Kitajima

inoru_jun

Kitajima, which opened in a quiet residential area of Kamakura, became a big issue among gourmets in just a few months after its opening in 2021, to the point of becoming difficult to book. Chef Kitajima, after long training at Waku Ghin, a prestigious spot representing Kyoto, and Kiyama, my personal favorite Japanese restaurant, opened a small restaurant in his hometown of Kamakura. The fundamental reason for the different tastes of cuisine between the Kanto (Tokyo) and Kansai (Osaka) regions is due to the different qualities of water. Therefore, it is difficult to perfectly reproduce the taste of Kyoto cuisine in Kanto, but Kitajima offers high-quality dishes that can sufficiently embrace the taste of those who miss Kyoto, even if it is not perfect. Most of the ingredients used by Kitajima are caught off the coast near Kamakura or harvested from nearby, allowing you to experience the pure 'taste of Kamakura.' The giant kue and Hanasaki crab we tasted that day not only let us feel the uniqueness of Kamakura but also were excellent in their freshness and the sweetness of the meat. After the main dish, you can choose from five meals, and it's a significant feature of Kitajima that you can eat as much as you want of all five types if desired. (Most restaurants rooted in Waku Ghin offer such courses) It's likely to be difficult to book since you can eat delicious dishes to your heart's content. Meeting famous national sakes such as Jin Kon and Aramasa's No.6 is also a major advantage. Personally, I found that Sooku from Kyoto matched the best with the cuisine. The fact that the sake list is appreciated means that Chef Kitajima is highly recognized in the industry, so there's no doubt about his cooking.