A 15-minute walk from Tenjin Station in Fukuoka takes you to bekki in a residential area a short distance away from busy downtown. The restaurant has no sign though it is located on the first floor of the building. As you pass through the entrance gate and walk down the path, a green garden will welcome you. Then, once you open the restaurant’s door at the opposite end of the garden, white shades will leap to your eyes. This out-of-the-ordinary world is run by Chef Kentaro Bekki.
Chef Bekki started his career with French cuisine but went to Italy to learn local cuisines in different places of the country. After returning to Japan, he further honed his culinary skills at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo and then opened IL CASINO in his home prefecture of Kumamoto in 2015. Just three years later, in 2018, IL CASINO gained excessive popularity and received one star. And then, another three years later, he opened the second location, named after himself, in Fukuoka to take a great leap forward in that larger market.
The food menu of bekki only offers a prix fixe (fixed price) innovative meal, which features seasonal ingredients, though the chef is committed to ensuring, as much as possible, that guests can always try something new whenever they return. Instead of being obsessed with consuming locally grown food, he procures meat from around Japan. For example, he purchases Omi Beef from Shiga and Shorthorn Beef from Iwate to get precious cuts. In addition, some ingredients are imported from abroad. Meanwhile, the fish and vegetables are locally sourced in Kyushu. The “Handmade Pasta” made with semolina flour from a farmer in Chiba is a popular item, characterized by its crisp texture reminiscent of that of soba noodles.
Each course of the prix-fixe menu is expertly paired by the sommelier with different wines from Italy, France, New World countries. The innovative restaurant is so particular about Japanese sake that they make bekki original sake at Aramasa Shuzo. In addition, some soft drinks are offered, including a selection of homemade herb teas and organic grape juice.
The garden that can be seen from the counter with 11 seats is landscaped by SOLSO, a team of professional gardeners recognized for their work with renowned architect Kengo Kuma. It is planted with herbs used in cooking and kept lush green year-round.
The kitchen is stocked with a cutlery set of Asymmetry from Ryusen Hamono in Fukui and tableware crafted by ceramists and woodworkers in Kyushu.
Thus, detailed attention is paid to all aspects of the restaurant, including ingredients, interior designs, and tableware, which makes bekki the perfect place to dine with your family, partner, friends, or colleagues. Please enjoy the true value of the one-star restaurant.
------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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
A 10-minutes on foot from Exit 4 of Akasaka Station on the Kuko Subway Line
*The route is difficult to find, so we recommend arriving at the nearest station 20 minutes early.
