it was empty but it won’t be for long. Thank you...