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13
Jul 10

Phat in Shanghai: Kappo Yu

kaiseki kappo yu shanghai china oyama
I am a huge fan of Oyama, so I was very excited when I heard that they were opening another restaurant, called Kappo Yu. Kappo Yu is located on a quiet street in the French Concession and serves an elegant kaiseki omakase. Kaiseki ryoori is the haute cuisine of Japan – seasonal ingredients are carefully selected and expertly prepared to best bring out their natural flavors. The dishes are then arranged beautifully and served in small portions. During a typical kaiseki meal, diners can expert to sample a variety of dishes with contrasting flavors and textures – raw sashimi, acidic pickles, a piping hot soup with plenty of umami.

kaiseki kappo yu shanghai china oyama
Our Kaiseki menu. The selections at Kappo Yu change on a monthly basis.

matsutake mushroom kaiseki kappo yu shanghai china oyama yunnan
We started our omakase with a rich flavorful soup made with highly sought-after matsutake mushrooms from Yunnan. The mushrooms were so flavorful, I think this was my favorite dish of the night.

kobe beef kaiseki kappo yu shanghai china oyama
Amazingly marbled kobe beef – so tender and flavorful. Coated with plenty of black pepper.

uni kappo yo kaiseki shanghai china oyama
The uni at Oyama is the stuff dreams are made of, so I was really excited when I saw it on the menu at Kappo Yu. Unfortunately it was part of the worst dish of the night. Covered in a tomato-scented goo, the rich flavor of the uni was lost altogether.

seared foie gras with roe and salmon flakes kaiseki kappo yu shanghai china oyama
The gohan (rice) dish. A slab of seared foie over perfectly cooked sushi rice sprinkled with salmon flakes, salmon roe, and fragrant green onion.

At Oyama, every bite is agonizingly delicious, and I feel like I need to carefully commit each flavor to memory. Only a few things on Kappo Yu’s menu really jumped out at me in the same way. Being a larger establishment, Kappo Yu also lacks the attentiveness and personal touch that Oyama’s 12 seater is so widely known for. If I had to to save up my kuai for one meal – I think I’d go with Oyama.

Enjoy!

Kappo Yu
33 Wuxing Lu at Huaihai Lu
吴兴路33号 近淮海中路
+86 21 6466-7855

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22
Dec 09

Phat in Shanghai: Sushi Oyama


Photographs by Adrian Lai

The omakase at Oyama is one of my favorite meals of all time. (Peter Luger & In ‘N Out are up there too!) Oyama is this perfect little 14-seat restaurant above El Willy. I am so charmed by this place, all the little details just culminate into a seriously perfect dining experience. I love the jazz playing softly, the comfy oversized stools surrounding the perfectly-lit sushi bar, how all the plates and cups are unique. Also, the service is impeccable; the attentive kimono-clad ladies keep your sake cup filled, while the amiable master sushi chefs take care of the menu for you. And the sushi? It’s to die for – the seafood is airflown daily from Japan, resulting in a super fresh and varied omakase. In fact, the fish here is so good it ruined top-ranked Sushi Yasuda for me!

sushi at oyama, shanghai
We started our journey to sushi heaven with a small cup of intensely flavorful clam soup, followed by a trio of sashimi; a single scallop gently flavored with lime, flounder, and squid. The squid was really delicious – it was crunchier and finished with an almost creamy texture. The wasabi at Oyama is grated in-house, and really gets up your nose.

monkfish liver, oyama shanghai
Ankimo, or Monkfish liver. A first for me – and wow was it delicious. Creamy, silky smooth, subtle flavor, and light as a mousse. Really fantastic, one of my favorites for the night.

sushi, oyama shanghai
Toro and maguro. The thin cut, fat-marbled toro just melts in your mouth. In between the sushi & sashimi, the omakase offered little tastes like seaweed salad with slimy grated nagaimo root, a marinated raw oyster, and grilled yellowtail cheek.

uni, oyama shanghai
What we came for! Uni. The first time I tried uni, it tasted like hot garbage. This is not the same kind of uni. The uni at Oyama is a golden mustard color, creamy, and melts in your mouth. The flavor is rich and intense – the best I’ve ever had!

sushi oyama shanghai
We told our chef what we liked and he combined it all into this special dish for us. Minced toro, uni, salmon roe, and a quail egg topped over rice. Mixed with the house-made soy sauce and wasabi, this little rice bowl was a whole lot of flavor. A real flavor “bomb” – as he called it.

Thank you so much Ado for the lovely birthday dinner!

$$$$$ – $800RMB/person
Sushi Oyama
2/F, 20 Donghu Lu at Huaihai Lu
东湖路20号2楼, 近淮海路
Shanghai
+86 21 5404 7705

(Reservations only – snag a bar seat, bring a date)