Berangkat

Berangkat means “departure” in Indonesian — a word that Chef Yoshioka Tetsuo picked up on his travels around Asia. Though a Kyoto native, he started his culinary career in Tokyo, venturing as far out as Okinawa’s Ishigaki Island to continue his training, before returning to Kyoto to start his own restaurant. As such, Chef Yoshioka is no stranger to berangkat, having had to say goodbye to many of his previous kitchens and homes in order to further his horizons. In that sense, the cuisine in his fusion restaurant, appropriately named Berangkat, is similarly a departure from the confines of traditional cuisines. To create his dishes, he incorporates produce from Okinawa, such as bittergourd and lotus root, as well as ingredients that he has picked up from culinary inspirations during his travels. For instance, his shira-ae, a traditional Japanese mashed tofu salad, incorporates fiery chili oil, fragrant coriander, rich century egg and a dash of pepper for a bit of zing. On the drinks side of things, guests will find that caipirinha cocktails are just at home atop Chef Yoshioka’s counter as much as Asahi draft beer and domestic shochu. With only one table and a single L-shaped counter, getting a table at Berangkat has always been difficult — downright impossible without a reservation — and it has only gotten harder with the restaurant’s receiving of a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide Kyoto 2024, which has boosted its already stellar reputation. Nonetheless, good things come to those who wait.