"On paper, none of the food at this $175 kaiseki restaurant seems particularly groundbreaking—take a hot kettle full of broth steeped with raw mushrooms, a plate of boiled taro root, and a bowl of rice with shredded carrots for example. But Wa’z strips down ingredients to spotlight their simplicity in a way that you could never pull off in your own kitchen. Like a plain-looking single morsel of grilled chicken that’s somehow richer than red meat. Eating here is like pressing a reset button, and it’s pretty outstanding. And chances are, you’ll be thinking about some of the simplest things you had here—like gingko nuts and buckwheat tea—for days after the fact. Reservations are released 60 days in advance for up to six guests. There is one 6pm seating on Thursdays, two per night on Fridays and Saturdays, and two on Sunday (1pm and 5pm)." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo