Nihonryōri Kanda — Restaurant in Tokyo

Was looking forward to coming to Kanda for a while after hearing some positive things from friends and family. Kanda definitely did not disappoint and lived up to its 3 Michelin stars. The service was spot on and from the moment my partner and I arrived, the staff were extremely polite and friendly and took the time to introduce us to the rest of the staff and chefs as we entered. Kanda-san also took his time to personally introduce himself to us. The way we were treated within the first 5 minutes of us arriving was already miles better than some other three starred restaurants we had been to in Japan and what also set them apart was that they will not favour Japanese people over foreigners either. Even though I could speak Japanese, my partner couldn’t but the staff including Kanda-san made a huge effort to engage in conversation in English and to try and make sure all patrons felt at home.

The food was beautifully cooked and presented and was easily the best meal I’ve had in Japan up to this date. Personal favourite was the abalone out of the 14 dishes that were prepared for us. The alcohol pairing worked perfectly with every dish and was explained to us in quite detail. Alcohol ranged from Champaign, sake, plum wine, red and white wine, beer and tea.

I’ve read a number of reviews about Kanda stating that they were not happy with the atmosphere/decor/bar seating but what you have to realise is that this is the traditional way (counter style) in Japan and personally would prefer it this way as opposed to the more westernised table service way. This was also another reason why we wanted to come here as there are not too many three starred places around the world where you can interact with the head chef/owner and watch your dishes being made right before you. In saying that, don’t expect to be having frequent conversations with the chefs as they are normally quite busy preparing and explaining dishes to other guests but will still be more than happy answering any questions you have whether that be about the food or even personal. If they aren’t very talkative, it is not done out of rudeness which I think a lot of people mistake for.

Overall an amazing experience and would recommend anyone wanting an authentic three starred...

We were so looking forward to eating at this restaurant and were incredibly surprised by the mediocrity of the food and overall experience. Huge disappointment! We have eaten at many top-tier restaurants in Tokyo and cannot understand how this restaurant is rated 3 stars by Michelin. The food was totally uninspired and so incredibly overpriced for what it was. The night before we had eaten at the un-starred Sushisho Saito, and it blew away Kanda in every possible aspect and cost much, much less. Two of the courses (out of nine) were the most boring soups we have tasted in Japan: fast food udon restaurants make much tastier soup. Not a single course in the line-up was interesting. Two of them, the female snow crab and the yellowtail with liver, were similar to what we had eaten at Sushisho Saito but less elegantly executed. The snow crab at Saito, for instance, had been prepared with a vinegary bone broth that made the whole dish pop. At Kanda, it was just crab with some gelatin mixed in. We have eaten at Kaiseki restaurants in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and Kanda didn't compare well with any of them, even though it charges double to triple the price for the food. The wine pairings didn't make any sense to us (no correspondence to the food) and were outrageously overpriced: $4 for a thimble-full of beer, $18 for maybe two sips of sake, and $25 for each tiny pour (3 sips?) of wine. They charged over $10 for each small bottle of sparkling water. The only thing that was memorable in a good way was the wait staff -- they were very kind (although where in Japan is the wait staff not very kind?). The private room offered nice privacy but had seen better days (peeling wallpaper. In short, the entire restaurant needs a refresh. My sense is that Kanda was once doing interesting things and is now resting on its laurels and stopped trying long ago. Does Michelin check up on these restaurants regularly? If any discriminating reviewer visited Kanda recently and compared it with Tokyo's other amazing restaurants that are truly innovating, they would strip all of its stars away immediately. After this experience, we are going to be much more careful about relying on the Michelin rating system when...

Went to this restaurant on our second day in Tokyo and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The testing menu is generally what you one would expect from a Michelin-started restaurant, but it was very different from what we have tried before. When we were served the first dish I was initially surprised how underseasoned it was compared to what we are used to in U.K. where everybody is chasing big and bald flavors, but here it is different. In a way the first dish set a baseline starting from which everything just made sense. Very clean dishes with not too much ingredients but executed to perfection. Although there is no formal drinks pairing option, staff would be happy to help with drink selection to match the dishes. As one would expect from a 3 Michelin starred restaurant, drinks choice is extensive and sommeliers are very knowledgeable. I would recommend use this opportunity to try something new unless you have very strong preference for your drinks for the evening. You will not be disappointed. I tried a few outstanding drinks that went very well with the menu. Very good impression overall. Food, drinks, great service and minimalistic design, everything I love in restaurants. Would...