Yamazato's kaiseki ryôri sets provide suitable stage to showcase refined Kyoto cuisine
Tracey Furniss
YAMAZATO JAPANESE FINE DINING
28th Floor, Hotel Okura Macau, Galaxy Macau, Cotai, Macau, 853 8883 5127
Yamazato executive chef Akira Hayashi is famous for his kaiseki ryôri sets, the only restaurant in Macau that specialises in Kyoto-style dishes - a refined cuisine that emphasises subtle flavours and seasonal ingredients. The kaiseki meal has a prescribed order of courses which is determined by the cooking method for each dish.
Hayashi prepared an excellent set for us, starting with the freshest home-made tofu with dashi sauce set on a leaf on top of ice. Next was an elegantly presented sashimi platter of O-toro, tiger prawn and flat fish. The wasabi was freshly grated with a subtle flavour that didn't overpower the delicate sashimi. This was followed by a conger pike soup in a teapot. We poured the seafood broth into a small bowl and then ate the seafood from the teapot, squeezing some lime onto it.
The main course was a showstopper - grilled bungo beef steak. Bungo beef is from Oita Prefecture, more precisely, the cattle are reared next to the Kuju mountain range, also known as the roof of Kyushu. The strong flavour of the beef with a balanced distribution of fat gives the meat a buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
The table suddenly fell silent as we concentrated on eating this tasty dish. I could happily have had seconds, but it was not to be. However, we appreciated the chu-toro, sea bream and salmon roe sushi as well as the accompanying red miso soup. To finish, we had a slice of Shizuoka crown melon with giant grapes and Kyoho grapes, which were juicy and fresh. This set costs 600 patacas plus tax. Each set cost varies according to the available ingredients. Dining at the hotel's signature establishment offers sweeping views of Cotai and the Galaxy wave pool and gardens. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
