Catch Michelin-Starred Japanese Restaurant Kitcho in Beijing until Nov 28

Beijing’s Michelin Guide, now in its second year, has been a point of contention with some diners, who argue that it doesn’t fully represent the scope of the city’s dining scene. For example, no Japanese restaurant in the capital has received a Michelin star yet (perhaps not that surprising considering the exacting standards of Japanese cuisine and the fact that the Michelin Guide is well-established in cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka), even though there are some very high-quality restaurants to be found here. 

So a pop-up by one Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Kitcho from Taipei is a good opportunity for those of us who can’t leave the city right now (basically everyone) to experience Michelin-standard Japanese. Kitcho first received a Michelin star in the 2018 Taipei Michelin Guide and has maintained it ever since. Now, Kitcho Executive Chef/Owner Kyo Hsu (Xu Wenjie) has braved three weeks of quarantine in Shanghai to join chef Zhu Chongjie for a four-hands menu event at Aki restaurant in Central Park Plaza, near Chaoyang Park. 

Both Aki and Kitcho specialize in omakase-style dining, a Japanese phrase that literally means “I’ll leave it up to you.” Omakase menus are best eaten sitting at a counter in front of an open kitchen, and Aki’s gorgeous polished Brazilwood counter allows you to do just that, watching as the chefs present you with course after course of beautifully-presented morsels of food. And although we say morsels, you’ll be ready to skip lunch the day after, as you'll have more than 20 of them here. 

We won’t spoil the whole menu, as part of the joy of omakase dining is waiting to see what the chef will present next (we weren’t given a printed menu when we tried the food). But suffice it to say that you can expect a wide selection of premium seafood, including uni (sea urchin) from Hokkaido and less-common sashimi such as mehikari (a kind of tiny deep-sea fish), shima aji (striped jack), and tai (sea bream). Our personal highlights included two delicate pieces of octopus, massaged by hand for 90 minutes (!) and then pressure cooked, leaving it incredibly tender, and a hand roll filled with minced maguro (bluefin tuna) mixed with yellow pickled radish. 

Catch chef Kyo Hsu in the kitchen with chef Zhu Chongjie at Aki every evening (6.30-10pm) until Sun, Nov 28. The menu is priced at RMB 2,980 per person. 

Now, yes, that isn't an everyday price tag, but it's also not unheard of for fine dining in Beijing. Plus, you're paying for a face-to-face experience with a Michelin-starred chef using very high-quality imported ingredients to make you a meal. It doesn't get much more worth it than that.

Aki
1/F, Building A7, Central Park Plaza, Tianshuiyuan Jie, Chaoyang District (185 1855 4390)
秋日本料理：朝阳区甜水园街骏豪中央公园广场A7栋1层

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Images: Robynne Tindall, courtesy of Aki