Japanese Cuisine Towa

Absolutely beautiful, delicious Japanese kaiseki style meal. Chef Morita and his team prepared elegant, classic food with twists and delights. We came last month for my wife's birthday and had an amazing meal. Clean flavors, interesting combinations, and a wonderful variety of dishes. My favorites were the stone pot rice with scallops, grill combination plate, and ice cream dessert. Each dish came with detailed explanations of how they were made and the flavor accents to note. We also got a sake and wine pairing that showed a thoughtful, curated selection to go with each item. The kicker on top of all that, for my wife they prepared a special spun sugar treat to go with her dessert that included a special tempered chocolate Happy Birthday sign. We noticed the sugar work taking place but didn't see it written on the menu and then only her plate included the decorative piece making the night truly fantastic.

Towa is a hidden gem with both traditional Japanese cuisine and creative usage of ingredients with a new spin. Lots of Japanese restaurants try to throw in fusion elements and it's lost on me. Chef Nori uses the freshest Ingredients, and mostly directly from Japan, to create a thoughtful and well balanced menu that hits your taste buds throughout the multi course menu. He is the best Japanese food chef around here. The service staff is very attentive with service details that pleasant surprises you. My kids also love their food and they look forward to it every time. If you like fresh Japanese food, excellent service, and a monthly variety, try Towa!

If any place deserves a perfect score, it's this establishment! Chef Nori is the maestro of fantastic and inventive traditional Japanese cuisine with beautiful presentation. We went for the 8 course kaiseki menu and were not disappointed. I was blown away by the flavors, the artifice, and the quality of ingredients. The best tempura I ever had. Real wasabi. Rice cooked so perfectly it put any rice I have ever made to shame. One of the dishes contains sea urchin, which I was a little nervous about because every time I've had it previously it was unpleasant. Not here. The quality of the seafood cannot be overstated. Every course had beautiful, rustic dishware from Japan, selected by the chef for maximum impact. The staff was extremely polite and on top of things, plus offered services I am not used to, as a plebian, like taking your handbag on a leather tray and setting it down near your table so it doesn't touch the floor. Japanese bidet toilets and incense in the bathroom, with a modern and calm interior restaurant space. While we were waiting for our spot at the counter, we saw staff measuring the spaces between chairs with a ruler. That is the attention to detail that puts this restaurant on another level. What a fantastic spot to celebrate a birthday or special occasion. The sake pairings were good, but I could have gone without them to be honest. The food spoke for itself and was a night to remember.

Celebrated my 2 birthdays and Valentine’s Day here. Chef Nori never disappoints! The quality of the food and the presentation are just amazing! Appreciate the attention to every little detail, from the table setting when you sit down, warm greetings from the staffs, sake pairing, and the courses of food. We enjoyed every meal and always look forward to our next time! This time coming back to celebrate my birthday again, Chef Nori even remembered the dishes that I liked last time! I was beyond touched! Thank you Chef Nori and the team for all the great food and fond memories at Towa! We will be back soon!

A little hidden gem in Redmond. Reserved seating at the bar table so we got to see how the food was prepared. A well balanced kaiseki with a good combination of fish, meat and vegetables. Everything is delicately prepared and delicious including the dessert. Will be coming back for their different seasonal ingredients. Highly recommend this and their rice dish can be ordered for to go.

Birthday dinner with family with bar seating All dishes are delicious and you should appreciate the mindfulness of ingredients selection, delicated preparation and perfect execution. Originally want to open a bottle of sake but the selection is limited, and opt for the 5 sake flight Sake flight could be improved as I did not expect three cold and 1 hot sake served at the same time. I expect each sake will specifically pair with the dish(es), not me exploring what could go with each dish, or a clear direction which one should start from. Chef Morita is friendly and he gracefully cooks and serves each guest with perfect timing. Other staff are professional!

Incredible experience - we reserved the November bar seating for our anniversary, and every dish was both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Eating at the bar was especially unique, as we could watch the chef make everything right in front of us! We also really liked the 3 Sake flight. A great place for kaiseki on the east side.

Kitchen dishes were either too salty/dry or too bland. - The snapper dish was way too salty with the sauce; - The the clam rice had no taste. - The miso soup was worse than a regular sushi restaurant - The pork and taro dish didn’t impress either - Asked for ginger (standard Japanese food compliment to Sushi) and literally got served freshly cut raw ginger that wasn’t edible. Pretty much one of the few occasions where I had leftovers in my Kaiseki dishes. Overall not worth the price, presentation was a pass, taste was unsatisfactory, ingredients were mediocre. By last few courses I wanted to finish the meal asap and leave. When I got the check I was surprised to see 20% service fee already added (this is okay by itself) AND there was another “suggested gratuity” of 20% tips totaling 40% of the total price. We had to clarify why it was “suggested” to add another 20% tips on top of the service charge that was automatically collected. Would not recommend beyond the first try.

fantastic meal! highly recommended for special occasions. service was very attentive to accompany the food and drinks in the best possible way. place is quiet and conducive to a relaxing quality evening.

Japanese Cuisine Towa offers a unique and memorable dining experience. Their focus on Kaiseki, a traditional Japanese multi-course meal, highlights the beauty of seasonality and the chef's craftsmanship. The restaurant's name, meaning 'eternity,' reflects their commitment to creating a lasting impression. The 4.7-star rating is well-deserved, and the ambiance is elegant. The restaurant is open from Tuesday through Sunday, 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM, making it a perfect spot for a special dinner. While the experience is undoubtedly refined, it might be on the pricier side, hence the 4-star rating instead of 5. Overall, it's a must-try for those seeking an authentic and high-quality Japanese culinary journey in Washington.

This place is so unassuming in a mall ish area but it's so nice and high quality. This is truly a fine dining experience and the price point is super reasonable. It kind of reminds me of Wa'z but you don't have to trek down into the city and it's sooooo elegant and elevated and the food was superb. The service was also top notch.

4/12/2024 I had the pleasure of dining at Towa Japanese Cuisine From the moment I stepped into your intimate 20-seat space, I knew I was in for something special! The ambiance, the attention to detail, and the anticipation of what awaited me--all of it contributed to a sense of wonder! All member was very welcome and the service was spectacular!! Chef Nori, with his 22 years of culinary expertise in both French and Japanese cuisine, curated an unforgettable course Kaiseki dinner. Each dish was a masterpiece, a symphony of flavors that danced on my palate. Towa is that exquisite food but also the commitment to seasonality, artistry, and balance. Each plate is a canvas, where colors, textures, and presentation harmonize seamlessly! I would love to come back for another course!

I enjoyed my experience here and felt the food was fantastic. However it did not blow my mind. While it was a good experience I don't know if everyone needs to, "try it once". The food was absolutely delicious as well as the service. Not sure what was missing for me.

This is a reservations only kaiseki Japanese restaurant which means that you are served a set number of courses varying in unique Japanese dishes which may or may not include raw fish/sushi. This is not an omakase restaurant which refers to Chef's choice in sushi/sashimi/raw fish courses. The availability of ingredients are based on seasonality here. It was a little tricky finding the restaurant since it doesn't have a sign on the building it's just on the window. It is next asiana bistro. If you look for the suite number 144 then you will find it easily. We dined here for our wedding anniversary which happened to land on a Wednesday. It was quiet and quaint and perfect for a night out with our infant. The restaurant is small yet spacious. There are 4-5 tables plus counter seating right in front of Chef Nori. Service was friendly and fast. Chef Nori was very kind and accommodating. We chose the 9 course set for $165/each. Some of the items were modified according to our taste preference which was amazing. We opted out of uni bc that's just not the vibe for us. Everything was flavorful and unique. Our favorites included the sashimi set with yuzu ponzu and homemade soy sauce. We had toro (fatty tuna) for the first time ever and WOW we have been missing out. It's so tender and succulent. We also had fresh wasabi for the first time, too, and it was delightful. The geoduck was also perfect. So fresh! The cold somen noodles were fantastic. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the little anchovies were exploding with umami goodness. The uni was replaced with bell fish and it was amazing! Our favorite part of the dessert course was the rice cracker matcha ice cream sandwich with red bean. So much texture and flavor happening! Not too sweet & was the perfect ending to our meal. Overall, it was a lovely experience, but we both agreed that we would have loved another raw fish dish of some sort. The sashimi course was so fresh and we enjoyed it immensely. It was fun to try and most likely not revisit since the menus don't change that drastically throughout the year. Thank you Towa for a lovely evening and helping us celebrate our 10 year anniversary!

My recent dining experience at this establishment left a lasting impression. The food, without a doubt, was exceptional. Opting for the $180 8-course meal turned out to be a wonderful and well worth the investment. Chef Nori and the entire staff contributed significantly to the positive atmosphere. Their friendliness and attentiveness added a personal touch to the dining experience, making it more than just a meal but a delightful occasion. You can really tell they're all about top-notch ingredients, and it makes the whole dining experience something to look forward to. Looking forward to a return visit!

If you are looking for a nice intimate night with minimal crowd and QUALITY Japanese cuisine, this place is the one for you. Our first time trying kaiseki and OMG, when I say amazing I mean AMAZING!! Great staff/host who break everything down for you. We had 8 courses (to include dessert). It was our 23 yr anniversary and what a celebration it was. Every course was WOW. I can't even describe it in words. These flavors and textures are nothing like I've had before. It may look like small portions but the way they pace your courses, you get full. We brought home leftovers!! It was $150/pp but well worth it!! I loved every second of this fine dining experience. Chef even gifted us with an anniversary dessert!! So sweet of him!! Made it that much more special. Oh AND he walked us out as well. Yes yes yes, we will be returning!!!

Japanese kaiseki in Redmond! Towa opened 2 weeks ago. We wanted to get in early since kaiseki is popular in Seattle and there aren't too many places to go. Chef Morita-san was so friendly and kind, we felt welcomed to the restaurant. The staff was also very nice. We did the smaller menu and felt full at the end. I posted pictures of what we got and the menu. All the dishes were well done, beautiful, seasonal, and delicious. The inside is really nice with a large counter and tables. The location was hard to find and they don't have a phone number to call. If you're facing the restaurant it is to the right of Inspa and left of a new sushi place that use to be Asiana Bistro teriyaki. It's in a location which was formally a poke place. It's in a strip mall near Whole Food's grocery store. There's lots of parking lot parking.

AMAZING!!! AMAZING!!! AMAZING!! If you really want to try real Japanese kaiseki, you'll definitely want to try here. Towa is absolutely authentic, THE BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT in Greater Seattle/Bellevue!! They know what real "umami" is. Their way of creating sensitive yet simply delicious flavor from each ingredient is just breathtaking. You will enjoy seasonal ingredients at their best time. I think price of alcohols are more reasonable than any other Japanese restaurant such as Taneda, the Ltd edition, and Kashiba. Their foods remind me of the real Japanese foods in Japan, NOT fake Japanese foods in most restaurants in Seattle/Bellevue. Needless to say, they have great hospitality as well! As a native Japanese, I highly recommend Towa.

"A huge thank you to the entire team at Towa for an incredible birthday celebration! From the delicious food to the attentive service, every detail was perfect. You went above and beyond to make the night special, and I'm so grateful. Looking forward to dining with you again soon!" Sarah

Lovely dinner for five at the bar, Such excellent service, and warm, delightful ambience.

It's been a while since the last time I left a food review. I've given up on taking my phone out to take pictures of my food but this time at Towa, I just had to because the experience was just as once in a life time for me not to keep a record of it. As you can see from these pictures, each dish was presented as a complete creation, so it does not need any extra inedible elements to elevate its look like other fine dining places I've been to. I just know the chef took pride in his craft and was confident in his skills and knowledge to be able to craft and deliver this menu. I'm no expert in Japanese cuisine nor fine dining but I surely know to appreciate your outstanding customer service, artistry, skills, and knowledge of the cuisine that I received through my unforgettable kaiseki experience at Towa. For that I thank you very much! I will be back very soon!

Before I start, I want to emphasize that this is a Kaiseki restaurant, NOT a sushi restaurant. There are some reviewers mentioning they wished there was sushi, but sushi is not traditionally served in Kaiseki courses. When I arrived at my reserved time, the staff at the store welcomed me with a smile. There were no other customers when we arrived (perhaps because I had made a reservation for a later time at 7:30 on a weekday), so I was able to enjoy my meal at a leisurely pace. I highly recommend sitting at the counter, as you can watch Chef Morita cook and chat with him about the dishes. Chef Morita is a very friendly, thoughtful, and attentive person. His detailed explanations of the ingredients and dishes, as well as stories of his home, Hokkaido, was really interesting and fun to listen to. He told us that the rice was freshly harvested this fall in Hokkaido, and the conger eel (anago) was also flown in from Japan (as well as various other ingredients), which showed the chef's commitment to quality ingredients. Each dish is carefully prepared in front of you before being served, and I was impressed by each dish that was served. The menu changes every month, so you can enjoy seasonal ingredients too. The 8-course meal was a well-balanced combination of seafood, meat, and vegetables, and I was completely full by the time I ate the dessert. The steamed sea urchin sushi served as an appetizer was especially exquisite. In addition, for the sake flight, there was careful consideration in not only providing a variety of hot and cold sakes, but also in the ceramics that they used to serve the sake, so it was a lot of fun to enjoy with the food. While I was in this restaurant, I felt like I was transported to Japan. I'm glad that Redmond has such an authentic Japanese restaurant. The prices are a bit high, perhaps because the quality of the ingredients is good, but if you want to enjoy delicious drinks and food in a calm atmosphere, particularly for special occasions, I highly recommend this restaurant. ----- My review in Japanese: 予約した時間に伺うと、お店の方々が笑顔で迎えてくださいました。少し遅い 7:30の予約だったからか、他のお客様はおらず、貸し切り状態でゆっくりとお料理をたのしむことができました。 シェフのMoritaさんは大変フレンドリー且つ気配りの行き届いた方で、食材やお料理の説明に加えて、出身地である北海道の話も少し聞くことができ興味深かったです。またお米は北海道産の新米、穴子は兵庫県からとわざわざ日本から空輸して仕入れたものもありシェフの食材へのこだわりを感じました。お料理は一品一品、目の前で丁寧に仕上げをしてから出され、一品運ばれる度に器やお料理に小さな感動があります。メニューは毎月変わるとのことでその時期の旬の食材を楽しめます。魚介類、肉、野菜などバランスよく取り入れられたコース料理はデザートまで食べるとお腹いっぱいになりました。前菜で出されたウニの蒸し寿司は絶品でした。 また5種類のお酒の飲み比べセットは熱燗や冷酒など入り混じり種類だけではなく、温度や器にも拘ったもので、お料理と共にとても楽しめるものでした。 このレストランにいる間はまるで日本にいるような感覚になりました。Redmondにこんな本格的な日本料理レストランがあることを嬉しく思います。 食材の質が良いためか、お値段は少々高めですが、落ち着いた雰囲気の中でゆっくりと美味しいお酒とお料理を楽しみたいのであればこのレストランをおすすめします。

This new Japanese Cuisine Restaurant in Redmond is a hidden new gem. Literally... no signage outside! An authentic Kaiseki restaurant that easily transports you to Japan the minute you enter its sliding doors.

The staff at Towa were very welcoming and assistive to us as a couple new to the Omakase experience. The food was fresh and delicious and the sake flight was wonderful.

Towa is a true kaiseki experience with original dishes stemming from Nori-Sans hometown in Sapporo, JP which he now planted in the heart of Redmond, WA. Nori-San the executive head chef carefully curates each course menu by selecting only the finest, freshest and local produce, fish, and products available. Beautiful experience.

Beautiful dining experience. Food was delicious and we enjoyed watching it being prepared. Special occasion dinning and we hope to have another one again soon

The food here was incredible! Everything was so fresh and very good quality. We had the 8 course meal including the desert, and it was very much worth it! I've lived in Okinawa, Japan for 2 years and have visited Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto during my times there and this meal made me miss it very much! The chef was incredible, very attentive and skilled. Along with the great service by the staff. It's a really authentic, high end Japanese restaurant that I recommend

Small restaurant with just a few bar seats and tables. Great service from the staff, and Chef Nori was excellent. Clearly they care about the quality of the ingredients and also the presentation. Would definitely recommend for a nice date spot. The iron pot seabream and shiitake mushroom and the eel dishes were stand out dishes for us.

This is one of THE BEST Kaiseki experiences in the Seattle area. Chef Hiro is masterful at preparing and plating his dishes. There is no lapse in service and he offers his full attention to all patrons, especially those sitting at the counter. We highly recommend dining here for any special occasion you may have. The food is such high quality and the ambiance is very elegant, romantic and comfortable. If I could describe this restaurant in one word, it would be intentional. Highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to try amazing Japanese cuisine.

Keep away from this one. I mean seriously chef, you serve customers ground CHICKEN with colorful peppers and rice for entree of a near $200 per person omakase?? Who does that? How did you convince yourself? Quite a shame. The taste overall is hardly to say average comparing with any basic sushi bar in town if not even below. The difference is you pay huge load of money for the "vibe" not the food. Definitely will not come again. Edited after Towa's reply on Google: dear Towa, please be aware that I don't have any problem with chicken. My problem is with your absolutely non high quality of food materials considering a $200 meal. Anyone reading this comment, please check the menu below (don't get fooled by the fancy name) and make your judgement about whether it deserves the price and the arrogance shown by the restaurant's reply I consider myself as a sushi enthusiast, and I've been to countless Omakase meals in Seattle (Taneda, shiro, waz, kashiba, etc, you name it), also across the states, and around the world, including Japan mainland. I've had more expensive or less costly ones, and I can be very responsible to say this is so far one of those at the bottom of the recommended list. The octopus and pork belly were clearly over cooked and hard to chew. The wine pairing was hilarious, which was obviously done by some amateur "chef" with little knowledge about sake, or wine. The only something that could be considered as "good stuff" is 4 pieces of bluefin tuna Sashimi, what a joke.

I want this place to be successful because the people who work there are so nice and it's very convenient. Plus, Redmond lacks a fine dining Japanese experience and I really want this place to be it. So take my feedback below with this intent in mind. First, 8 courses are not going to do it for $250. The variety of experiences are so important. Also, not doing nigiri sushi is a negative as well. You have to do at least some. The sake list is also very short. The whisky list is non existent. Other than that, you can tell that the place is brand new and really trying. I'll keep supporting them.

We came here for our anniversary! Very happy with our choice. The experience was very intimate and relaxing... The place is small and very cozy the service was impeccable from the moment we stepped in front of the door. We were warmly welcome at the door right away. Everyone was very attentive right to the very end. And the food was very good. I know it might look simply to the eye but you can tell that every single dish they served required a lot of preparation to maximize the flavor in every bite. You can be eating the same dish but you get so many variation of flavors. We both really appreciated that. Will definitely come back again! I can't stress enough how much we enjoy the cozy relaxing environment and the meal.