SAIME

Visited "SAIME," a reservation-only 8-seat counter in Ushigome-Kagurazaka. The cooking method is astonishingly simple. Vegetables are placed in an earthenware pot and slowly steamed over charcoal for as long as four hours. The vegetables are served, and you eat them with your hands, dipping them in either salt or miso. That's all there is to it. Because it's the ultimate in subtraction, you end up seriously confronting the color, shape, aroma, and flavor of the vegetables themselves. In the dimly-lit counter space, taking time to chew each vegetable was a completely extraordinary experience. Owner-chef Mr. Nishikawa carefully explains each plate. "This bamboo shoot — I dug it up myself. I processed it and brought it before its freshness could fade." Personally, I was moved by the Jerusalem artichoke. The inside was fluffy and sweet, the skin fragrant, with a complex sweetness that felt like a mix of burdock, sweet potato, and potato. For the first time in my life, I felt I had really "tasted" Jerusalem artichoke. A shop that competes purely on ingredient quality — extremely stoic. This time I had the vegetable course, but vegetable & fish and vegetable & meat courses in the same style are also offered. Because the cooking is simple, vegans and those with allergies — fellow diners with different food choices — can sit shoulder to shoulder at the same counter and enjoy together. There's that breadth of welcome too. More than a "meal," it was an "experience." Deep, quiet, and unforgettable time. I want to come back each time the season changes. I'm especially looking forward to the autumn mushroom season.