A three-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Gaien-mae Station in Minami Aoyama, Tempura Motoyoshi Matoba is named after Chef Hiroki Matoba, who apprenticed himself to Chef Kazuhito Motoyoshi at Tempura Motoyoshi and worked there as Sous Chef before opening Tempura Motoyoshi Matoba in February 2022 on the same site as Tempura Motoyoshi.
As the owner of the tempura restaurant, Chef Matoba represents himself as a “tempura master,” inheriting from Master Motoyoshi the concept of celebrating the early, seasonal, and late-season bounties of nature through tempura. The tempura is deep-fried in a blend of sesame oil pressed in the traditional way called “tama shibori” with canola oil and corn oil in the ratio of 3 to 7. The batter is made by dissolving flour cooled down with liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 196°C to make it easier to mix into two different kinds of water, depending on the ingredient, as learned from Master Motoyoshi.
The prix-fixe (fixed-priced) menu is also derived from that of Tempura Motoyoshi, consisting of classic items trademarked by Master Motoyoshi, such as Tempura Motoyoshi’s Tempura of Japanese Basil Topped with Urchin and Tempura of Sweet Potato, though Chef Matoba modified the menu by adding refreshments and delicacies that go well with Japanese sake. He further broke new ground by featuring new ingredients he found when visiting producers.
The specialty tempura features turnips directly sourced from a farmer in Tonosho, Chiba, and Afro Cabbage grown by Mr. Hidehiko Sakao from Hennery Market in Choshi, Chiba. In particular, Tempura of Cabbage is an amazing dish composed of cabbage sauce, deep-fried tempura of cabbage leaves layered on top of each other like mille-feuille, and thinly cut strips of cabbage so guests can enjoy the vegetable in three different styles (cooked, deep-fried, and raw).
The sake list consists of some 20 varieties that go well with tempura, including Chef Matoba’s favorite sake, Abekan, from Miyagi and Kintsuru from Sado in Niigata. The wines selected from around Japan are provided by the glass.
The interior is adorned with seasonal decorations, instead of cherry branches displayed in Tempura Motoyoshi in spring. There are proprietary cooling devices (called “Kitakaze”) for guests who cannot eat hot dishes on the counter (seating up to seven guests). The tempura is served on tempura plates crafted by Mr. Ryusuke Asai, a ceramist from Doshogama in Machida, Tokyo. Please enjoy the exclusive tempura created by Tempura Master Matoba at Tempura Motoyoshi Matoba with your family, partner, friends and coworkers.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Gaienmae Station Exit 1A
