Two Chefs, Two Stars: Chefs Ensui and Hakuun on their Shared Success

"Opened in the depths of the COVID-19 state of emergency, this Japanese restaurant embodies the duality of “flame and water,” a name that reflects its focus on charcoal grilling and the delicate flavors drawn from dashi. The cuisine is driven by Ryosuke Ito’s intent to reveal the many faces of each ingredient, most vividly expressed in a seasonal course built around Tottori sekogani (female snow crab) at its peak: the crab is served chilled, warm, and as crab-shell sake, allowing guests to appreciate the sweetness of the flesh, the richness of creamy uchiko roe, the pop of crunchy sotoko roe, and the toasty aroma of the grilled shell. The inside of the shell is grilled, filled with steamed rice, both types of roe, and crab flesh, then finished with a glossy crab sauce before hot hirezake is poured into the emptied shell so diners can savor the lingering essence of crab alongside thinly sliced fugu sashimi. Before opening, Ito traveled across Japan to find the right water to pair with his kombu, ultimately choosing water from Kagoshima, which still underpins his dashi and connects back to his view of the wellsprings of Japanese cuisine. Recognized with One MICHELIN Star in The MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2022 and later elevated to Two MICHELIN Stars in the 2026 edition, the restaurant reflects Ito’s clear goals and philosophy, his training at Nihonryori RyuGin, and his desire to lead younger chefs by example while addressing broader challenges faced by producers." - Suma Wakui