Kintsuta Roppongi

Restaurant Details

When Kintsuta, the famous restaurant from Haruyoshi District in Hakata, enlisted the help of Michelin-trained chef Moriyama Takayuki, the instruction was to reimagine Hakata-style hotpot for Tokyo diners. And reimagination he did.

Formerly working in the team behind the celebrated Kyoya in New York, Moriyama brings his culinary expertise to render the restaurant’s now-signature hotpot, the Takiniku Nabe. This hotpot, shaped like an upside-down top hat, features fresh, seasonal Kyushu vegetables arranged in a donut shape and crowned with meat, often times Japanese black wagyu sirloin or pork. Ingredients are cooked shabu-shabu style in a fragrant ox tail soup and served with two house-made plum miso pastes, all aged for three years: the one in a red bottle infused with red chili peppers, and another one made with green chili peppers, Japanese peppers and black sesame seeds.

Attention is rightfully placed on its proteins, which further puts respect on the region it’s dedicated to. For example, its specially sourced black pork, branded as “Kokuho,” is raised in Kagoshima Prefecture on a diet of sweet potato shochu mash. This tiny amount of alcohol is said to improve sleep and reduce stress, resulting in tender meat. The Japanese Black beef, or kuroge wagyu, is also from Kyushu and is known for its fine-grained, smooth marbling.

Kintsuta further elevates the experience with their signature aged plum miso, boasting a depth of flavor developed over three years.

Despite its proximity to glitzy Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Station, Kintsuta is a hideaway marked by a discreet sign. The interior reflects a modern aesthetic, featuring table seating, semi-private areas and fully private rooms.