Taian 太庵 (Osaka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

We are treating ourselves to a three-Michelin starred Kaiseki dinner tonight. Owner-chef Hitoshi Takahata (高畑 均) opened 17-seat Taian (太庵) on a quiet side street in Osaka back in 2000 and his restaurant continues to win wide acclaim for its unique take on the traditional Kaiseki cuisine.



Part of the fun about kappō-dining is to see the talented chefs working diligently behind the counter in front of our watchful eyes.



Our meal first started with a parade of small nibbles highlighted by a bowl of seasonal vegetables with shrimps and pine nuts. My favorite was the seaweed soup with what was described as a ginger vinaigrette. There was also a dish with Japanese Chirimen Jako (or young sardines) with radish puree that both Jelloman and I found very pleasant.



The first "official" dish of the tasting menu was a clear broth with a giant minced shrimp ball and some delicate bamboo shoots, carrot and broccolini. It was a perfect Suimono, generally a refreshing type of clear soup to kick off a Japanese meal as sort of a palate cleanser. And it did just that.



That was followed by our Mukozuke or Otsukuri (sashimi plate), which was sea bream and fatty tuna tonight.



A very nice mix of mild (sea bream) and rich (tuna) flavors.



Our main dish was next. I was really looking forward to my succulent braised pork belly but turned out Jelloman's roast chicken was a little bit better. 



Shirako (白子 or fish sperm) was deep-fried with a light batter. It was simply served with lemon juice and local sea salt.



They were very foamy and despite not being a fan, I found this pretty tasty.



Our second last savory dish was porridge with bean curd, seaweed and crab meat. It came with a small patch of ginger puree on top for some extra heat. Not bad.



As usual, a rice dish with seasonal ingredients and pickled vegetables to wrap up the savory part of a Kaiseki meal.



Here the rice was mixed with vegetables and fish roes to give it more texture and flavor.



Dessert was a rather simple Japanese marmalade jelly with assorted fruits, black beans and red kidney beans. There was a bottle of liquid (tasted a little bitter) provided with the dessert and we were instructed to add a few drops in there to enhance the flavors (sweetness) of the fruit jelly.



This was a pretty good meal with a strong focus on fresh and in-season ingredients. A satisfying experience that came with just one blemish - there was not a single dish that really stood out. That was a bit surprising considering its three-Michelin starred status.

After the meal, Jelloman and I enjoyed a slow walk back to our hotel. We decided to swing by Dotornbori to get a closer look at the amazing view by the canal. Tomorrow is Valentine's day and I'm looking forward to giving Jelloman a little surprise at Pierre. Let's hope it goes well as planned.



Food Rating: 6/10
Price: ￥￥￥￥
Address: 1-21-2 Shimanouchi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan
Closest Metro Station: Nagahoribashi
Tel: +81 (0)6 6120-0790