An absolutely delicious Tokubetsu Kaiseki menu worth trying: Restaurant Sala of Tokyo (1. July 2023)

The Sala of Tokyo is a place I had visited once years ago in its former location back in 2016 and wasn’t all too happy back then. Since it’s under new ownership, it has changed quite a bit. The evening started with a small “amuse bouche”, which got your palate started.

We went for the “Tokubetsu Kaiseki Menu” (CHF 160.00) with the “6 Sake Pairing” (CHF 98.00), so, we knew we had to be ready for a rather intense evening full of consumption. The evening then started with the first course, which was a sharing platter made out of “cold tomato soup with white strawberry and Italian parsley”, which was lovely. The “aubergine with thick soy dashi sauce, unagi with sweet miso and burdock sauce, sansho” was absolutely delicious. The “wagyu tartar”, which was the next dish I tried, was comparatively disappointing. One of my favourites in that course of dishes was the “deep-fried grilled corn (kakiage)”. To be fair, I’m a huge fan of corn, hence, no wonder I enjoyed it. And frankly, the “simmered sweet potato with lemon with spicy edamame” was simple, but nice as well.

Next in line was the “sashimi (“blue fin tuna akami, tai, hotate, with garlic soy sauce”, “rucola, baby leaves, watercress, mini radish, baby cucumber”, “shio koji marinated daikon, carrot, beetroot, mimolette cheese, olive oil”)” and I must say, it was excellent! I mean, the fish was great, the texture was perfect, the flavour profile was outstanding, so, all in all, a truly marvellous dish.

Next in line was the “tempura (“ise ebi tempura”, “asparagus tempura”, “zucchini flower tempura”, “shiitake tempura”)” and while not each of the tempura was equally delicious and full of flavour, they, generally speaking, they were tasty.

What definitely added to the experience was the sauce “agemono with yuzu kosho mayo, fleur de sel” as it would allow you to dip the tempura in that tasty sauce.

Next in line was “sesame tofu with soy dashi sauce, caviar, ikura, fresh wasabi, canary bird flower” and frankly, it was a bit too bland for me. Sure, I like the ‘palate cleanser’ idea instead of a sorbet, but it is still something, which didn’t really excite me.

We decided to each pick a different main and share. I went for the “wagyu”, which was quite nice in terms of flavour, but it was a bit standard. What I mean by that is the fact that the wagyu is, to me, still somehow one of the most overrated pieces of meat.

The “yakimono salmon” was good, meaning, the salmon was enjoyable, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. So, compared to the starters, the mains were a bit of a disappointment, but that is comparing on a very high level.

Then it was time for some “sushi (“seared wagyu nigiri with ponzu oroshi, shi chimi”, “salmon nigiri with soy marinated horseradish”, “blue fin tuna toro nigiri” + “tamagoyaki”)”, which was simple but absolutely enjoyable. The element I didn’t really understand was the sharing concept for sushi. I mean, if you are two people, shouldn’t there be two pieces of each type of sushi?

They turned out to be rather generous and offered a “1/2 Omakase Sushi” (CHF 0.00) on the house, and this was actually setup in a way so you would largely be able to split the dish between two people. And the additional sushi was great too.

As a final sweet, the “misho citrus jelly with cream, misho jelly sauce, misho ice cream, misho fruits, oregano with seasonal fruits” was part of the menu, and it was kind of a perfect light ending to an intense evening – flavour-wise.

All in all, I can highly recommend you to dine at the Sala of Tokyo and try the Tokubetsu Kaiseki menu. Just make sure you book sufficiently in advance, as else you won’t stand a chance to get a table.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Sala of Tokyo

Schützengasse 5

8001 Zürich (CH)

Tel.: +41 44 271 52 90

E-Mail: info@sala-of-tokyo.ch

Homepage: http://www.sala-of-tokyo.ch

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.