Kaygetsu

A well-​deserved 5-​star experience. Amazingly good food presented in wonderful art form combined with attentive and personable services.
Their Kaiseki menu is perfect for any special celebration.
Very sad that the restaurant is closed now.
Toshi’s previously restaurant, Sushiya in Menlo Park, was also excellent.
And the new owner of that location isn’t able to keep up.
Not sure if the same thing will happen to the new Japanese restaurant at Kaygetsu’s location.
Hope Toshi and Keiko will open another restaurant when they get bored with their retirement.

It is really sad to have missed Kaygetsu that was run by Toshi and Keiko, whom we’ve known for over 20 years (since they were at Sushiya in Palo Alto and Toshi’s Sushiya in Menlo Park before they opened Kaygetsu).
My wife and I heard that Kaygetsu would be closed for the last time on October 7^th, so that we drove all the way down to Menlo Park from Napa twice, once for dinner and once for lunch, in September to experience one of the best Japanese cuisine in the Bay Area.
I will definitely miss Kaygetsu, but I am somewhat relieved by learning that it will be succeeded by «Mitsunobu,» where most of kitchen staff will stay. This would suggest that the equivalent quality of meals would be served there, but still we will miss the Sushi that Toshi prepared.

I came here for the Kaiseki menu with a few friends. I was really excited because I’ve never eaten a kaiseki menu before. i also thought it’d be a good experience because it’ have unique flavors that I wouldn’t experience at a regular sushi restaurant.
I honestly don’t remember much about it. i felt like the sushi tasted as it should. If a dish was to be cold, it felt icy. I came when it was a small crowd, so I think they may not have tried as hard.
The presentation was immaculate but the actual flavors were not of my liking.
I must’ve come here with great expectations and left here with nothing at all.
It’s too expensive for me to return so that was my only voyage to Kaygetsu.

I only went for lunch, but this was probably the best sushi I’ve ever had, anywhere.
Excellent quality fish (and only fish which they can be sure is the best), well prepared by the sushi chef, with great table service as well. I can’t think of anything to improve; it’s flawless.
People say it is expensive, but really not — $ 40 – 50 per person for great sushi is in-​line with any other high-​end sushi restaurant.

I took a friend here for his birthday earlier this month. The staff was absolutely wonderful — knowledgeable about the menu and attentive but not hovering.
We had the kaiseki menu. The food was wonderful but not quite perfect. The abalone was mildly overcooked so it was rubbery. It was a minor mistake, but there were just a few of those throughout the night, enough to make the experience not quite 5 stars. The portions were a good size — we left feeling stuffed but not sick.
I loved the sake list.

(See pics)
Recently I took an out-​of-​town guest to this place. As usual, this place was an excellent choice with authentic Japanese cuisine and truly home/​family feel service.
This time we ordered the ala carte and every dish was beautifully and delicately prepared. Sashimi was fresh and with perfect texture to enjoy. Soup and desserts were both great with rich flavors.
I like how this place is hidden in the shopping strip area but at the back. It’s a kind of its own.

Ever ask for ketchup at a shi-​shi-​frou-​frou steakhouse?
I have. And I got the same polite apology that I got from the server when I ordered spicy tuna rolls at Kaygetsu. Apparently, bastardized sushi is a no-​no here.
Being the philistine that I am, I prefer to have fake Krab meat and mayonnaise in my California rolls. Sacrilege, I know.

Even with my lowbrow palate, I was able to appreciate the food here. And I’ve returned to Kaygetsu several times since my initial faux pas.

Naturally, the quality of the food and the price here are correlated. The service has been consistently excellent.

Came here again and brought my mom this time, as part of her Xmas gift. The food here is just FABULOUS! We savored every bite! It’s definitely worth the money for the kaiseki dinner ($ 82 p/​p). With the kaiseki, definitely get the $ 10 sashimi upgrade as it’s worth it. You’ll be amazed by the freshness of the sashimi and the intricate presentation. I can’t remember how many times my mom said «oishi» («good» in Japanese). It was so cute! :)

My husband and I recently went to Kaygetsu in celebration of Valentine’s Day. It was our first foray into Kaiseki and I must say I didn’t leave disappointed, but I also did not leave wholly impressed, especially considering the price.
I’m not going to lie… I had initially wanted to make a reservation at Wakuriya, but unfortunately they did not have any reservations available and so we ended up at Kaygetsu.
Service was impeccable. Our server was very sweet and made our dining experience most enjoyable. Our tea never had a chance to get cold because it was constantly being refilled. 5 stars all the way as far as service goes.
Now for the Kaiseki… there were some stars, yes. Nothing was unfavorable, but I guess I just really expected more. The February 2010 Kaiseki menu is as follows:
Sakizuke — Dungeness crab with yuzu/​vinaigrette, diced apple, nagaimo potato, mitsuba green topped with shredded potato. Paired with Masumi «Nanago» (daiginjo). The was crab super fresh and the dish was light and citrusy with a hint of sweetness from the apple. Sake pairing was wonderful… probably my favorite pairing. I tend to favor this smoother sake.
Sashimi assortment of golden eye snapper and tuna with herring roe, kelp and seaweed. The herring roe with kelp was unique. Nice crunchy texture and fishy in a good way.
Hassun (assortment of flavors) — crispy oyster coated with rice cracker and egg yolk sauce; wakasagi (japanese smelt) «nanban zuke» with pearl onion, chive and pepper thread; fuki mame — soy beans and diced vegetables cooked in dashi; watercress with mustard/​miso sauce; petite napa cabbage soup; washu beef on crispy rice ball. Paired with Kamoshibito «Kuheiji» (junmai). My favorite course in terms of food and presentation. I didn’t care much for the smelt, though my husband liked it. The oyster was the star! Loved the crispiness of the rice cracker and the creaminess of the egg yolk sauce. The napa cabbage soup came in a close second behind the oyster.
Yakimono (grilled dish) — grilled duck served with endive marinated in orange juice. Paired with Masumi yamahai (ginjo). I was very underwhelmed with this course. The duck was tender, but it just didn’t seem very inventive to me. Duck and orange = a very popular combination.
Intermezzo — yuzu sorbet topped with candied lotus root and chervil
Nabemono (hot pot) — kuro buta pork nabe with daikon radish, carrot, burdock, and scallions cooked in sake lees; rice mixed with leaf vegetable, topped with nori seaweed; pickled napa cabbage and eggplant. Paired with Tedorigawa yamahai (junmai). Also a little underwhelming. But what can I say? I’m not a big hot pot fan, so that could have been it.
Dessert — duo of eclairs (custard cream and green tea cream with strawberry and red bean). I did not enjoy the dessert at all, not only because I don’t care for eclairs, but it looked and tasted like something I could buy at the grocery store.
So the Kaiseki started off promising and just kind of sloughed off to average towards the end for me. I would consider coming back another month and giving the Kaiseki another try.

Kaiseki was excellent, but what really made my day was the namazake that was paired.
I’ve been so eager to try namazake since encountering an empty bottle of Kubota Namazake. But it eluded me for so very long. Now, trying the various pairings, including a Daiginjo and 2 namazakes… I was very happy.
Mushimono, Sashimi (Kampuri, Otoro, Tai), Nabe (With Washu), as well as the assorted, colourful panoply of small cooked foods — all were excellent. The soup had a big, soft Mochi at the bottom, which was delightful.
The dipping sauces of the Nabe were a tiny bit disappointing — but only a tiny, tiny bit. My gold-​standard for sauces remains Kagaya of LA.
Great stuff.
4.5 stars.

I came here in April 2010 for the Kaiseki Menu. It was probably the best Japanese dining experience I have ever had… We had just come from a vineyard in Santa Cruz so we had an amazing bottle of Albarino wine that was perfect for pairing with seafood.
The Sakizuki (starter) was a bamboo shoot with karashi mustard and daiginjo sake, asari clam, broccoli rabe, wakame seaweed, and daikon. And I thought to myself, this is only the beginning?!
The sashimi was wonderful! I have never had such good fatty tuna and the menu offered an upgrade for supplemental sashimi which I added. It was definitely worth it… As for more of the Kaiseki menu being revealed, there was miso marinated ocean trout, ginger snap peas, roast duck and carrot, cucumber marinated in rice bran, tofu sauce, red shiso, and best of all I remember the sweet seafood taste of the surf clam shiokara… yum
They kept bringing me more surprises: next one being the Agemono deep-​fried dish of flounder, nagaimo potato, with cherry blossom leaf and ume plum flavor. I came to realize that I really like the cherry blossom leaf flavor.
The Gohan mano rice dish was steamed sushi with cherry blossom leaves (yay), warabi fern, anago sea eel, shiitake mushrooms, peas, shrimp and cherry blossom rice. There was also a complementary dark red miso soup with youba fresh tofu skin. Amazing.
Even the dessert was amazing: earl grey tea ice cream with caramelized banana…
I cannot wait to have another dining experience like this again…

I came here back in June for the Kaiseki menu, upgraded to the premium sashimi for $ 10 more, a total of $ 85. I can’t talk about anything else on the menu, but it was worth every penny. The food (4.8 out of 5) and tasted amazing. You can tell how much tender care the chef put into your food by the intricate presentation.
As each course came out, the chef told us how it was prepared and the best way to eat it. I felt like I was on Iron Chef!
Here is what I had (description directly from the menu):
1) japanese egglplant in dashi sauce.
quail egg in bird’s nest (nagaimo potato and sprouts).
red bell pepper and french green beans.
2) sashimi — daily assortment of fresh sashimi
3) salmon /​pickled cucumber sushi, wrapped in bamboo leaf.
kobacha squash, cooked with lemon/​dashi, celery, chervil.
chilled potato soup.
terrine of tofu, unagi, carrot and shiitake.
sake steamed organic chicken, served chilled.
fava beans sprinkled with bonito flakes, salmon roes
4) soft-​shell crab and asparagus, rolled yuba (tofu skin) and deep fried, served with tempura sauce
5) grilled duck with sansho pepper corn and tsushima salt.
fried potatoes.
served with rice, dark red miso soup.
pickled vegetables
6) orange gelee.
served with cherry and mint.
The menu changes monthly, so I doubt you’ll get the same thing. But check out their website to see what the kaiseki menu is for the month.
My only word of advice, don’t come here famished. Just come slightly hungry. The kaiseki menu is about appreciating the taste of fresh ingredients.

We came here for our anniversary last year and hands down this is one of the best Japanese I’ve ever had. You may get confused or lost when you arrive at the location because your surrounded by grocery stores. Once you step in you completely forget that Safeway/Lucky’s is next door. We got the kaiseki menu and my husband added sake pairings to his menu. Each dish was perfectly planned and executed from the starters to the dessert. The presentation made me feel there was a story behind every dish. As they came out our waiter explained each of the dish and how the chef had prepared it. Everything was so delicious and fresh. I gave an extra star for our waitress who made our meal experience more enjoyable. We will come back again soon.

I came here to celebrate my 33^rd birthday. I was pretty excited to try it after reading all the reviews. I ordered 4 Kaiseki menu’s and one person would order a la carte.
Our menu consisted of
— Sakizuke (starter)
— Sashimi ($ 10 supplement)
— Hassun (chill chawan)
— Yakimono (grilled washu beef)
— Noodles (cold somen noodles)
— Home made dessert (ume plum sorbet)
The presentation was outstanding. Alot of preparation work to make sure every little detailed is accounted for. The food was good, but not excellent. I’ve had Japanese food in Tokyo, and was expecting the quality to that level.
The servers were very friendly. Our meal was $ 76 + $ 10 for the supplemental. My menu was personalized with Happy Birthday and they gave me some chopsticks!
Although it’s good, it’s not great. I don’t think we’ll be coming back here as it didn’t blow our minds away for the price we paid. It is a good experience though.

An exceptional Japanese restaurant in the most unassuming place, Kaygetsu’s dishes are creative, beautifully presented, and, most importantly, delicious.
I did not order the kaiseki, but everything I had from the a la carte menu was excellent. The combination of mandarin oranges and duck in the Kamo Salad was outstanding. The mandarin oranges were the juiciest I’ve ever had. The fish on the sashimi plate were melt-​in-​your-​mouth fresh. My unagi donburi was fragrant and delicious; it was the best eel I’ve ever had. To finish the meal, we had the ice cream sampler. The green tea ice cream and mango mochi ice cream were incredible. I’ve never had mochi ice cream with such good texture; usually, the mochi becomes hard and flaky when it’s chilled, but this one was just right. The sesame ice cream was good, but not the best I’ve had.
The décor is very cute, especially the little chopstick holders. Our server was the nicest server I’ve ever had. In a way, I’m glad that Kaygetsu is a bit hidden; if it were in SF, I’m sure you would never be able to get a reservation. Truly an exceptional restaurant.

Kaygetsu is one of the very few places you can have an authentic kaiseki meal in bay area. I would recommend trying the kaiseki menu on your very first visit to this restaurant. (Remember to make a reservation. They do not serve kaiseki without one.)
What I like most about this restaurant is not kaiseki but the sushi. On your second and third visit I would recommend trying their ala Carte sushi menu. (You do not need a reservation for this but still recommended) Their sushi and sashimi are the very top notch. Everything from their wasabi to the seaweed on the rolls are exquisite. (and of course, all of these are reflected on the price)
Having said that, I don’t think Kaygetsu is a good starting place for sushi novice. It will either spoil the rest of your sushi experience or will be a total waste of money. If you are a true sushi extraordinaire you will probably enjoy dining here.

At the end of our meal last night, my wife said: «That was my favorite meal… ever.»
Okay, I’m feeling pretty good about my selection. Might even make up for one or two of the bad action movies I’ve chosen in recent history.
We went for the Kaygetsu menu. The food was delicious, gorgeously prepared and just plain fun to eat with the scores of different flavors. The service was also pretty close to perfect… friendly, knowledgeable and at your beck and call, but never hovering. The view gets a C compared to some of the other top-​end restaurants out there, but hey, something’s got to give.
They change the menu monthly, so I won’t bother listing things here. Some of my favorite flavors, however, were the:
— Fig, jicama and sesame cream salad
— Beef nigiri with dipping sauces
— Pork belly with chii flakes and an interesting side salad
— Sesame ice cream (who knew?)
The wallet can’t handle eating here weekly, but I will look for a reason to come back again soon.

They offer kaiseki from Wednesday thru Saturday only, but we decided to go on a Sunday anyway with our parents visiting from Japan. I needed to impress them before they flew back the next morning, and the four mini tables at Wakuriya were already booked. I screamed hard, and would’ve screamed harder if by doing so I could scare away the patrons who had those tables… But such is life.
* FOOD *
We blindly ordered a whole array of dishes, including cold and hot appetizers (ippin-​ryori, such as butano-​kakuni, agedashi-​tofu, tenpura-​moriawase, miso cod, salad, carpaccio, etc.), assorted sushi and a large sashimi plate. We had several kinds of daiginjo and beer over the two hours that we were there, and finished our meal with chazuke and dessert (an-​mitsu).
Everything was delicious. It’d been a while since I had tempura that was prepared so well — light and crisp. No doubt that this is one of the two finest kaiseki-​ryori restaurants we have in the Bay Area, the other being the Wakuriya in San Mateo. Personally, I was proud to have finally convinced my parents that we don’t necessarily have to fly back home for solid washoku/​Japanese food.
However, I will have to return for what they are famous for — the kaiseki, because based on this one dinner alone I was NOT blown away like I had dreamed of.
And here are some possible reasons why I did not particularly enjoy dining here. 1) Our orders were served too RANDOMLY. For example, we got the pork kakuni (clearly an appetizer) served at the very end. 2) The sushi chef was not as accommodating or friendly as we’d liked. His response to our request was quite unpleasant. 3) Simple lack of «mmm“s and «ahhh“s at each bite.
* SETTING & SERVICE *
The room is surprisingly small, modest and comfortable. It’s funny to compare it with the almost-​fake décor of Yoshida, a pseudo-​kaiseki place in Cupertino, and how ambiance has little to do with the actual food. The service was extremely attentive, and our waitress (with the world’s coolest name, KEIKO-​san) was courteous and professional.
* SUM *
TO BE UPDATED. First, I need to somehow succeed in making a reservation on a kaiseki day — again, Wednesday thru Saturday. I might as welll bookmark
while I’m at it.

Having recently reviewed Kappo Nami Nami in Mountain View, I felt obliged to do the same for Kaygetsu. Like the majority of customers, I made early reservations (~2 weeks in advance) via Opentable and ordered the Kaiseke menu. Not having heard anything other than the reviews on Unilocal,I was definitely looking forward to this meal.
The non-​descript mall and location was a bit disappointing but one almost feels as if you’re in the know in being able to find a place like this. Besides, once you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted by a clean and elegant space as well as a friendly staff.
The food, as many have written, was unique and gorgeous. From the gold flakes on the sashimi to the edamame beans in their own gelatinous broth, no detail was too small. They clearly take pride in both their presentation and the order in which food is both consumed and served.
Among the standouts for me were:
1) Kobe beef donburi
2) Winter Melon soup with duck
3) Suzuki deep fried with sea bass.
Nonetheless, despite the enjoyable meal and the excellent presentation, a few things knocked this place from 5 stars. One, several of the kaiseke menu items appeared to be available on the regular menu, which (to me) detracted from having to advance RSVP this menu so early. The prices for these items were also fairly reasonable (~$ 15 – 30). While hardly surprising, it does make one wonder whether you can have a similarly enjoyable experience by picking and choosing from amongst the menu yourself and saving quite a bit of expense (kaiseke at $ 150/​person w/​sake tasting for one). Two, some of the items, while beautiful, were only good, not great. The sashimi platter, the yaki mono, and the dessert while adequate, just weren’t that special. Granted, I’ll admit I become a lot pickier the more expensive the meal, but those are my standards!
Overall, I liked Kaygetsu. It does offer a very elegant and nouveau style of cuisine (at least for the bay area). But with the nearby Kappo Nami Nami and its more flexible and innovative menu, I think Kaygetsu has some serious competition for the best Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area.

I regret that my first and only experience of dining at Kitcho (
) was as a teenager when I lacked the ability to truly appreciate the art of Kaiseki dining. Kitcho is one of the most famous restaurants in Japan that started in Kyoto, but expanded to all major cities with several branches in Tokyo, which is where one of the chefs at Kaygetsu learned his skills. I would not go as far as to say that Kaygetsu IS Kitcho, but at a place like this, you appreciate the dishes not only with your mouth, but also with your eyes. Would everyone like this place? Probably not. This is a very foodie/​gourmet place, which is not your everyday food. For me, it is a nice place to go once a year.
PRICE: For dinner, their Kaiseki course was $ 95 (as of May 2007). Unless you are a partner at one of those VCs on Foothill Road, this is no pocket change. HOWEVER, when you look at the meal as a cultural and culinary experience, it is worth it. At Kitcho’s flagship in Kyoto, the dinner course starts at 42,000 Yen ($ 400), so we are lucky to live in a country where near Kitcho quality meal could be yours for one Benjamin.
Sample dinner:
$ 95 Kaiseki course
$ 34 Sake pairing
$ 28 Tip and taxes
— — — — — — — — — —
$ 157 Per person
FOOD: If you are a big eater, be warned that Kaiseki cuisine is not about big portions. What might be fun to think about as you enjoy their course is to examine the variety of cooking methods (deep fried, grilled, raw, simmered, etc.) and the diversity of flavors they use (soy, miso, vinegar, yuzu, etc.).

Late spring 2007 Kaiseki Course
#1: Starter — sea urchin wrapped with kisu and deep fried. Fava beans. Searshed white tuna. Sweet shrimp covered with gelatin.
#2: Sashimi
#3: Slow cooked dish — vegetables cooked in clear fish broth
#4: Cold vinaigrette dish — fresh octopus and white kikurage mushroom
#5: Grilled dish — American kobe beef with vegetables
#6: Rice dish — Rice with clams, Akadashi miso soup, and pickles
#7: Dessert — black sesame gelatin with kuromitsu
LUNCH: Lunch here was good, but don’t come here expecting to get a taste of their Kaiseki at a bargain price. I’ve also been here for lunch and it was clearly different from their dinner. The chefs are busy during the day preparing for dinner, so lunch dishes are simple and do not reflect the complexity of their Kaiseki dishes.
COMPARISONS: So, which is better, Kappa (
) or Kaygetsu? Well, that’s actually not a good question to ask. The two serves different type of Japanese food. While no other Bay Area restaurant is like Kaygetsu, some may compare it with Kappo NamiNami (
). I found Kaygetsu food is much more refined and delicate compared to NamiNami.