Tempura Matsu (天ぷら松)

21-26 Umezu Onawabacho

Ukyo Ward

Kyoto

615-0925

Japan

BY NEAL MARTIN |&nbsp;APRIL 09, 2024The Food:

Boiling
black squid with dashi

Sea
bream in aubergine and rice vinegar sauce

Squid
and sea bream sashimi

Black
Throat Sea Perch sushi 

Horsehair
crab

Fatty
tuna with sesame dressing on rice

Grilled
eel 

Assorted
tempura: scallop, lotus root, king prawn, okra, silverfish and finally, onion

Cold
soba with egg yolk served in a block of ice

Roast
tea ice cream

The Wine:

2018 Domaine
Servin Chablis Les Pargues&nbsp; 87

Tempura
Matsu is located on the western fringe of Kyoto towards Arashiyama and
overlooks the Katsura River, beyond which lies Japan’s deeply forested,
mountainous interior. This part of Kyoto is less touristic, although it attracts
gourmands visiting nearby Kitcho, one of the country’s triple-starred
restaurants. Shunichi Matsuno established Tempura Matsu in 1973 as a tempura
bar, and it remains a family concern. The reins have now passed to his son,
Toshio, who completed stints with Alain Ducasse and Grant Achatz before working
alongside his father. The restaurant gained renown after being featured in
travel writer Matt Goulding’s book Rice, Noodle, Fish.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671258721-tempura+matsu+exterior_copy.jpg">The&nbsp;Tempura Matsu exteriorThe
restaurant is easy to find using a Smartphone. It occupies a two-story black
and white building that is not dissimilar to a residential house. Its purpose
is given away by the chefs visible, prepping away through the front window. Like
many places in Japan, it is bijou in size, with seven counter seats (where I
like to be seated), a couple of booths and a private room. The décor is cozy, homely
and simple, with large oak beams and traditional lanterns dangling from the
ceiling. It is a place that feels lived-in, timeless in some ways.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671316939-tempura+matsu+chef_copy.jpg">The&nbsp;Tempura Matsu chefTaking
my seat, I notice rudimentary equipment in the kitchen. A tempura frier is located
by the window. Toshio Matsuno is readying himself for lunch that day, deftly
slicing squid into tiny ribbons with a knife that may have been forged by
Hattaro Hanzõ himself (Tarantino fans will get the reference). Some of the
equipment looks as if it might be decades old. The maître d’, who I find very
hospitable and speaks a few words of English, is actually Shunichi’s mother.

I am dining
alone without the aid of my Japanese wife-cum-translator. My basic understanding
of the language helps, and the dishes recounted in this Vinous Table were
translated by myself and scribbled down in my notebook as lunch unfolded, so apologies
if anything is lost in translation! I believe you should get along fine if your
Japanese goes no further than “Arigato”. One notable aspect of Tempura Matsu is
their use of antique ceramics or oribe ware, renowned for its vivid colors.
Some of Matsu’s chinaware dates back 300 years.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671444632-tempura+matsu+squid_copy.jpg">Boiling black squid with dashi 

Before describing
the dishes, I must point out that its name is misleading because, despite the
restaurant’s name, tempura is just one part of a multi-course kaiseki
menu, of which there are three options between 15,000 to 25,000 Yen per person.
That is definitely on the expensive side, though no more than elsewhere you
would find at this level. The cooking here is deceptively straightforward,
quintessentially Japanese. The only frill is the carved block of ice used to cradle
the noodles, but otherwise, the menu abides by the idea of fresh, meticulously
sourced ingredients expertly prepared in front of customers and presented with
minimum fuss. There is nothing conspicuously flamboyant at Tempura Matsu, no
fireworks or pretension. This is all about subtle flavors that gently build
throughout the dozen or so courses that somehow match the vista of the
countryside visible through the window.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671437031-tempura+matsu+aubergine_copy.jpg">Sea bream in aubergine and rice vinegar sauce The first
course is served. Chef deftly slices a small black squid and pops it into an
octagonal dish. It’s patently so hot that I don’t even attempt that ritual of wetting
my finger to double-check (don’t we all do that?). He pours in a dashi that
instantaneously bubbles like a cauldron about to froth over, then adds a
sprinkle of powdered ginger and advises me to mix the contents. It’s a delicious,
if a low-key starter. I foolishly make the mistake of spooning some rice from
the sides that are so hot that it scalds my mouth. Idiot. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671512289-tempura+matsu+sea+perch_copy.jpg">Black Throat Sea Perch sushi The
second dish is divine. It is comprised of a small wedge of sea bream topped
with crisp bonito flakes that sit in a pool of aubergine and rice wine vinegar
sauce seasoned with sweet red Japanese pickles. The sea bream is flanked by a
lightly fried slice of aubergine to mop up the remainder of the sauce once I’ve
finished with the fish. The sauce is dreamy – perfectly balanced, delicate yet
so focused in flavor. The pickles lend piquancy. What’s Japanese for “more
please”? Too late! The next course beckons. It is a simple yet extraordinary sashimi
dish of squid aged for three days and sliced into wafer-thin ribbons in front
of customers’ eyes. Let me state for the record: this is the most mind-blowing
squid that I’ve ever eaten. It explodes in slow motion in the mouth and mischievously
encourages chewing as slowly as possible without dribbling everywhere. All it
requires is a judicious dab of sweet Japanese soy to set it off. The squid is
dipped into a ponzu and spring onion dressing, that steals the limelight from
the accompanying raw sea bream. &nbsp; <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671577291-tempura+matsu+crab_copy.jpg">Horsehair crab The
fourth serving is a sushi roll of black throat sea perch served on warm rice
with a dab of wasabi that is ground right in front of my eyes. I am advised to
pop it into my mouth. It’s so subtle in flavor, a gentle, almost teasing
crescendo before it’s down the gullet. You register the sea perch’s fattiness
and sweetness in hindsight. Can I ask for another, just to check? No, the following
course is hot on its heels. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671616859-tempura+matsu+tuna_copy.jpg">Fatty tuna with sesame dressing on rice The
next course consists of a rare and super-expensive horsehair crab encased in its
shell and served in a clarified consommé. I follow orders to drink the consommé
first and then crack the shell so the crab infuses and alters its texture and
consistency. I notice how the crab is intermixed with shards of fluffy potato.
It’s delicious, though part of me feels that the nuanced flavor of the crab is diluted
away. I use my chopsticks to pick out morsels of crab that have yet to
disintegrate. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671659278-tempura+matsu+eel_copy.jpg">Grilled eel Up next
is one of my favorites: slices of pale tuna with just the right fattiness, the
type that just melts in your mouth, served with a sesame dressing, sesame seeds
and Japanese nori over a bed of rice. It’s a perfect combination, layer upon
layer of gorgeous flavors. Chef prudently ensures that the sesame does not
overpower the delicacy of the tuna. Insert the superlative of your choice. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712673221818-tempura+matsu+scallop+tempura_copy.jpg">Scallop tempura The
seventh course comprises two miniature slices of eel, caught in Lake Biwa on
the other side of Kyoto, where I had completed a ParkRun that morning, procured
at the market three hours earlier and served with a thickened soy sauce. These
are cooked over charcoal and charred to lend a subtle acrid note that
counterbalances the sauce's sweetness. It works wonderfully, although once
slice comes dangerously close to being excessively charred.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712673235664-tempura+matsu+prawn+tempura_copy.jpg">King prawn tempura Given
the restaurant's title, one would depart disappointed if there is no tempura. One
of the more senior chefs is in charge of the frier. He has a stoic expression
and doesn’t engage in light-hearted conversation. He’s on a mission. He serves tempura
in the order of scallop, lotus root, king prawn, okra, silverfish and finally,
onion tempura. The latter is gently battered for 30 minutes, so it just melts
in the mouth. It’s wonderful. The batter is quite thin, but not so gossamer
thin that you cannot enjoy its flavor.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671803712-tempura+matsu+udon_copy.jpg">Cold soba with egg yolk served in a block of ice 

Then,
Tempura Matsu’s signature dish, their pièce de résistence: soba served in a
cold dashi broth, and an egg yolk ingeniously served in a hollowed block of ice
that keeps it cold and refreshing. The soba might well be the best I have eaten;
it is just so full of flavor and perfectly marries the dashi. It looks amazing,
yet it is deceptively simple. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671847056-tempura+matsu+ice+cream_copy.jpg">Roast tea ice cream 

We
finish with roast tea ice cream. The flavor of the tea comes through quite
strongly. Its seduction is heightened by the fact that it’s probably 36 or 37 degrees
outside. The
wine list is pretty rudimentary, but prices are not too bad. I am here more for
the food than the fermented grape juice, so I order a bottle of 2018 Chablis
Les Pargues from Domaine Servin. Like many in this vintage, it cannot
disguise its tropical nose with passion fruit and melon but retains satisfying delineation.
The palate displays fine weight with some fatness that might displeasure purists
seeking more traditional Chablis. Perfect for drinking now. I would not cellar
it for a long time. However, I must mention the homemade sparkling plum juice.
This was absolutely divine, fresh, pure and packed with flavor. Do try it. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1712671909850-tempura+matsu+chablis_copy.jpg">The
Michelin guide has not recognized Tempura Matsu. It is rather a Kyoto
institution that attracts locals and those piqued by Goulding’s aforementioned book.
As I mentioned before, there is something timeless about this restaurant that foments
from its half-century of history, its rustic, almost tavern-like interior and its
straightforward dishes. Some of the courses, such as the squid sashimi, the aubergine
sauce and the soba, are outstanding. The series of tempura is delicious, yet I
would say that none strike me as mindboggling. Overall, it is an excellent
lunch. In terms of value, some might consider a little on the high side, but
there is no doubting the lengths that they go to sourcing ingredients. I should
forewarn that Tempura Matsu does not accept cards here, so make sure you bring
cash. © 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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